Best recent outdoor gear purchase

I thought it would be fun to hear what some of the better outdoor gear that some of you have purchased recently. I’ll let you decide what’s recently and what’s all considered outdoor gear. I’ll start with a few of mu more recent ones that I’ve been really happy with.

Blackfish Gear stormshield gale 1/4 zip pullover jacket – I purchased this jacket late last summer. My thought at the time is that it would make a excellent layer under my ice fishing jacket for cold outing. It soon became my choice for late fall fishing. It was more than warm enough for those cooler fall fishing outing. It also did a good job of cutting the wind as well as keeping me dry in a lighter rainfall. I would not say it would replace raingear for heavier rains but it held up well for lighter amounts. I soon realized it was far to warm for a layer under my ice fishing jacket. It was just to warm. It often has replaced my ice jacket as the outer layer on most of my recent ice outing. Love the hood on it.

Tactacam reveal Gen X 2.0 trail camera – I purchased this late this last fall after my old trail camera died. It has the cell capability to send the picture direct to your cell phone. So far I’ve been really impressed with it. It seems to take excellent pictures and video’s. I will say that depending on your settings and the # of pictures taken it does eat batteries rather quick. I ended up purchasing the lithium rechargeable batter pack for mine. If you are going to use it in a area where you cant access it often I’d get both the lithium battery and external solar panel for it. There customer service is excellent as well. I had to use them for help getting it set up ( I’m a tech idiot ) I also spoke with them once when it seemed to lose connection after a big snow storm. They walked me through the steps to get it back up and running right from my home.

Fenix PD36R flashlight – I purchased this late last summer. So far have been really happy with it. Its more than bright enough for most all uses. Its sized so its fairly easy to carry or pack. It seems really well built and has already taken a few drops and so far held up really well.

Lets hear some of yours.

Livescope, purchased at the show last weekend. I have never used one or even seen one in use. So hoping it is life changing as advertised. Now trying to figure out the shuttle or ways to mount it and get it set up once I can dig the boat out.

The Sitka gear I have purchased so far. For a long time I was an anti Sitka person. I was never (and still won’t) paying those prices for outdoor clothing. But if you shop their deals it is by far the best purchases I have made to make my time outside more enjoyable. The fit and comfort is amazing. I own more than my wife knows about. And I definitely see more purchases in the future.

Blackfish Gale Pullover – I hate wearing bulky jackets but am outside a lot. This has been great for fishing, plowing, cutting brush, working in the garage when I don’t want to crank the furnace, and everything in between. I don’t do reviews but this would get the highest rating I can give.

Milwaukee Work Pants – These have become a catch all for everything from work to fishing. They aren’t baggy, and are a good match of comfort and durability. They have held up to just about everything I have put them through. I was getting sick of paying the ever increasing prices for Carhartt pants ever since they’ve become a “fashion” item. I plan to wear these fishing on cooler days, mushroom hunting this spring, and goose hunting in the fields this fall.

Helix 10 G4N . Primarily side imaging . Actually find fish before fishing them . FBRM tuned . Should have saved money though and went with a G2N 12 .

My Costa Fantail sunglasses have been a piece of gear that has become essential every time I go fishing nowadays. They are about 4 years old now, but I wish I would have bought them way before that. Prior to these sunglasses, I always just bought a cheap $20 pair every season for 15 years.

John Rasmussen wrote:

Livescope, purchased at the show last weekend. I have never used one or even seen one in use. So hoping it is life changing as advertised. Now trying to figure out the shuttle or ways to mount it and get it set up once I can dig the boat out.

