Exo Journal — Hunting Gear

Like most backcountry hunters, we are passionate about the gear we use. At the end of each year, we like to highlight some of the favorite gear we have used for hunts throughout the year and discuss why those particular items made a difference for us personally. Here is our favorite gear from 2022…

Having just returned from a challenging but successful Mountain Goat hunt in Southeast Alaska, I want to share my full gear list, talk about some higher-level themes related to gear for a hunt like this, and then share some newer or notable gear that stood out to me from this hunt...

When it comes to custom hunting rifles, there are endless options. Although there is an overwhelming number of rifle builders, rifle components, and rifle cartridges, there is a lack of depth and transparency about custom rifles AFTER they have been used for years in real-world conditions. Here is my experience...

Fresh off of an archery elk hunt in Colorado, Mark shares the notes he made during the hunt about the events experienced, lessons learned, and thoughts encountered throughout the hunt. He also shares his gear highlights, full gear list, and info on making DIY dehydrated meals for backpack hunts...

Flying with firearms isn't as difficult as you may think it is. There are some very specific rules to follow, and I have also learned some helpful strategies for transporting rifles, handguns, and other hunting gear in checked baggage. Here are the things that I have found helpful when flying for hunts...

Just hours before leaving for Alaska, Steve Speck shares the full gear list he is packing for his 10-day backpack Dall Sheep hunt. Steve is using the Exo Mtn Gear K3 3200 Pack System for this hunt and has a total pack weight of 43 pounds. Watch Steve go through every item in this "What's In My Pack?" video...

Anyone going on a backpack hunt does some level of planning and preparation. Most hunters do some hiking, practice with their weapon, pack some gear, grab some food and go hunt. That’s general planning and preparation. It’s average. But if you want to have the best experience possible, you need to plan for performance. Here are some tips to get you started...

There is no shortage of high-end, high-performance technical hunting apparel these days. You can get a piece of clothing for every hunt you can imagine. Regardless of the specific season or species, there’s a piece of clothing for it. That’s great. Until it isn’t. Here's how to decide what clothing is truly needed...

What are the differences between regular backpacking packs and packs that are purpose-built for hunting? Can you hunt with a regular backpacking pack? Is a meat-hauling hunting pack too heavy to backpack with? Let's look at the differences between modern hunting pack systems and the general backpacking packs...

We are hunters that love to backpack deep into the backcountry, but there are times that a basecamp is an invaluable aspect of our hunts. Most backcountry hunters invest a lot of time and effort to carefully plan every item that goes into their pack for backcountry hunts, but it isn't as common for hunters to think critically about how they put together their basecamp. This article will help you consider how to plan and execute an effective basecamp for your next hunting adventure...