Backcountry Elk, Deer and Bear Hunting Gear

Boots and Footwear

Primary pair of waterproof/water-resistant hiking boots.

  • Personal fit and type of terrain are key. There is a big cost to “overkill” boots – more break-in time and more foot fatigue on long trips. When I see guys wearing full shank, tight toe box boots at a hunting expo – I just assume they like sore feet and discomfort.
  • Hanwag Alaska GTX – September sheep, goat, rough terrain mulies/elk. Rifle elk/deer before big snow accumulations.
  • Crispi Lapponia – Archery Elk, Spring Bear. Very comfortable boot. My primary backpack hunt boot outside of super rough terrain.
  • Scarpa Charmoz – I wore these sheep and goat guiding when I knew I had tough/heavy, downhill pack outs in killer terrain. Tighter toe box is better in rough terrain. Way less comfortable than the above options, for me. Overkill for 95% of hunting. As I aged, I could no longer wear them due to some changes in my feet.
  • Barefoot boot options:
    • If you want to use barefoot boots for hunting, here’s the quick and dirty: they work. They just take time to get used to, and not all are created equal. The Jim Greens have a little more sole under you and have a traditional leather boot look. The Vivos feel like you’re actually barefoot. Where I don’t recommend either is under a heavy pack. Once you’re packing 50–70 lbs of meat, even well-conditioned feet start to hurt. But for everything else—from guiding to day hunts—these two boots have become my go-to since 2024.
    • In areas with Acacia thorns (Africa!) and big prickly pear cactus use Jim Greens, no Vivos.
    • Jim Green Ranger Barefoot Boots
    • Vivo Forest Boots

Pair of Pac Boots – Only used during late season, lots of snow on the ground hunts.

  • An insulated pac boot is your best option once snow accumulates beyond a foot or so. You will be hunting lower, less steep country. Your primary needs will be warmth, comfort, and waterproofness. In a wall-tent with stove or lodge setup, it is nice to be able to remove the liner and get it dry/warm at night.

The Schnees and Kenetrek boots are very similar.

  • Kenetrek Pac Boots – Great for cold, snowy conditions. Minimal activity.
  • Schnees – Check manufacturer website for options. Minimal activity.
  • Muck Boots – Reliable option, but without liner setup. Muck Boots are also a good option for wet, snowy Spring bear hunts let are not in rugged terrain. Minimal activity.
  • SUPER COLD WEATHER OPTION – Steger Mukluks Absolutely will keep your feet cold in any conditions. Not good for any terrain or lots of activity.

Secondary pair of boots/shoes

  • Merrell Type Hiking Shoes – Great as backup footwear in September, lightweight, and breathable.
  • Lighter Vivos – Good second pair of boots. You can hunt in these in mild conditions.
  • A pair of tennis shoes can even work well in September as camp/backup footwear.

Pair of camp shoes

  • Crocs – Lightweight and easy to pack for camp use.

Sock liners

  • Thin liner socks will help you avoid blisters and allow you to pack fewer pairs of primary socks.
  • Silk Liner Socks – My preferred choice. Merino wool and synthetics are also effective.

Primary socks

Gaiters

  • Great in snow and/or rain. Also great when dealing with high, frosty or dewy vegetation.
  • Kuiu Yukon HD Gaiters – Durable and functional in wet conditions.
  • Sitka Gaiters – Reliable choice with a good fit.
  • When moisture is limited and the primary purpose is keeping crap out of your boots and off your laces use Jim Green Leather Gaiters or short canvas ones.
  • Nikwax Waterproofing – Essential for maintaining waterproofness of gaiters.

Micro Spikes

  • Mountain goat hunts or hunts with lots of wet vegetation in steep terrain

Boot Warmers

  • Grakksaw Backcountry Boot Dryers
  • I only use these if there is a dry source of heat in my shelter, a wood stove in wall-tents or backpacking setups. In my hunt trailer a electric heat source makes them work well also.

Base Layers

Tops and Bottoms

  • I prefer Merino wool or wool blends. They don’t get the odor that synthetics build up and are more comfortable than synthetics.
  • From rewarming drills I have learned that VERY thin merino is best against the skin. Look at stuff 120-170 GSM
  • Too heavy of base layer is almost as bad as not having them. Increasing perspiration increases dehydration, comfort and chaffing on active hunts. Thick wool, even merino, doesn’t dry quickly. On warm weather hunters I wear standard lightweight synthetic boxers, light Firstlite merino boxers or Duckworth boxers.
  • Thin merino like Kifaru’s Spike 150
  • Minus 33 Base Layers – Comfortable, can find on sale at times. Use the 170 or lighter. Top and bottom.

