The archery gear you need to get your hunt up to speed

As we near Opening Day of archery hunting season across the Midwest, we offer up the second part of our annual look at the best of what’s new in gear. Our testers go to the big industry shows, spend time with manufacturers, and spend hours personally testing stuff that passes the initial eye test.

The best from the test are described here. If you’re in the market for archery gear, you can shop with confidence if you choose anything from this list.

Fourth Arrow Stiff Arm with Run-N-Gun Base

The first step in the logical progression of any bowhunter who wants to film their hunts is to buy the cheapest camera mount possible. It’s understandable (and tempting) when some base model arms cost around $35. Here are a few of the problems with that.

Entry-level camera arms typically require a perfectly straight tree to mount on and rarely end up level. If you do get them level, just swing them in any direction and you’ll find they’re giving you a whacky shack frame of the woods.

The moral of the story is, spend some money on a solid camera mounting arm early on and you’ll save yourself the expense and hassle of getting by with a junker (especially if your junker dumps your camera to the ground).

We tested the Stiff Arm Kit from Fourth Arrow with the Run-N-Gun shoulder mount  (ideal for bowhunters who frequently change trees) and found it to be rock solid. Right out of the box, we could tell the build quality was excellent––tight tolerances, rigid arms, buttery smooth joints. We were even able to hang other gear off it like a coat rack in the stand. In fact, the Stiff Arm was so secure and solid, we kept reaching out to use it as another hand hold in the tree.

A solid perch with smooth-articulating pivots on the Stiff Arm will do wonders for even the lowest-quality cameras that typically struggle to maintain resolution when the entire frame is in motion. The Stiff Arm won’t squeak or creak, even in cold weather, ensuring your focus remains on making the shot, not keeping the deer in frame.

Mount the Stiff Arm to the gnarliest trunk, or even a horizontal branch. It doesn’t matter. Your camera will have a front-row view to your next animal encounter. Available at FourthArrowCameraArms.com for $160, or $170 with the Run-N-Gun base.

ScentLok Odor Suppression system

The folks at ScentLok sent us a system of odor suppression equipment big enough to make us start to get a little self-conscious. When it comes to scent management, they aren’t kidding around. The kit included their liquid alloy field spray, field wipes, and was anchored by the OZChamber 8K storage duffel, equipped with an OZ500 ozone generator.

The duffel is beefy, outfitted with oversized zippers, five internal mesh pockets, large zippered pockets on each end and a slim mesh pocket sewn into the ceiling of the bag that holds an activated charcoal mat for additional odor absorption (it’d also be ideal for stowing hardcopy maps, remember those?). The bag is also big, about the size of a typical hockey bag. If you max this bag’s capacity out on a hunt, you’ve brought too much.

Within the duffel is a purpose-built pocket for the OZ500 ozone generator (which can be purchased separately, or with the bag). A clear plastic window welded onto the pocket allows the user to view the backlit LCD screen on the generator to dial in the desired ozone output. Perforated rubber tubing runs throughout the bag, ensuring even distribution of the odor-killing gas.

With the OZ500 generator plugged in (it comes with a standard wall plug and a 12V DC adapter for operation on-the-go), the unit hums along quietly at about the same volume as an air pump for an aquarium. You can set the unit to run in cycles, or set a timer in five minute increments all the way up to a 30 minute run time.

To really put the ozone to the ultimate test, we threw some garments purchased at a garage sale at a home of a cigarette smoker. At the end of a 30 minute cycle, clothes on the periphery of the pile smelled fresh, while those at the center still had a twinge of odor. After a few more attempts, we found that the looser garments are stored in the bag (with more space for the ozone to infiltrate), the more effective the scent reduction was. Moral of the story, don’t throw a dense wad of your sweaty hunting gear into this system and expect a miracle. It works, you just need to place the clothing inside loosely enough inside to get thorough results.

Bowhunters who spend a lot of time on the road, or in primitive camps without access to laundry facilities will love this system.  A 24 oz bottle of Scentlok Field Spray runs about $13 and a 16 sheet pack of Field Wipes goes for around $9. The OZ500 ozone generator can be purchased individually for $150, or bundled with the OZChamber 8K duffel for $200. See all the options from ScentLok at ScentLok.com.

Scent Crusher Ozone On the Go

Ozone generators are sweeping the bowhunting landscape as the way to manage unnatural odors we often carry into the field. The Scent Crusher On the Go unit is another iteration of this infusion of O3 into the bowhunters scent-management strategy.