I’ve said that current technology like livescope will make a poor fishermen a good fishermen, A good fishermen a great fishermen. I’m not sure if I still believe that after what I saw last weekend. We were fishing and a new group of guys show up and drill holes 40-50 yards away from us. After not catching any fish and watching us catch some, they keep drilling closer and closer. At the end they were only 10-15 yards away. Still not catching any. The funny thing is they then pull out a livescope and drop it down. I hear them say how are they catching any, I don’t see any on this thing. After they got tired of not catching any fish they packed up and left. I walked over to the holes they were last fishing and caught several nice fish within the next 5 minutes. So much for my statement about it making a poor fishermen a good one.
I did have a chance to play with and use one a few weeks ago. They are cool and a great tool for locating fish much quicker. I wish we had one this last outing. It took us about a 100 holes and 3 moves to find our fish.

gim wrote:

My Costa Fantail sunglasses have been a piece of gear that has become essential every time I go fishing nowadays. They are about 4 years old now, but I wish I would have bought them way before that. Prior to these sunglasses, I always just bought a cheap $20 pair every season for 15 years.

I own several Costa. Including the failtail model. LOVE them. They are $$$ but worth it to me for the amount of time I spend out in the bright sunlight. They have also saved me a few times when a bullet weight became a bullet coming at me.

fishthumper wrote:

Fenix PD36R flashlight – I purchased this late last summer. So far have been really happy with it. Its more than bright enough for most all uses. Its sized so its fairly easy to carry or pack. It seems really well built and has already taken a few drops and so far held up really well.

Lets hear some of yours.

I think I have their headlamp and it is fantastic! Very durable super bright and rechargeable.

My eye insurance paid for 2 pairs of Costa faintails and a pair of oakley two face last week. Hope they are as good as some say.

CaptainMusky wrote:

I think I have their headlamp and it is fantastic! Very durable super bright and rechargeable.

One of their headlamps is on my future purchase list. Never been much of a headlamp guy but after hearing from others hear I have to give them another try.

Bearcat89 wrote:

My eye insurance paid for 2 pairs of Costa faintails and a pair of oakley two face last week. Hope they are as good as some say.

Wow, that is some really good vision insurance.

does a tub of waxworms count??????

havent used it yet……but thinking it might be that lithium battery! the weight difference is unreal!!!!1

gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
My eye insurance paid for 2 pairs of Costa faintails and a pair of oakley two face last week. Hope they are as good as some say.

Wow, that is some really good vision insurance.

Union. Get to spend 1k on sunglasses every January. Everything over 1k comes out of pocket.

Jeff Schomaker wrote:

The Sitka gear I have purchased so far. For a long time I was an anti Sitka person. I was never (and still won’t) paying those prices for outdoor clothing. But if you shop their deals it is by far the best purchases I have made to make my time outside more enjoyable. The fit and comfort is amazing. I own more than my wife knows about. And I definitely see more purchases in the future.

X2 I dont spend the money on early season gear but it is more than worth it for later in the season when it gets colder. Hell I hunted -45 degrees and was totally fine. I will add a custom built noodle rod. Has really upped my enjoyment of panfish ice fishing.

Bearcat89 wrote:

Union. Get to spend 1k on sunglasses every January. Everything over 1k comes out of pocket.

What color lenses did you get on them?

fishthumper wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>John Rasmussen wrote:</div>
Livescope, purchased at the show last weekend. I have never used one or even seen one in use. So hoping it is life changing as advertised. Now trying to figure out the shuttle or ways to mount it and get it set up once I can dig the boat out.

I’ve said that current technology like livescope will make a poor fishermen a good fishermen, A good fishermen a great fishermen. I’m not sure if I still believe that after what I saw last weekend. We were fishing and a new group of guys show up and drill holes 40-50 yards away from us. After not catching any fish and watching us catch some, they keep drilling closer and closer. At the end they were only 10-15 yards away. Still not catching any. The funny thing is they then pull out a livescope and drop it down. I hear them say how are they catching any, I don’t see any on this thing. After they got tired of not catching any fish they packed up and left. I walked over to the holes they were last fishing and caught several nice fish within the next 5 minutes. So much for my statement about it making a poor fishermen a good one.
I did have a chance to play with and use one a few weeks ago. They are cool and a great tool for locating fish much quicker. I wish we had one this last outing. It took us about a 100 holes and 3 moves to find our fish.