Daily Layers

You don’t necessarily need camouflage gear during rifle season. A lot of time you can save money by purchasing clothing that has the same traits as hunting clothes but is sold to the masses and is not camo.

Bring quiet gear. If it goes “swoosh” when you move, don’t hunt in it. Rain gear for really wet conditions is the exception – It all swooshes if it actually works.

Check for hunter orange requirements in the region you are hunting.

For ticks on early season hunts – Spray your pants, boots, socks and shirts with Sawyers Permethrin

Mid-weight hunting shirts

  • Duckworth, First Lite, Born Primitive, Sitka, Kuiu, and other brands produce great mid-weight shirts. Pick the ones that make you look the coolest in your pictures. Non-hunting brands are no problem.
  • My current favorite is the Duckworth Vapor Tee (CLIFF for 20% off)

Lightweight hunting pants (Spring Bear, September Sheep/Goat, Archery Elk, Archery High Country Mule Deer)

  • On the camo front, I like SITKA Intercept pants or KUIU Pro Pants depending on temps.
  • Origin Field Pant – Great, simple pants. USA Made, cool camo pattern for archery.
  • For solids, my favorite pants right now are Argali Vesper Pants.
  • Wrangler ATG Pants – Budget-friendly option for lightweight hunting pants.

Rifle Season Pants

  • For non-remote hunts a great budget option are Duluth Fire Hose Cargo Pants.  Comfortable and great pockets. Yes, they are cotton.
  • For more active and technical pants I like the Kifaru Passbreaker or Argali Torex
  • Quiet pants used for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, etc… work well. Ensure they are suitable for active winter sports.
  • Sitka’s Timberline Pant – My all-time favorite cold weather hunting pant. I remove the knee pads for a better fit.

4 Layer Outerwear System

Lightweight fleece or softshell jacket

  • Grid-type fleeces like Kifaru Roam, Kifaru grid fleece and Argali’s Guide Air
  • First Lite Sawtooth Hybrid Jacket – For years my favorite lighter weight jacket, as a standalone layer over my base layer, was the First Lite Sawtooth Hybrid Jacket. Great option.

Insulating jacket/vest layer

  • Kuiu Kenai Jacket – My favorite synthetic insulating jacket.
  • Kuiu Super Down – My go-to down jacket for lightweight insulation.
  • Marmot Quasar (now Zeus) – Another great down jacket option.
  • Kifaru Pointe Jacket Newer option I have been testing with good results.

Duckworth Powder Hoody – Use code CLIFF for 20% off

  • A hybrid layer that can replace either insulating or softshell layers, or both in milder conditions. Warm and durable.

Heavy hunting jacket for cold weather

  • In less cold environments, you can avoid this layer by utilizing the other 3 layers: insulating, softshell, and raingear shell.
  • Wool or wool/synthetic mix are great when weight isn’t a concern.
  • Puff layers like First Lite Chamberlin and Kifaru Lost Park Parka are great options. I add in Kifaru Lost Park Puff Pants for late season conditions or long inactive cold glassing situations.

Full set of rain gear

  • Kuiu Yukon Rain Gear – I primarily use Kuiu Yukon rain gear.
  • Stoney Creek Glaisnock Jacket – In environments like Alaska, I use longer cut New Zealand style rain jackets like the Stoney Creek Glaisnock
  • Nikwax Waterproofing – Necessary for maintaining rain gear effectiveness.

Other Clothing

Gloves

  • One lightweight and one heavier (wool is best) pair of gloves is optimal.
  • If a single glove is preferred you can use simple deerskin gloves
  • I prefer glomitts because they allow me to use my fingers.
  • Learn to quickly/safely remove or shoot your gun with your chosen gloves. Sometimes this means removing the trigger finger part of your glove and/or glove liner.
  • First Lite’s Merino Gloves – Great for early season but not very durable. Budget alternative on Amazon here. Can be used as liners.
  • Rag Wool Glomitts – Late season, I like rag wool glomitts. Get multiple pairs, you will go through a pair a season, at a minimum.

