Gear Used on the Brooks Range Caribou Hunt

I've gotten a few requests to itemize the gear used on that trip so here it is. I didn't go into food as I did that pretrip. Most of the gear I took was used but I did indicate the items that did not see use.

Pack:
Kifaru Duplex Frame/High Camp 7000 Bag – Used
HPG Original Kit Bag - used

Shelter: Base Camp
Kifaru Megatarp
Bear Paw Wilderness 1.5 Net Tent
MSR Ground Hog Stakes - Used

Shelter: Spike Camp
$20 Bandit fold over
Titanium Goat Kestrel Bivy w/stuff sack – Not Used
SOL reflective bivy - not used
Tyvek Ground Sheet - Used
MSR Ground Hog Stakes - Used
3mm Reflective Cordage - Various Lengths – Used

Sleep System
Sea to Summit e-vent compression dry bag - Used
Kifaru 0 degree side zip – Used
Therm-a-rest Neoair Xtherm Large - Used
Therm-a-rest Z Pad - Used
Small Sea to Summit e-vent stuffed with clothing as a pillow

Optics
Vortex Talon HD 8x42 Binoculars - Used
Vortex Ranger 1000 Rangefinder – Used

Electronics
Outdoor Research Ultralight Drysack - 5L - Used
Delorme PN-30 GPS w/ 2 AA batteries - Used
Samsung Note 3 w/ 2 spare batteries - Used
Sony A5100 w/18-55mm, a 55-200mm, and a 16F28 f/2.8 WA,3 xtra batteries- Used
Sony RX100 3 xtra batteries- used
9000mAh battery pack - used

Firearms
Tikka T3 7mm Rem Mag, Vortex Viper HS2.5-10x44 - Used
Rifle Sling - Used
Rifle Scabbard - Used

Ammunition
162 gr. Hornady SST .284 (7mm Rem Mag) (30 Rounds) – Used (2 Rounds)

Knives/Equipment
Tops Cuma Tak Ri 3.5 - Used (removed the antler skull plates on both caribou)
MP Knives Original Otzi
Opinel filet knife
SAK Huntsman
Pacemaker Expedition Poles – Used

Kill Kit
T.A.G. Bags - Used
Sea to summit large eVent compression dry bags - Used
Havalon Piranta-Edge Knife - Used
Kifaru Meat Baggie - Used
25 ft. Orange 550 cord – Used
Latex Gloves – Used
Tyvek sheet 5x7 - used

Essentials
Kifaru Ultralight Medium Pullout - Used
Petzl Tikka XP Headlamp - Used
Petzl E+Lite Headlamp – Used
fire steel - used
Exotac Matchcap XL w/Matches - not used
Sea to Summit Head Net - Used
Alpin Compass – Used
Blistex - Used
One Wipe Charlies - Used
Warrior Wipes - Used
Tums - Used
Shemagh - used
Toothbrush - Used
Toothpaste - Used

Clothing
First Lite Red Desert Boxers (2) - Used
First Lite Chama Qz - Used
First Lite Allegheny Bottom – Used
First Lite Kanabs - used
Kryptek Merino top - used
Kryptek merino bottom - used
Kryptek Alaios Pants - Used
Kryptek Aquillo - Used
Kryptek Zeus Gloves - used
  Kerri (Lucky 1 2) LRRP Hat - Used
Sea to Summit eVent - 3L - Used
Wool beanie made by my wife - Used
Sitka beanie - Used
Lorpen Heavy Weight Merino Wool Socks - Used
Kenetrek Mountain Extreme Uninsulated Boots - Used
Outdoor Research Crocodile Gaiters - Used
Wiggy's Waders - Used
Kuiu Belt - Used

Rain Gear
Kryptek Koldo Rain Jacket - Used
Kryptek Poseidon Pants – Used

First Aid Kit
Customized Personal FAK – Used

Water/Cook Kit
Kifaru small Pullout - Used
MSR 4L Gravity Works Filter - Used
Nalgene Bottle - Used
Heavy Cove Ti canteen & cup - Used
Saywer Mini Water Filter w/Squeeze bag – Used
MSR Pocket Rocket - Used
MSR 8 oz. fuel canister (2) - Used
Eagle 1.5l kettle - Used
Alpine Fry bake - Used
Optimus Titanium Long Spoon - Used
McNETT Tactical 30x50 microfiber towel – Used

Mini Reviews:

Kifaru Megatarp- Single best shelter set up I've used. During buggy weather the addition of the 1.5 net tent makes the set up very comfortable, colder weather with the annex and a small stove makes it four season capable.



First Lite Base Layers – Of the big four or five companies who make merino base layers I believe FL to be the best, I've used nearly all of them.

Kryptek Apparel – The rain gear combo of Koldo Jacket & Posedion pants were stand outs. I knew they were good going in as I'd been using the set up for nearly a year but I hadn't used them virtually continuously over several days. They worked very well, breathed enough, broke the wind, kept me dry and worked like armor in the willows. The pocket layout on the Koldo is superb, roomy enough and placed correctly. Outstanding combination.



Wiggy’s Waders – My thoughts are the same as Throc's, I was suprised at the durability and lightweight, very good value for what you're getting.

HPG Original Kit Bag – What else needs to be said? Still working wonders when you want to carry some micelaneous items plus your glass. I also use it as a 'grazing bag', blue berries were every where, I'd also opened a zip lock back of trail mix in a pocket, grab blue berries and a handful of trail mix and graze while hiking.



Alpine Fry Bake - Hard to get excited about a pan but I am about this one. Non stick, fairly lightweight, I often cooked my Mountain House in this pan instead of the bag. Mixes better, less clumps, just put the MH in the pan, add the hot water and put the lid on it. I placed the pan on top of my still hot kettle and then covered it with a HPG 25cm bag to insulate. Also used that method to cook some 7 grain cereal with some fresh blueberries. I cooked my grayling in the same pan.





Tenkara Rig - I used the Yamame though I also had a Iwanna with me. The Tcreel and Ebira are from thomdarrah and worked wonderfully well. All in I caught perhaps 6 or 8 grayling of varying sizes and ate one of them. I am the first to admit that having been a fly fisherman my whole life I have not adapted well to Tenkara. I am so used to managing line and rod, not just rod that I find myself trying to figure out something to do with my left hand. I'm working on breaking a lifetime of fly fishing habits, while there are some similarites the two are not the same and sometimes I feel like 50% of the equation is missing with Tenkara. I continue to work with it and the fall trout seasons are when I hope to finally find my Tenkara 'magic moment'.





Vortex Talon HD 8x42 - They did not disappoint, clarity, low light use, field of view, all around great glass that did everything I asked of them.