Wondering why hunters prefer to pack light? We explain all below.
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Hunters spend a lot of time picking out gear, packing it up efficiently, and trying to trim down on both space and weight. It’s not just hunters, either. Think about yourself when you go camping, about mountaineers and rockhounds. all of them are out there, carrying huge bags of materials up and down the hills or through the forest. Hunting gear is heavy. Even carrying the weight of a shotgun rifle or bow for several miles is taxing.
Today, we are turning our attention to the world of lighter packing. Why is it so important for hunters? More importantly, where can they get good gear without compromising on quality? Let’s find out.
The Evolution of the Hunters’ Kit
Hunting didn’t always come with all of these heavy kit pieces attached. Back in the good old days, a hunter would stick on his hat, add a padded vest, grab his gun and go off into the bushes for a few days. Hunters needed knives, a cup to cook with, and fire making utensils. Otherwise, the gear ended with the ammunition. In some regions, and especially in the warmer months, this is still true.
However, there are many hunters who turned hunting for game to eat into a sport of their own. Now, instead of hunting for dinner, they are hunting for fun. This means making it as easy on yourself as you can. Kit had to evolve to accommodate this. The evolution of hunting gear was spurred on by the hikers and mountain climbers, the campers and the panners, all of whom needed to stay out in nature for longer carrying their entire camp on their back when they moved. That’s a lot of kit, so engineers started making it lighter without compromising on things like quality and durability.
The last two decades have seen tremendous leaps in hunting gear. New metals have made things lighter yet sturdier. New perspectives have brought us things like lightweight solar charging panels with incorporated USB ports. The world of hunting gear got far more intuitive – an evolution it needed to make, given the hunters’ eternal quest for less to carry over the miles.
Which leads us to the real reason that lightweight gear is such a high priority for any sane hunter. It’s because they have to carry everything they are going to use on their person. Unless they are camping by their trucks and making the trek to a blind every day, they will have their entire camp in a backpack. Add to this the taxing conditions of weather, underfoot conditions, and surprises the terrain throws at you, and you start to see what the significance is for lightweight Hunting Clothes.
The Benefits of Lightweight Hunting Clothes and Gear
There are several key benefits to having a lightweight hunting clothing and gear system. Here are some of our favourites.
Refined Energy Expenditure
If you carry a lot of equipment over a long distance, you need lightweight gear. Heavier gear will be physically taxing to the point where you will be expending energy you don’t necessarily have. Those who have been in the woods for a week don’t want to lug around heavy kit as it eats into their calorie allowance. If you don’t make a kill, this could prove fatal for your rations and send you home early.
Better Equipped
You are better equipped with lightweight gear because the lighter it is, the more you can carry. Even better if it clips onto your person and you don’t physically pick it up.
You Go Farther
Last but not least, when you have lightweight gear, you can walk farther on the same energy. Lightweight hunting clothes help you keep going for longer.
What is I Am Hunter?
I Am Hunter wants to change the way hunting is perceived and to change the conversation from a negative one driven by anti-hunters to a positive one led by hunters.
Our goal is to help hunters become positive role models and ambassadors for hunting, while simultaneously helping non-hunters understand why hunting is important.
You can become a supporter and help us achieve our goal and spread a positive message about hunting with the wider community.
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