Preferred Product List for Safari Nordik Caribou Hunt

Footwear

The first category that we would like discuss is footwear.  Proper footwear can make or break a hunt.  Cold, wet feet make it uncomfortable to sit and glass.  Sore, blistered feet make it difficult to quietly sneak or quickly get into position for the shot.

Leather Hiking Boots

Danner’s Montana boot is a great choice for this hunt.  They are full leather, gore-tex lined waterproof boots.  Their 400 grams of insulation should provide enough warmth on the cool mornings but not be too warm for a mid-day stalk.  Through our experience, the Montana’s advanced lug design has been a hunt saver when navigating wet, icy, uneven terrain.  This boot will provide the support you need for the varied conditions you will encounter on this hunt.  Now, an item that can make a world of difference when wearing leather boots is a good gaiter system.  We use and recommend the Kenetrek gaiters.  Even though Danner Montana’s have a rock guard and are built with high quality components, a pair of gaiters will save on wear and tear on both your boots and your clothing!

Danner Website:

http://www.danner.com/product/hunting+boots/big+game+hunting/montana+hunter+gtx+400g+hunting+boots.do

Retail:  $229.99      Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $206.99

Kenetrek Website:

http://www.kenetrek.com/products.asp?dept=13

Retail:  $49.99         Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $44.99

Hip Waders

If hip waders are your choice, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more comfortable, rugged pair than the Muck Woody Marsh.  We, along with our customers, have worn Muck boots on various hunting trips around the globe and know that they will perform on your hunt.  I have personally walked as many as 15 miles in a pair of Muck boots in one day hunting caribou in Quebec with no problems.  They really are the most comfortable hip boot you will wear.

Muck Website:

http://www.muckbootcompany.com/products/WMH-MOSG

Retail:  $179.99      Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $161.99 MOSG camo

Camp Shoes

The Muck SUV hiker is our choice for a quality camp shoe that will keep you warm and dry walking around camp and in and out of your tents.  These hikers easily slip on and off and are built well enough that you could wear them out in the field.  They are also lightweight and easy to pack.

Muck Website:

http://www.muckbootcompany.com/products/SHS-MOBU

Retail:  $79.99         Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $71.99  MOBU Camo

Socks

As important as your boots are, your socks are equally important.  The right socks will help regulate foot temperature and keep your feet warm even when damp.  We strongly recommend a layering system similar to what we recommend for your clothing.  A good next to skin sock that wicks moisture is critical to this system working properly.  For this layer we use and recommend the Danner Thermolite sock.  It is antimicrobial throughout its construction so it will minimize odor development.  Your next layer should be one of two socks:  A midweight merino wool sock or a heavyweight merino wool sock.  Merino wool will keep you warm even when wet and will not begin to smell after days of heavy use.  We recommend that you bring some of each weight to be prepared for the various weather patterns you may encounter.  A good choice for the midweight is the Danner Merino Wool Pronghorn.  We have two recommendations on a heavyweight sock.  One is the Danner Merino Wool Frontier Extreme.  The other is the Filson Heavyweight Merino Wool Sock.  Always remember – it never hurts to have an extra pair or two in case you get wet!

Danner Thermolite:

Retail:  $9.99           Outdoor Connection Exclusive price:  $7.99

Danner Pronghorn:

Retail:  $14.99         Outdoor Connection Exclusive price: $11.99

Danner Frontier Extreme:

Retail:  $18.99         Outdoor Connection Exclusive price:  $14.99

Filson Heavyweight:

Retail:  $24.99         Outdoor Connection Exclusive price:  $22.99

Danner Website:

http://www.danner.com/category/accessories/socks.do

Filson Website:

http://www.filson.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2092582&cp=2069836.2065000.2075119

Clothing

The next product grouping that we’d like to work on is clothing.  Layering is the key to allowing a quality clothing “system” work.  Each layer plays its own part.

Next to Skin Layer

The first part of the system is the clothing that you will wear next to your skin.  We have had tremendous success with 100% merino wool long underwear.  It is the ultimate material for moisture wicking, insulation, and scent elimination.  There are a lot of synthetic products on the market, most of which we have tested and been disappointed with.  They are great for a day or two but just don’t remain scent free like wool.  Our recommendation is a product made by Minus 33.  We do not recommend the expedition weight for your hunt.  The conditions are more suitable for the standard weight(230g) garments.  They make the tops in crew neck http://minus33.com/minus33ls.htm, turtle neck http://minus33.com/minus33tneck.htm, or in ¼ zip http://minus33.com/minus33ziptops.htm.

