In his classic work, "A Sand County Almanac," Aldo Leopold called the sportsman of his day a "gadgeteer." He said that hunters were more concerned with technology than woodcraft. And while that may apply to some degree today, taking along the right equipment on an Alaska big-game hunt -- and especially a backpack-type hunt -- will not only help you find success but also help keep you safe.
Before talking about specific equipment, let's talk about skills. One skill that Alaska hunters need but few have is basic first aid skills. When you're hunting a long way from anywhere and someone is injured, you need to be able to take care of it yourself. If your skills are rusty, taking a basic first aid course is cheap insurance.
BACKCOUNTRY CLOTHING
Alaska backcountry hunting is different than hunting off-road Outside. It can be wet, cold and miserable, and unless you dress properly you will limit both your effectiveness as a hunter and increase the risk of hypothermia. That's why, though I might scan the popular catalogs like Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops, when I look for the "right stuff" to wear, I turn to a specialty retailer right here in the Anchorage Bowl. Shops like Barney's Sports Chalet and Mountain View Sports in Anchorage and Boondock Sporting Goods in Eagle River have a good selection of high-tech hunting clothing that's been specifically tweaked to handle the challenges of Alaska. I also spend a lot of time shopping backpack and mountaineering shops, like Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking and REI, which carry cutting-edge clothing and equipment designed for the mountains. They're also staffed with trained personnel who can answer technical questions and get you fitted properly.
"The most important thing a person can do to dress for a backpack-type hunt is to dress in layers for both comfort and mobility," said Bob Hodson, owner of Barney's Sports Chalet, on Northern Lights Boulevard in Anchorage. "Each garment should be able to perform multiple functions, which saves both unnecessary weight and bulk, as well as allow maximum freedom of movement without being too loose-fitting."
For maximum performance, backpack hunters should never wear any type of cotton clothing, Hodson said.
"Layering begins with your underwear, including your briefs," he said. "Wear something like the Polarmax underwear and longies by Acclimate, which are made from an anti-microbial material that fights bacteria -- and thus odor -- and stretches for ease of movement."
Other excellent materials include CoolMax, Thermax and similar synthetics.
Over the long underwear goes the first outer layer, which should also allow freedom of movement when hiking, climbing and moving the torso. Barney's Sporthill Mountain Pant is super light, provides a wind barrier, wicks moisture off the skin and dries fast when wet. I've hunted everything from sheep and mountain goats to caribou and moose in a pair of Mountain Hardware's Windstopper Fleece pants for many years, and they're excellent. The Windstopper membrane is highly-breathable yet blocks 100 percent of the wind, which eliminates wind chill. On top, rather than a traditional shirt skookum hunters wear a zippered shell that matches their pant fabric -- something stretchable, breathable and windproof. Mountain Hardware's Alchemy Jacket is a super choice.
IT'S COLD AND WET
When the weather takes a nose dive, the mountain hunter needs to stay warm and dry. That means a warm jacket and the very best rain gear you can buy.
"No one wants to pack a heavy jacket around, so they need to carry something lightweight but warm," Hodson said. "When you place a lightweight insulating jacket under a windproof shell -- and your rain suit should be able to double as a wind shell -- you can stay extremely warm without the bulk and weight of old-style coats."
Barney's Brooks Range Jacket, which features top-of-the-line PrimaLoft insulation, optional zip-off hood, a high-tech Gore-Tex membrane and compresses into a small package, is an excellent choice.
The right rain gear is critical for mountain hunting. I am a believer in lightweight, packable Gore-Tex rain suits like the Browning Pac-Jac parka and pants or Whitewater Outdoors Packable Rain Suit, though Gore-Tex has its detractors in Alaska. Both are super light, rugged and highly breathable while being 100 percent waterproof and windproof. Being breathable is crucial, as that allows moisture vapor -- sweat -- to pass off the body and through the membrane's pores while remaining completely waterproof. That helps keep you comfortable while being active by reducing the effects of convective heat loss, which helps keep you warm without wearing extra bulky layers. One of these suits has been the very first thing I pack for any Alaska hunting trip for more than a decade.
"I really like the Browning Pac-Jac," Hodson said. "It is great. We also sell a lot of Marmot PreCip rain suits, which are super, as well as some Helly Hansen suits to mountain hunters."
A rain suit should include a hood.
HEAD AND HANDS
The head is where the body loses up to 85 percent of the body's heat. That's why climbing hatless helps keep you cool. But when the winds blow and it gets cold, you need a warm, windproof and waterproof hat. Choose something with earflaps. A good choice is the Outdoor Research Gore-Tex Bomber hat, with a reinforced brim that holds its shape even in a downpour. Some mountain hunters like an old-style stocking cap. I often wear a Gore-Tex baseball-type hat and pack a super-light bomber-type hat from Sleeping Indian Designs that's made from a blend of wool and virgin fleece.
Fleece gloves with a leather palm and Windstopper membrane are excellent in good weather. When it gets wet, a pair of Gore-Tex gloves are better. I usually pack both.
MY ACHIN' DOGS
Mountain hunters need the very best boots they can buy. There are two schools of thought -- leather hiking-type or plastic boots.
"The Koflach plastic boots are the very best in terms of ankle support on sidehills," Hodson said. "But they are less than ideal for walking on flat ground. People either love them or they hate them. If you don't like plastic, then top-quality leather Gore-Tex mountain boots like Meindl's are the way to go."
No matter which you type of boot you choose, consider upgrading the insole. There are several high-tech after-market insoles that will increase both the comfort and support level of your boots -- both important for long-distance backpack hunting.
Socks are also an often overlooked item.
"I think the right socks are perhaps the most important item a person can choose," Hodson said. "You need a synthetic sock that wicks moisture off the feet and provides enough padding to keep the feet comfortable. You should also choose the weight of the sock in anticipation of the weather to be encountered."
When choosing a sock, both Hodson and I agree that SmartWool socks are as good as it gets. Just remember to wash a high-tech sock inside-out, which will help keep the inner "fluff" from prematurely flattening out.
When your feet take a beating you need a repair kit. The Spenco Blister Kit includes an adhesive patch that's stuck over a second skin and works great. Also good is SpyroFlex, which can stay on a blister for up to a week without damaging tissue. No first aid kit should be without one of these.
THIS 'N' THAT
You get the picture. Today's mountain hunter has a new world of superb high-tech clothing that will greatly enhance the ability to safely and efficiently navigate the state's rugged mountains. Be forewarned that high-tech clothing is expensive. The best will last you for many years, and if you're serious about hunting, you'll find the investment worth every penny.
Modern-day accessory items have gone high-tech too. Examples? How about Outdoor Research's Hydroseal stuff sacks, which are completely waterproof. Petzl's new MYO headlamps are literally light years ahead of those offered just five years ago. WhisperLite's new butane stoves are awesome; there's even a minilantern that screws onto a butane canister that will light up the night and really warm up the tent at the same time.
Backpacks have also come a long way in the past decade. I just traded in a 15-year old Barney's Frontier Gear pack frame for the latest model, and it is incredible how much lighter it is and how much more efficiently it packs a heavy load. If it takes the beating my old pack took, it will last until I can't climb anymore. Tents of all shapes and sizes are incredible these days. Check out the new Hilleberg line of Swedish tents, which Hodson called the "find of the year in terms of new equipment." The list goes on and on.
Perhaps Leopold was right after all. I guess I really am a gadgeteer at heart. All I know is that today's high-tech clothing and hunting accessories will help make any serious Alaska hunter a more efficient and safe woodsman.
(Free-lance writer and hunter Bob Robb lives in Chugiak.)