Warm hat and/or balaclava

Rifle and all accessories

  • Optic and Rings
    • Durability, fog proof, waterproof and lowlight performance. For rough mountain hunts – you are looking at spending $350-$650+ on your scope.
    • Scopes I use
  • 6mm+ is roughly minimum caliber if you want a gun that is effective for all western game, from antelope to elk and legal and most all states.
    • The most important thing is that you are comfortable and accurate with your gun.
    • Large calibers/cartridges can cause inaccuracy because people train themselves to flinch.
    • Consider ways to mitigate recoil – muzzle brakes, suppressors, recoil pad, etc…
      • I primarily use Unknown Suppressors, Revic and Thunderbeast Suppressors
    • The 6.5mm family, 7mm Mag and 7mm PRC are a couple of my favorite cartridges. .308 in addition to other classics are great for the vast majority of hunters harvesting animals 400 yards and closer.
    • Budget rifles – Tikka T3x (hard to beat even versus much more expensive rifles) or Ruger American (Generation II)
    • Value rifle great for the mountain environment – Sig Cross and Seekins
    • Higher-end rifles – GunWerks. These are great out-of-the-box setups for someone wanting simplicity, yet high levels of performance. Seeing many clients show up with these setups and immediately having much higher proficiency than your average hunter sold me on their systems. I use them in some of my courses.
    • Bullet selection – 1. Based on what shoots best in your gun. 2. Match terminal ballistics performance with your hunted species, distance and situation. Know when and where your bullet choice will perform best. There is no “best bullet”, there are best bullets for certain situations. *Know the terminal performance velocity window your bullet will work in.
  • Rear shooting bag. Optional. Phoenix Shooting Bags makes some small, lightweight rear bags. You can also use a puffy in a dry bag or similar. Practice.
  • Splatter targets for sighting in a rifle – Splatter Targets, tape, stand – Target Stand

Trekking Poles and Rests

  • For trekking poles I use Cascade Carbon Fiber Poles – Cascade Carbon Fiber Poles
  • On hunts where I know I will be digging out a spot for my tent (rare) I use a long ice axe from Kobah. You need a 100cm axe or longer to dual purpose as a walking stick. Keep it light.
  • I also use the Wiser Quick-StiX adapter so I can use my trekking poles as a tall rest Wiser Quick-StiX Adapter and it helps me keep my poles organized.
  • I have most recently been utilizing the Tricer RP (CLIFFG for 10% off). In the past I have used a removable Hatch Bipod. I have also used the Revic Bipod (Revic Bipod) and the MDT. Watch my video where I go over these, value comparison, important features, etc… – Bipod Comparison Video
  • For truck based hunts or hunts that entail short hikes I like Trigger Sticks. They can be noisy if not properly held.

Bow

  • Arrows with extra broadheads and fieldpoints (8-12 arrows)
  • Work with an archery shop to setup a consistent set of arrows specifically geared towards the species you are hunting and the style of hunting you are doing. Weight vs trajectory vs speed, etc…
  • I do not make recommendations on arrow specifics because so much personal preference is involved
  • On pack-in hunts you must safely pack your broad heads and arrows for packing on pack animals. Lightweight bow cases like the Plano cases work well and fit in panniers – Plano Lightweight Bow Case
  • Release and an extra release
  • Spare parts for you bow
  • Bring a setup to shoot grouse during the Fall (flu flu arrows, judo points, bird busters, etc…)
    • ALWAYS use head variations at home. Ensure there is clearance from your bow sight and bow shelf.
  • I shoot a Hoyt VTM compound
  • Archery hunters should utilize camo face paint to break up their face.