Retail:  $39.99                     Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $29.99.

Bottoms are cut one way.  Again, the standard weight(230g) is what we recommend for your hunt.  We recommend you start with an XL in both the top and bottom of this set.

http://www.minus33.com/minus33bottoms.htm

Retail:  $29.99                                 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $26.99

Insulation Layer/Outer Layer

Sitka’s 90% top and bottoms are our choice for this type of hunt.  They are quiet, durable, wick moisture, and will keep you dry if you do encounter light precipitation.  This layer is called 90% for a reason: you will wear this 90% of the time, weather it is as an outer layer or an insulation layer.

Sitka Website:  http://www.sitkagear.com/Products.aspx?cat=22.

Jacket Retail:  $249.99                 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $224.99

Pant Retail:  $229.99                    Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $206.99

We also believe in the insulating properties of a vest.  A good vest will provide warmth to the core part of our body while allowing for more mobility in the arms when you need it most.

Our recommendation is:  The Sitka Celsius Vest http://www.sitkagear.com/Product.aspx?cat=60.

Retail:  $149.99                              Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $134.

Waterproof, Wind Blocking Layer

This is undoubtedly the key to allowing your clothing system to work when the weather gets bad.  This outer layer should be built to withstand the elements while allowing the next to skin and insulation layer to work.  This does not have to be a heavy layer.  When you are layered properly this should actually be lightweight clothing that will keep the rain and wind off of you.  You will need a garment that is 100% waterproof, including taped seams and waterproof zippers.  There is nothing worse than having to spend a day in the field wet.  We have had the best experiences with the Sitka Stormfront Lite top and bottom.  These garments are not only lightweight and durable but will keep you dry under any condition and block the wind extremely well.

http://www.sitkagear.com/Product.aspx?cat=236.

Jacket Retail:  $369.99                 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $332.99

Pant Retail:  $269.99                    Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $242.99

Extreme Cold Weather Layer

Sitka’s new Kelvin Jacket is our choice for those times when you’ll need just a little extra warmth.  This Jacket is filled with lightweight, ultra warm, primaloft insulation.  This allows this jacket to be easily packed and carried with you so it’s ready when you need it.  It is important to note that this jacket is designed to be worn under your protection layer as an insulating layer only.

http://www.sitkagear.com/Product.aspx?cat=239

Jacket Retail:  $199.99                 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $179.99

This is how we would plan on layering for your hunt:

1. Next to Skin Layer
2. Insulation Layer(s) with vest
3. Protection Layer
   1. 100% waterproof, wind blocking layer
      1. i.      If the weather is favorable we would start with the waterproof/wind blocking layer in our packs and ready to go should the conditions worsen.

Gloves and Hats

A basic camo ball cap will work well for most of your time in the field.  We’re sure you have plenty of these but will be sending one down for you free of charge.  When it gets cold a stocking hat is handy to keep your head and ears warm.  If you don’t have one of these let us know and we’ll send one of those to you as well.  When it is raining it is best to rely on your rain jacket’s hood to keep dry.

We also recommend a balaclava type of head covering to protect from wind and weather.  We use the Avery Yukon hood.  This is a hood that is meant to be worn over a hat.  This is extremely useful because you will not have to take anything off to put in on and it can be pulled down and worn around the neck if not needed on the head.  Using it this way will no doubt maximize your “hunting” time!

Avery Website:  http://averyoutdoors.com/apparel.html.

Retail:  $17.99                                 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $16.19

Gloves can be a little tricky.  Big and bulky will keep you warm but make it difficult to make the shot when you need to.  Too thin and your fingers will freeze.  Most hunters still wear one pair of gloves at a time.  We have had a lot of luck layering our gloves like our clothing.  On the cooler mornings and days it will be helpful to wear a thin glove inside a heavier insulating glove.  We wear the Under Armour liner glove under either a heavy or light insulating glove.  This liner glove does wonders to wick moisture away from your skin to keep your hands feeling dry and warm no matter what.  This also allows us to quickly “shed” a heavier glove to handle a weapon with ease for the shot of a lifetime.  A good heavyweight glove is the Under Armour Coldgear Glove – this glove performs as well as any water resistant glove we have seen.  It is pretty warm, though, and would be too much if it is 45 or 50 degrees.  We see you using this on the cool morning boat trip to you hunting location and that’s about it.  A good lightly insulated glove is the Manzella Wind Pro glove – this glove will provide some protection from water but will not be 100% waterproof.  We see you wearing this glove most of the time.  When it is really raining it is not only a good idea to have a couple pair of gloves but to also have a neoprene pair.  Neoprene will keep you dry and, maybe more importantly, keep you warm should you get wet.  A good neoprene glove is made by Stearns:  http://www.stearnsflotation.com/dyn_prodlist.php?k=78028.