The Z-Man Billy GOAT Grub, GOAT Toadz, GOAT Grub, and Baby Goat Grub. They are super versatile, durable floating fish catchers. The only strike against them is the Elaztech eats through some jig skirt collars.

Smokeless muzzleloader. .45 cal Woodman Patriot. No more searching for BH209 powder.

I got the green light from mom to do some MAJOR upgrading to the electronics on the Grady

I kinda started without her consent by buying a Garmin Panoptix PS-30 transducer (shhhhhh ), and snowballed from there.

My current set-up is/was a 942xs GPSMap dedicated to run the Garmin GMR18 xHD radar and Fusion Radio, two Echomap 73sv plus’s at the helm, and a third 73sv plus at the stern of the boat (for passengers to watch/set riggers with).

The GPSMap and Echomaps can’t network, so I had the 942xs/radar separate, and the three Echomaps networked for sonar/mapping.

Now that I have a PS-30 I wanted to have the ability to see it on all of the units and be able to network everything together (four chartplotters, radar, PS-30, Fusion radio, traditional 2d/side vu), and have bigger screens all around.

I saw that Hodges Marine had 1042xsv GPSMaps on sale for $1,139 and picked up two of them, as well as a 943xvs GPSMap (similar to my 942xs) for about the same price. Now I’ll be able to run a 1042xvs on the overhead electronics locker for primarily radar, the 943xsv and 942xs at the helm (mapping and sonar/PS-30) and the other 1042xsv at the stern for watching the PS-30.

It’s going to be a fricken awesome setup for trolling

I’m going to run the PS-30 in the “flipped” orientation which gives an incredible view of what’s behind the boat and even what’s in front of the boat while trolling. It will shoot 120° fore and aft, and 40° port to starboard, and show everything in real time.

It will be cool seeing a fish 75’+ in front of the boat and be able adjust the riggers before running the fish over.

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gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
Union. Get to spend 1k on sunglasses every January. Everything over 1k comes out of pocket.

What color lenses did you get on them?

1 pair green 1 pair blue both are glass. And the oakleys are the prizm polarized mirrored

B man. That sounds like a awesome set up, far beyond my knowledge expertise but sounds awesome

For me it’s a pair of KEEN Revel IV Polar Insulated Waterproof Hiking Boots I bought early in the winter. They fit well, are very comfortable and perfect for coming and going in cold weather when you want warm footware but don’t need boots. I like them so much I keep telling my wife I should buy a second pair and store them for when the first pair is finished. I’ve had 2 previous pairs of winter hiking boots that i loved that were no longer available by the time I wore them out.

Bought a year ago. Duluth Dry on the Fly pants. They have some stretch to them and very well put together. Super comfortable sitting in the boat or walking. At 6’5″ and 250 they work perfect for me. Complete skin covering is essential for me because of a past melanoma removal on my arm. Doctors orders.

My birthday gift to myself this year. Quite the upgrade from the old Motorguide!

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Columbia Men’s Bugaboot Iii XTM Snow Boot. Purchased end of 2022 snow season and used all of this winter. (On sale – $73.25) Warm and super light weight.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0788GFPWK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Note – these do run small so go up one size for regular socks, 2 sizes for heavy weight socks. (I went up 2 sizes.)

-J.

I would have to say my Maui Jim sunglasses, Alenuihaha in Red. I have always been an Oakley guy, but man these things are sweet !

platypus 4 liter gravityworks water filtration system. if you do remote camping or are in any sort of situation where you need to filter walter, a gravity system like this is a must have. It packs down super small too.

Watersnake Shadow bow-mount trolling motor for the cabin fishing boat. Emerging brand specializing in smaller units. Innovative features and quite affordable!

Quick connect for the StrikeMaster lite flite, Amped Outdoors 20 amp battery for the LiveScope, Summit pole for LiveScope (waaaaaaay better than the Garmin pole), Clam Kenai XT Thermal. Plus I built a Smitty sled!!