Elk Calls and Decoys

  • Regardless of the season, learn how to use a cow call. During rifle seasons, a quick cow call is the best way to stop a running elk.
  • For archery hunts and rifle rut hunts, learn the basic bugles and cow sounds. Phelps and Native game calls provide great, easy-to-use diaphragm calls. Native makes my favorite bugle tube.
  • I have recently starting using the smaller Phelps bugle tube at times and for some predator calling – Phelps Bugle Tube
  • If you are not yet comfortable using a diaphragm call, don’t let anyone tell you that the old Hoochie Mama hasn’t called in a pile of bulls. It’s basic but it does work in a lot of situations. Anyone can use it. Here ya go – Hoochie Mama Elk Call
  • Drew at Reel Game Calls makes a great non-diaphragm elk call
  • The Phelps EZ Sukr is another easy to use cow call – Phelps EZ Sukr Cow Call
  • I use a small call case for my diaphragm calls. Calls stay organized and last longer in these cases – Diaphragm Call Case
  • On hunts where weight is not a major concern, I use an elk decoy. They work well. – Elk Decoy

Other Game Calls

20 Rounds of ammo

  • I carry 6-20 rounds in two detachable magazines, depending on mag capacity. I also carry 6-8 rounds in a ammo pouch like this one – Ammo Pouch
  • Have 12-15 total rounds available to you while hunting, not buried in the bottom of your pack or back at the truck.
  • I purchase the majority of my ammo and components (particularly .223 and .308) through Palmetto State Armory and Midway USA

Wind indicator

  • Milk weed indicators are slightly better than powder – Milk Weed Wind Indicator
    • If your hands get any moisture on them it will stick. Use gloves or powder in these environments.
    • Good to buy some backup milkweed as it isn’t available like baby powder is – Backup Milk Weed
  • You can also refill a small bottle with talcum powder – Talcum Powder Refill
    • The biggest advantage is availability of refill material. Other than that milkweed is better.

Head lamp

Phone with OnX

  • OnX Hunt Subscription- OnX Maps – CLIFFG for 20% off.
    • I am sponsored by OnX and have been using their product almost daily while in the field for over a decade of guiding.

Satellite Communication and Radios

Topo map and compass

  • Check your compass to make sure it is pointing North. I use this compass – Compass
  • Do not store your compass near lead fishing weights or similar items. It is easy to reverse polarize today’s cheaper compass. A reverse polarized compass will take you in the exact opposite direction.
  • I carry topo maps in new areas as a backup. I have always ordered them from My Topo.

GPS Watch

Binoculars

  • Your optics are the second most important piece of gear, right behind boots.
  • Image stabilization binoculars from Sig are becoming one of my favorite chest binoculars when I am not guiding rifle hunters and don’t need a range finder in my binoculars.
    • Buy directly from Sig (Use the Code CLIFF10 for 10% off)
      • If you are looking to potentially replace chest binoculars AND a pair of 15x tripod mounted binoculars, consider the Sig Zulu 6 HDX Pro 14x50mm or 16x50mm.
      • If lowlight performance is critical buy the Zulu 6 HDX 14×50 (Sig Zulu 6 HDX 14×50)
      • If you are willing to give up some lowlight performance for a lower priced, lighter/smaller option, the Zulu 6 12×42 is an exceptional all-around chest bino (Sig Zulu 6 12×42)
      • *Many issues related to these binoculars are because people do not understand the trade off between objective size and magnification. Anything above the 12x in 42mm and anything above 16x in 50mm will have POOR lowlight performance.
      • Low-light performance is an important variable for much of Western hunting, particularly for heavily pressured game animals that feed primarily in low-light hours of the day.
    • Check out this video for a full explanation – Sig Binoculars Video
    • Another video I did that covers some of the challenges with IS binos (several of these are addressed by the newer HDX model) – IS Binoculars Challenges Video
    • Glassing from vehicles, boats, in high winds or horseback the 12×42 Sigs will out glass binoculars 3x their cost (EL Ranges, NL Pures, etc…)
  • Nikon, Vortex, and Maven are good budget options in the non-stabilized category. Budget Binoculars
  • I guide rifle hunters using 10×42 Revic (BR10 Gen2) range finding chest binoculars. The convenience of having a range finder in the optic is essential in that scenario.

