This is about the time of the year when we really start hitting the catalogs looking for great gear to fill up any last minute holes in our gear list and making sure our kit is 100% ready for the fall season. Here are some great gear selections we have found through our searches. As always, a few of these are affiliate links and we make no apologies for this, HuntingLife is a for-profit business and earning a few pennies from sales help us to keep the server running and our team in the field testing gear.
Third Eye Headlamps
We found these online and, at the mid-price point of $49.99, they offer just about everything we need and want in a headlamp. Most of all we like the fact that they offer 6 brightness settings, as well as red and white lights, the headlamp is waterproof, it runs on 3 AAA batteries and they offer a no questions asked 100% return policy on these lights. The 1-inch headbands are universal and interchangeable, and the bright colors help you to keep from losing them and distinguish which one is yours. Check them out: https://www.thirdeyeheadlamps.com/shop
Danner Recurve Boots
Early season bow hunting never looked so good with the Danner Recurve boots. These boots take design and technology from the best hiking boots and the traditional styling of classic hiking boots specifically built for hunting. Whether you are doing a little early season scouting or you are packing in a solid 20 miles into a drop camp, the Recurve has the chops to get you there and the ankle support you need to handle the elevation changes you need. Check these out if you like a classic look mirrored with technology from today’s best boots. We especially like the classic Mossy Oak patterning.
Pelican V800 Double Rifle Case
2020 for us is going to be all about shotgunning with a little bit of deer hunting. Traveling with a variety of weapons, when you get to where you want to be it’s important to open up your case and know your gear is safe. Pelican has always developed gear that is expedition grade. This is the gear you want whether are looking to go into the jungle half way around the world, or you are putting your rifle in the back of the truck and heading just down the road. They are priced extremely well and will hold two scoped rifles or a rifle and a shotgun. If you need a gun case to last the rest of your life, check out the Pelican V800.
Raptic Titan XL 500 Portable Power Station
The Titan XL ($499.95) is a portable, rechargeable 500Wh compact power station that provides long-lasting power for your adventures or emergencies. Whether you’re hunting, camping, working, or you’ve lost power during inclement weather, Titan XL can power your essentials and charge what you need. This unit can run everything from your computer to a CPAP machine. It does not require fuel to operate, and it runs silently. Paired with an optional 100-watt solar charger sold separately, this unit is the perfect tool to bring in to elk camp to charge anything and everything you can possibly throw at it. The unit weighs in at 14 lbs. and it comes with a detachable shoulder strap.
Off-Road Lighting from KC
The Original in off-road lighting releases its next era in off-road lighting, the KC FLEX ERA™ 3. KC has come a long way in 50 years of off-road lighting and these new lights are a long way from the happy face lights of my youth. Compact, powerful and perfect for customizing your ride. This new shape looks great, has 3 different colors and will work well whether you are placing them on your truck, SUV, or ATV/UTV. Check them out at: https://www.kchilites.com/explore/flex-era-3
Duck Camp Midland 2.0 Hunting Shirt
The Midland 2.0 camouflage is perfect for hunting in prairie grass and cut sunflower fields or anywhere in tall grass prairie. We have had the opportunity to test out the Duck Camp apparel in the past and very few details are left to chance in this gear. The mid weight fabric breathes and is perfect for temperatures between 45-70 degrees. The shirt has hidden pockets for glasses and anything you don’t want to lose like your tags. Check it out at Duck Camp
Sea to Summit Gear
We will be doing a lot of kayaking this fall as we learn how to duck hunt from a kayak. Keeping gear from getting wet is incredibly important to the success of those trips. We have been using the Sea to Summit Dry Bags for well over a decade, and the Big River Dry Bags have kept everything we own dry at some point in the water whether that was sleeping bags or electronics and shot shells. They come in a wealth of colors and sizes. While you are there, check out some of the other great gear from them.
Drift Rove Air Freshener
Wet dog is not an air freshener nor a smell you necessarily want in your truck. Of course we know a wet dog is usually the sign of a good day but the rig of your truck should smell better. We had the opportunity to try out the Drift Rove which comes with a monthly subscription of air fresheners. We got sent the August scent of the month which was CAMP and this unit allows you to keep the aluminum housing and just swap out the scents once a month. We prefer the citrus grove scent. The unit blends in quite well, open this baby up wide open and it can blast you out of the car but cut down to about 1/4th open and it will last all month. Great little unit. Drift Rove
Smelly Proof Storage Bags
Speaking of keeping things from smelling, the Smelly Proof Bags from SmellyProof.com have impressed us. When we are camping, vacuum sealing is just not convenient. We use these extra large heavy duty bags from Smelly Proof to put out clothes in when we are heading into deer and elk camp to keep everything fresh and scent free. Once we get animals on the ground, these bags are perfect for large chunks of meat in the cooler to bring them home. They are also great to have with foods that we don’t want stinking up the cooler on the way to and from hunting camp. These bags are heavy duty and with a little bit of washing they can be reused multiple times in a row. We also like that they come in a variety of sizes.
Lacrosse Lodestar Boots
The Lodestar is the newest addition to the LaCrosse Navigator Series. These boots are purpose built for back country hunting. A lightweight boot with a serious Vibram outsole and omni-directioal lugs to handle anything you can throw at it whether that is running ridge tops to catch bugling elk or packing out heavy loads out of the canyons. The GORE-TEX 100% waterproof liner keeps your feet breathing and water on the outside of the boot allowing you to hunt from the early season well into the late deep snow. Check out the LaCrosse Lodestar.
Wolf and Grizzly Cook System
If you don’t mind waiting a bit we saw this cook system from the team at Wolf and Grizzly. The only issue is that it is being sold on a Wolf and Grizzly Kickstarter campaign. The good news is it is selling like crazy but you have to wait for it. I love packing light and this system looks really cool. Check it out Wolf & Grizzly.
Montana Decoy Deer Rump Decoy
Sometimes you just need a little something extra to bring that big bruiser right over the fence and into range and this decoy is light, packable and effective. It comes with two replaceable teaser tails for a more realistic look. They say you can add scent to one and while I personally would never do that, it’s not hard to put sent near this decoy and get the same effect. As well, they offer up free of charge a deer decoy setup guide and this is must reading. Get one from Montana Decoy!
Swiftwick Socks
We have a bit of a sock obsession in these parts, and we have been obsessed since we started elk hunting close to 30 years ago. I know that changing my socks mid day on a long hunt has kept me out in the woods longer with a positive attitude which has helped me to bring down animals when most others would have given up. We got some pairs of socks to test from Swiftwick and the merino wool and the comfortable fit has us smiling. We have tested it now on a cool day and on a hot day, and these socks hold up to everything I have thrown at them. Check out Swiftwick Socks.
Coast Diamond Sharpener
The Coast Diamond Sharpener sits at the bottom of my backpack. It weighs almost nothing, and it works like a charm on any knife or hook that I need to sharpen quickly and easily. I love tools that work as they should when you need them to be there for you. The vast majority of products from Coast are like that.