Retail: $16.99                                              Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $15.29

Under Armour Website:  http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/mens/sports/hunting/accessories/gloves.

Retail on the Under Armour Camo Liner Glove:  $21.99                                                                            Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $19.99

Retail on the Under Armour Coldgear Glove:  $59.99                                            Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $53.99

Manzella Website:  http://www.manzella.com/productresults.aspx?marketsegment=field&category_code=mens&warmth_rating_code=warmer&glovefinder=false.

*I see that they do not list the Wind Pro glove – It is close to the Bow Stalker.  Again, we want to make sure you get what works best for you – if you choose to purchase these gloves and would like to try something else we will take them back with no questions asked.

Retail:  $24.99                                 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $22.49

Optics, Pack, and Accessories

Optics

A high quality set of binoculars that we recommend are made by Leupold.  The Golden Ring 10×42HD’s provide a crisp, clear picture in the lowest of light conditions.  They are also built to stand up to everything you will ever throw at them and backed by Leupold’s Lifetime Warranty.  You can view these at http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-shooting/products/binoculars/.

Retail:  $799.99                              Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $719.99

It is always a good idea to carry your binoculars on a bino system.  If you don’t know what this is you can view it at http://www.crookedhorn.com/cms/shop.html?page=shop.browse&category_id=12&vmcchk=1.

The bino system will keep your binoculars at your chest and ready for whenever you may need them.  They will also eliminate a lot of the weight you would feel while carrying binoculars with a standard neck strap.  The bino system is an inexpensive way to make a huge difference on your hunt.

Retail:  $24.99                                 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $22.49

Rangefinder

When the moment of truth arrives a rangefinder will eliminate any doubt as to how far a Caribou is from you.  A couple of things to think about:  1.  A laser rangefinder will work far better than one that needs a reflective surface to obtain a distance reading – especially at long distances.  2.  A rangefinder with a scan feature will allow you to quickly scan an area or follow a moving animal.  This is especially helpful when trying to give distance readings to a hunting partner.

Our number one recommendation for a rangefinder to take on this trip is the Leupold RX1000.  You can view this rangefinder at http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-shooting/products/rangefinders/rx-1000-compact-rangefinders/rx-1000-compact-digital-laser-rangefinder/.

Retail:  $399.99                              Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $359.99

Pack

Eberlestock’s packs are at the top of their class in build, fit, and functionality.  The Just One J34 pack is the new, improved version of the pack that Greg uses – the Original Just One.  Starting at 2300 cubic inches, this pack will expand to 4600.  The J34 weighs just 6.14 pounds so it is something you will carry with ease all day.  It also has an improved internal aluminum frame system that will support plenty of weight should you ever need to pack anything heavy.  Other important items are a rain fly and hydration bladder.  You can view this pack at http://www.eberlestock.com/J34%20Just%20One.htm.

Pack Retail:  $279.99                    Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $249.99

Rain Fly Retail:  $26.99                 Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $24.29

Hydration System Retail:  $19.99                                                                                                                                                          Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price  $17.99

Accessories

All too often, it is the little things that make the difference on a hunt like this.  Having all of the right clothing will ensure that you are warm, dry, and comfortable.  But then, the black flies begin to bother you to the point of going crazy.  A good shooting gun will have you in the field with a ton of confidence.  However, when it is windy, cold, and you are out of breath, a bipod will help to steady you as you prepare to make the shot of a lifetime.  Our goal is to make sure that you are aware of all the accessories, tricks, and tips that we have learned though years of hunting around the world!

Shooting Sticks

The first accessory recommendation is something something that we’ve identified as being important on our hunts with Safari Nordik – a set of shooting sticks.  Our recommendation is the Vanguard B-62 bi-pod.  This pod extends up to 62”, has a 360 degree rotating head, weighs less than 1.5lbs., and is built to stand up to everything you will put it through.  In addition, it has removable rubber tips that expose a carbide tip so you can use it as a walking stick or to set up for a shot on slick ground.  You can view this pod at http://www.vanguardworld.com/gfa/product3.php?sort3=177.