Spotting Scope

Binocular Harness

Glassing Tripod and Glassing Pad

  • I primarily use a Tricer AD Tripod – CLIFFG for 10% off
  • On backpack hunts I will use the lighter BC tripod – CLIFFG for 10% off
  • Historically I used an Outdoorsmans Pan Head 95% of the time – Outdoorsmans Pan Head – I have recently moved to the Tricer BP with standard ARCA connections. CLIFFG for 10% off
  • I prefer the heavier heads over the ultralight heads, even when backpack hunting. The stability and control are worth the weight penalty.
  • Regardless of the tripod or pan head you use, the Tricer 360 is a very useful tool for glassing. It has been the biggest change to my glassing setup in the last 4-5 years.
  • If weight isn’t an issue, a crazy creek chair to glass from – Crazy Creek Chair
  • Phoenix Shooting Bags makes a great glassing pad – Phoenix Glassing Pad

Bear Defense

  • In areas with light grizzly activity or only black bears sometimes I will go without bear defense. If I do carry it is a Glock 19 9mm in the following holsters.
  • In heavy grizzly areas I carry a Sig 10mm XTEN or G19 in a chest rig under my bino harness.
    • Invader Concepts Chest Holster – Invader Concepts Use Code CLIFFG for 10% off

Rangefinder

  • While guiding, I always use range finding binoculars due to there convenience and speed of ranging. However, this setup does add weight to your binoculars. It also can be difficult to get to chest binoculars if you are solo hunting and are dependent on them for ballistics information.
  • On some personal hunts and guiding archery hunters, I will use a small standalone rangefinder.
    • Budget options like Vortex Monocular are fine most hunters shooting below 300-400 yards, needing basic capabilities.
    • If you need ballistic solutions and more complex features the best rangefinder monoculars are the Garmin Xero L60 or the Revic BR4

Digiscoping

  • I use both Phone Skopes and Ollin Mag Scope Devices. Ollin Mag Scope Devices
  • For griding and digiscoping the Tricer 360 is essential. This adapter allows you to do micro horizontal movements by twisting a knob. CLIFFG for 10% off

Knives and Game Cleaning

Taxidermy

  • If I need to turn bear paws or remove several skulls, I will bring a simple bird beak knife – Bird Beak Knife
  • Fine mixing salt for salting hides/capes
  • Kitchen size honing steel or wooden spoon for turning ears – Honing Steel/Wooden Spoon
  • For bears and lions, I do wear surgical gloves – Surgical Gloves
  • For fleshing in the backcountry I use razor blades – Razor Blades

Game Bags

  • When weight isn’t an issue, I use basic game bags – Basic Game Bags
  • When backpack hunting I use Tag Bags, Caribou Bags or Argali Bags – Tag/Caribou/Argali Game Bags
  • I carry some thread and a leather needle with my game bags. I use it to do quick stitches on animals’ mouths so they have naturally closed mouths for pictures – Leather Needle and Thread
  • Handful of surveyors tape to mark downed game, blood trails or signal your location.

Paper Work 

Hunting licenses, hunter’s safety and tags

Fishing licenses 

Mountain Fishing Gear 

Backpack

Water Bottles and Water Treatment

  • I keep water treatment pills in my bino harness for backup – Water Treatment Pills
  • I always have a Small Nalgene on my pack – Small Nalgene
  • My Small Nalgene always has a Human Gear Lid on it to avoid contamination with untreated water – Human Gear Lid
  • For backpack hunts or day hunts where I know I will not have access to water, I also carry a Large Nalgene – Large Nalgene
  • I keep a Steri-Pen in my pack for water treatment – Steri-Pen Water Purifier
  • I am currently testing the GRAYL – great results so far – GRAYL Water Purifier
  • Another filtering option that is fairly simple is the Sawyer Squeeze – Sawyer Squeeze Filter
  • If I am filtering water for a group of people, I almost always utilize a gravity filter in camp – Gravity Water Filter
  • If I feel like I just need a little extra water and I am concerned about weight I carry a small Platypus .5 Liter Soft Bottle – Platypus Soft Bottle

Backpack Stove and Cooking Gear

  • The primary stove I use is the Jet Boil or Jet Boil MiniMo – Jet Boil MiniMo
  • If I am carrying a stove for more than one person I like the MSR WindBurner – MSR WindBurner Stove
  • For ultralight situations the MSR Pocket Rocket is the ticket – MSR Pocket Rocket
  • If using the Pocket Rocket or if I want the option to cook coffee and food at the same time, I bring a single wall titanium coffee cup – Titanium Coffee Cup
  • I carry a long spork with my JetBoil – Long Spork
  • Fuel for your stove.
  • Outside of standard camp cooking gear, when weight isn’t an issue I always have a good seasoned cast iron pan – Cast Iron Pan

Personal Gear

Fire Starting

You should always have two sources of ignition and tinder on you at all times.

