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A leather saddle bag on a ranch saddle in the fall aspens

Hunting · Tested + recommended

The gear the guides use.

What we actually carry on a Colorado guided elk hunt — boots, optics, base layers, packs, knives. Tested across decades on GMU 59 country. Affiliate-linked through our cloaked redirect; we only recommend what we use.

Plan a huntHunting gear checklist

Affiliate disclosureOutbound product links route through /go/<slug> and may include affiliate tracking parameters. If you buy through one of them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend gear we use. Read our affiliate disclosure for the four editorial principles we hold ourselves to.

Boots

  • Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 1000affiliate

    10-inch upper, 1,000g insulation. The boot we recommend for rifle 3rd and 4th — rated to 0°F, broken-in fast, durable through a season of GMU 59 country.

    ~$540

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Base layers

  • First Lite merino base layer setaffiliate

    150-weight for September, 250-weight for October, 350-weight for November. Layered system that works for the full Colorado elk season. Merino doesn't smell on day 4.

    ~$160 per layer

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Soft-shell pants

  • Sitka Mountain Pantaffiliate

    Wind-resistant, water-shedding, quiet enough for archery. Articulated knees for the long sit-down at a glassing point. Holds up to barbed-wire crossings.

    ~$290

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Pack

  • Stone Glacier Sky 7900affiliate

    7,900-cubic-inch frame pack that handles full elk-quarter loads on the pack-out. Lighter than competing frames; load shelf works with horses too.

    ~$700

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Binoculars

  • Vortex Razor UHD 10x42affiliate

    The most-used optical tool of any hunt. UHD glass is materially clearer than mid-tier; the 10x42 form factor is the right balance for our country. Lifetime warranty.

    ~$1,800

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Rangefinder

  • Leica Rangemaster CRF 2400-Raffiliate

    Sub-second readings out to the distances we shoot at (200-400 yd). Angle compensation. Doesn't fog at 8°F.

    ~$700

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Knife

  • Havalon Piranta-Edge (replaceable blade)affiliate

    60A surgical blade swaps in 5 seconds. Sharper than any field-sharpened fixed blade; the cape-and-quarter is faster, cleaner, and less bloody.

    ~$60

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Headlamp

  • Petzl Actik Coreaffiliate

    USB-rechargeable, red+white modes, 450 lumens. Reliable through cold nights. Battery lasts a full dawn-and-dusk season.

    ~$80

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Hunting app + maps

  • onX Hunt subscriptionaffiliate

    Detailed property boundary overlay, public-private layers, GMU boundaries, real-time GPS. The standard for non-CPW-employee hunters on Colorado public land.

    ~$30/yr

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Cellular trail cam

  • Spypoint Link Micro LTEaffiliate

    Cellular trail cam for the lodge bench and the wallow setups. Photos to your phone; no SD-card retrieval mid-week. Battery lasts a full season on lithium.

    ~$200

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Read

  • Wallace Stegner — Angle of Reposeaffiliate

    The greatest American novel about the West, full stop. Pair with a fall evening on the lodge porch and a glass of bourbon.

    ~$15

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Cattle drive ride boots

  • Tecovas Cartwrightaffiliate

    Comfortable enough for a full day in the saddle without breaking in for a month. Pair with a stiff insole and you're set for the cattle drive.

    ~$295

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Frequently asked.

Are the links on this page affiliate links?

Yes. Outbound links from /go/<slug> route through our cloaked-redirect handler and may include affiliate tracking parameters. We only recommend gear we use; affiliate commission never determines what makes the list. See our affiliate disclosure for the full policy.

Do you sell gear directly?

No. We don't operate a pro shop. Every item on this page is purchased through the linked retailer; the affiliate relationships fund the editorial work without us holding inventory.

What's the one piece of gear nobody packs but should?

Insulated boot covers for the long November glassing sits. Even with good cold-rated boots, sitting motionless for two hours in 10°F wind turns your feet into wood. Cheap fleece-lined covers that pull on over the boot solve it.

Can I rent any of this gear?

We don't rent personal hunting gear — too much variation in fit and sizing to do reliably. For hunts, you bring what you'll use. For cattle drives we provide horses, tack, and helmets; you bring riding clothes and footwear with a heel.

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