Retail:  $49.99                                             Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $44.99

Light

A good flashlight is a must on any hunt you are doing.  Our recommended brand is Sure Fire.  Their lights stand up to everything and are extremely bright.  The light we would use for this hunt is the 6P black.  It has an all aluminum frame with a bright, 80 lumen, LED lamp for long life.  You can view this light at http://www.surefire.com/6P-Led.  You will not find a brighter, more durable light for the money.

Retail:  $79.99                                             Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $71.99

Bug Control

I’m sure you’re well aware of this by now but the flying bugs(mosquito’s, flies, etc.) can be terrible to deal with in Quebec.  Hopefully it will be cool enough at night that they shouldn’t be too much of a problem but one sunny, 50 degree day, and they’ll be all over.  Robinson Outdoors makes a non-scented bug spray called no stinkin’ bugs.  This is our recommendation for bug spray.  It comes in a small, easy to pack canister and works very well on mosquitoes and flies.  We have used this in many situations and are very impressed with how well it keeps the bugs off of you as well as how scent free it is – we even use it for bow hunting.  http://www.scentblocker.com/osc/product_info.php?products_id=79&osCsid=968eae3bc880f8c9eb757b83127d34cf&cPath=22_52.

Retail:  $7.99                                   Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $7.19

Dry Bags

We exclusively use and sell SealLine bags.  They make a variety of bags for many different situations.  We encourage you to take a look at this page http://cascadedesigns.com/SealLine to see what may work for you individual situation.

To give you some starting points:

We use the 70L boundary pack http://cascadedesigns.com/sealline/packs-and-duffles/boundary-pack/product when we need to pack large amounts of clothing or other items and keep them 100% dry.  The comfortable backpack straps make this easy to carry around.  This is more of a traveling type of pack.

Retail:  $84.99                                             Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $76.49

We use the Storm Sacks http://cascadedesigns.com/sealline/dry-bags/storm-sack/product for keeping little important items protected from the elements.  Extra pair of socks, extra shirt, extra gloves, matches, and food are all items you would put in this style of sack.  These sacks are better suited to keep the items that cannot get wet absolutely dry when in the field.  They’re light enough and small enough that you will easily carry them in your Eberlestock packs or you could stow them in the boat.

Retail:  $9.99                                               Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $8.99

Again, these would be the two most useful packs to you based on our experience.  The larger boundary pack is ideal for traveling in boats, small planes, or anything where your gear could be exposed to the elements.  The smaller Storm Sacks are perfect for all those little things that can’t get wet.  A couple of these wouldn’t be a bad idea at all.  If you see more that may fit your individual needs they are available as well.

Compass/First Aid

No matter what you are doing outdoors it is smart to carry a compass with you.  We use the Brunton compasses http://www.brunton.com/product.php?id=92.  Your price on this specific one is $17.99.  It is not only great for navigation but also handy in case of an emergency with the mirror on it.

A simple First Aid Kit can go a long way should you encounter some problems while out in the field.  We always carry waterproof kits so that we can leave it in our pack and know that it will be ready should we need it.  Your price on the one we carry is $14.99 and includes everything you would need.

Fishing

Our recommendation for a spinning rod was the St. Croix Premier 2 piece rod.  The 7 foot, medium weight, fast action would be the best choice for this trip.  You can view this rod at http://www.stcroixrods.com/rods/default2.asp?rodname=36.

Retail:  $109.99                  Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price: $89.99

We would combo this up with a Shimano Saros 3000 spinning reel and 10 pound test monofilament line and you’d have a real nice setup.  This reel is sturdy enough to handle the fight of anything you’ll hook into up there and has the spool capacity to go with it.  You can view this reel at http://fish.shimano.com/publish/content/global_fish/en/us/index/products/reels/spinning/Saros_F.html.

Retail:  $116.99                                          Outdoor Connection Exclusive Price:  $99.99

It is our hope that you find the information we provided to be useful.  Once you have had a chance to look this over and do some research of your own we would be happy to answer any questions that you may have.  Please remember, there are many choices in the categories we have discussed.  The aforementioned products are our recommendations based on the joint effort of Streiff Sporting Goods and our customers, Outdoor Connection agents and clients who have been to this destination, Safari Nordik, and our supporting manufacturers.