First-Aid Kit

*Underlined items I always carry, even on day hunts. Other items depend on the conditions and demands of the trip.

Sleeping Bag

  • Pillow – normal one for non-backpack hunts, dry bag with clothes in it or the Argali pillow for backpack hunts.
  • Non-backpack hunts I sleep much better in a rectangular bag
    • For later season hunts out of cabins or wall tents, I use a -20 degree rectangular bag – -20 Degree Sleeping Bag
    • For September season a 0-15 degree rated bag is best – 0-15 Degree Sleeping Bag
    • The Ultimate System for non-backpack hunts is the Born Outdoors Setups – higher budget option vs traditional bedroll
  • Backpack Hunts
    • Argali’s bags are the only bags on the market true to their temp ratings. Wide shoulder room. Great system for backpack hunts, including the pillow. – Argali Alpine Sleep System
    • I have used Kuiu’s lightweight bags a lot in the past.
    • I put my down bags into a ultralight dry bag for safety on backpack hunts
    • I am not a side sleeper, but if I was I would solely use a Zen Bivy system for backpack hunts. They are slightly more work to setup over a mummy bag.

Sleeping Pad

Tent

Some context:

  1. I am a light sleeper. Because of this, I rarely sleep in close quarters with other people. Outside of later seasons, when I will stay in tipi/stove or wall tent setups with others, I typically always carry my own shelter.
  2. I prefer an enclosed shelter above timberline. In inclement weather, with intense winds, I sleep much better in these setups. There is significantly less noise and they are easier for me to set up.
  3. You don’t need a bunch of different tents. Use a couple tents and you will quickly learn where those particular tents perform the best.

Other Camp Gear

  • For any travel – always have an air compressor and jumper in your truck/car – The Zeus is my favorite – Zeus Air Compressor and Jumper (CLIFFG 10% Off)
  • Durable and waterproof luggage for hunt travel. Particularly important when you are dealing with pack horses/mules or bush planes in your logistics.
    • My favorite hunt travel carry-on – The Seventy2 – The Seventy2 Carry-On (CLIFFG 10% Off)
    • Checked bag – The Vault – The Vault (CLIFFG 10% Off) or the Yeti Panga – Yeti Panga
    • If packing on horses and mules I like to have several bags in the 25-50lb range so they can be packed without having to take gear out.
  • On backpack hunts, for the sake of organization I carry batteries in these – Battery Organizers
  • Extra batteries for devices, lights, range finders, etc…
  • On budget power banks, I like power banks that include cords like this one – Economical Power Bank
  • Dark Energy makes phenomenal power banks at a slightly higher price point – Dark Energy Poseidon Pro
  • I like to have a “backup” battery pack with me all of the time. Dark energy makes a good one. This economical one also works well – Backup Battery Pack
  • I use an older Anker portable solar panel. It is similar to this option – Anker Portable Solar Panel
  • If I need to cut wood for a small Kifaru or Argali woodstove, it is nice to have a saw like a Silky Saw (Pocket Boy model if saving weight/space) – Silky Pocket Boy Saw
  • I also have one of Jordan Jonas’s Wolverine Axes! A cool camp or truck axe – Wolverine Axe
  • Camp towel and soap – Camp Towel and Soap

Food (Carnivore/Paleo Diet) and Misc.

For a review of how I setup food for my backpack hunts checkout this video – The End-All Guide To Backpack Hunting Food

  • Ziplocks – I package my daily breakfast/lunch/snacks before I go on hunts. This is my favorite way to make sure I eat enough calories. I force myself to completely eat the bag daily – Ziplock Bags
  • Butter or Ghee Tubes – Great way to add calories to dried fruit or other snacks. Squirt some ghee on dried dates. Fill these tubes – Ghee Tubes
  • Pemmican – I make my own. My preference is to heat it up in water with a little cream (powdered cream below works). Here is a video – Pemmican Recipe Video
  • Biltong – My favorite commercial option for a carnivore diet snack is fatty biltong slabs – Use my code for a discount CLIFFGRAY for 10% off – Biltong Depot
  • Chomps – Decent snack, more reasonably priced versus other options – Chomps Snack Sticks
  • Carnivore Snax – Of the commercial paleo/carnivore dried snack options, these are my favorite – Carnivore Snax
  • Smoked Cheese – I make it myself. Great backcountry calories. Smoker – Smoker Cold Smoke Attachment for Cheese – Cold Smoke Attachment
  • Ganash – Dark chocolate and butter melted together. Great for colder weather hunts. Consistency of tootsie rolls is best. More chocolate = stiffer.
  • Dates, mango, jerky mixes – I mix dried fruit with macadamia nuts and jerky for my own trail mix style snack. Mac Nuts – Macadamia Nuts Favorite dates – Favorite Dates
  • Honey Stingers – A cheat food if I get behind on calories. I heat up with a lighter – Honey Stingers
  • Ramen – Another cheat food if I lose all appetite – Ramen Packs
  • My favorite backpacking meals are Pinnacle Foods
  • Cream – I bring real cream or this REAL dehydrated cream. Fake creamer is nightmare food and screws me up – Dehydrated Cream
  • Coffee packs – I live off of single serve instant coffee packets up on the mountain – Instant Coffee Packs
  • Liquid IV – Does contain sugar but helps me stay hydrated – Liquid IV
  • Electrolyte Mixes – Re-Lyte Re-Lyte Electrolytes or LMNT LMNT Electrolytes
  • Bone Broths – Great warm drink – Bone Broth
  • Cigars – my last remaining vice on this planet.
  • Single use toothbrushes. I love these things in the backcountry. I put one in each of my daily food bags – Single Use Toothbrushes
  • Oysters in olive oil – One of my things I don’t go without in the backcountry – Oysters in Olive Oil
  • Wipes for clean up – Backcountry Wipes
  • An extra 1-2 good garbage bags come in handy in many ways – Heavy Duty Garbage Bags
  • Foil and Butter for cooking trout

Partners and Discount Codes

(The links with these codes are affiliate links. They do not change your pricing, but they do give me a small commission. Buying through these links is a great way to support the content I produce. Thanks!)

Kifaru – The packs Cliff has used for 15+ years – Kifaru Website

Invader Concepts Chest Holster – CLIFFG for 10% off – Invader Concepts

Tricer Tripods, Bipods and Glassing Heads – CLIFFG for 10% off – Tricer

Duckworth Wool (The simple wool hoody and light jackets I wear in many videos.) – CLIFF for 20% off – Duckworth Website

Sig Sauer – CLIFF10 10% Off on any products – Sig’s Website Zulu 6 Binos

Uncharted Supply – CLIFFG 10% Off –  Uncharted Supply

Cliff’s OnX Maps DISCOUNT: SAVE 20% — CODE: CLIFFG OnXMaps.com

Biltong Depot – BiltongDepot.com – Code CLIFFGRAY for 10% off

The Fine Print

I don’t pitch gear that I don’t trust.
Everything on this list I have personally used while hunting and guiding.
If you see me wearing or utilizing a piece of gear in my videos but don’t see it here, don’t fret! I probably haven’t used that gear long enough to feel comfortable putting it here. That can and does change, as I use gear over a few hunts or a full season. It could also be that I didn’t find that item to be a big enough improvement to knock something off of my proven list. It’s hard to resist at times, but I avoid constantly changing gear – You can listen to my thoughts on this subject in my video, The Truth About The Hunting Gear Industry.

I don’t do deals with gear companies that limit my ability to try new gear.
No one can pay me or give me enough free stuff in order to convince me to blanket recommend their gear to my viewers. I do not do deals with gear companies that preclude me from discussing other products.

If you disagree with one of my gear choices – You may be right!
If stuff wasn’t constantly sent to me to try, I’d almost never give new gear a chance. I hold new gear up to a high bar. I don’t like screwing with my dialed-in gear systems.
This means that folks who are still caught in the world of chronic “gear masturbation” (I can relate. I’m a recovering gear masturbator, myself.), may have great insight into new products that I do not possess.

This is the “Official” list and the most up-to-date.
In the depth of the internet, there are many of my older gear lists floating around. Those are all outdated relative to this list. This is the only list that I attempt to keep tuned up.

I make an absurd amount of money when you click the links in this gear list.
Not really at all, but it does support the content I produce.
Here is the legal part:
Below you will find Amazon Affiliate links and other affiliate links to products discussed or used in videos. I make a commission from your use of these links, but using the link will not affect the price you pay for any items. Some of these links actually give you a discount.