Designed primarily to be used in a vehicle, by plugging into the 12 volt outlet, the Ozone On the Go device begins emitting ozone once it’s energized. A series of blue LEDs light up, and an internal fan begins pumping the deodorizing gas into the cabin of the vehicle for 30 minutes (unless you unplug it.)

Ozone oxidizes the molecules that cause odor and kills bacteria that create the odor-laden gasses. Leveraging a two-pronged strategy to eliminate unnatural scents in the vehicle. One user described the smell of getting into his truck after a cycle with the On the Go unit as the smell after a rain storm (lighting creates ozone in the atmosphere).

Where this unit really shines is during the winter when you want to show up to the field fully dressed, rather than dress at the truck. Running the On the Go before making your drive will mitigate most odors your clothing may pick up from the cab of your vehicle on the commute.

In our testing, we pitted the On the Go ozone generator against a Jeep Cherokee cabin that had sweaty running clothes left in it on a hot day. An extreme case, to be sure, but we wanted to gauge the effectiveness of this relatively small unit.

After 30 minutes, the cabin smelled like ozone, not gnarly running shorts. The wet running clothes had been partially deodorized on the surface. Fabric on the inside of the pile, unexposed to the air, still had a funk. This illustrates the importance of contact with the gas in the deodorizing process.

One important note, as with any ozone generator, only allow them to run when no one (or animals) are in the vicinity. Ozone is a noxious gas. It’s not healthy to be inhaled (which is also why it’s such a killer on bacteria.

For a set-it-and-forget-it addition to your scent-control strategy, for around $40, the Ozone On the Go is a pretty sweet little device. See more scent control solutions at ScentCrusher.com.

Garmin fenix 5X

In an age of really smart smartphones (maybe too smart), the question comes up regarding the utility of GPS-enabled watches. Aren’t they redundant?

For folks who rarely step off of pavement and into the hills and fields pursuing game, GPS watches are probably overkill. For the rest of us, it’s a different story.

We hunted all bow season with the 51 mm Sapphire (an upgrade including a hardened watch face that resists scratches and built-in Wi-Fi to upload your activities without needing a smartphone.) edition of the Garmin fenix 5X. The Sapphire can be found in smaller form factors, all the way down to a slim, 42 mm body, but loses the mapping capability.

For bowhunters, the built-in US TOPO map from Garmin is a killer feature. On a public land hunt, way back in on the property and on foot with no cell service, one of our field testers was able to use the auto-route feature to find the quickest trail back to his vehicle in the dark. Not all areas will have trail-level detail, but many do. The key with this feature is that it’s all on your wrist and independent of a cell phone that may or may not have signal.

Our testers also loved being able to start their Garmin Virb action cameras recording on a hunt. The units establish a wireless connection between each other, giving the bowhunter the ability to save battery and micro-SD card space by only filming when it counts. Range was greatly improved with a clear line of sight to the camera.

The hourly tracking and graphing of barometric pressure proved to be valuable information. One of our hunters chose to stay on stand longer as he observed the climbing pressure. Also, with customizable, downloadable (and free) additional watch faces, the user can choose what information they want at a glance. Our favorite watch face was one called GearMin. It allowed for a dizzying amount of data fields to be shown at once. But, the ones we used most were moon phase and sunrise/sunset times.

Though able to function independently of a smartphone, the fenix 5X is at its best when paired. There are really two levels of pairing. The first is the basic Bluetooth connection. It can send alerts to the watch and allow the user to accept or decline calls, control music playback, etc. For additional functionality, leaving the Garmin Connect app running on the phone seems to unlock (even if in the background) the watch to get real-time weather updates. It also enables use of the “Find My Phone” app, and LiveTrack, a feature that automatically shares your activity performance data to the social media channels you designate.

The Garmin fenix 5x is packed with too many features to list here. We could write about blood trailing with the tracking feature on, overlaying heart rate and GPS data with Virb footage, but each bowhunter will likely find a feature set that best enhances their own particular hunt. The 51 mm fenix 5X retails for $650 and can be found, along with other wearable GPS-enabled devices at garmin.com.

MTN Ops

As the market for supporting the health of hunters expands, competition increases, driving innovation and quality up. No longer do we have to settle for a chicken sandwich from  Casey’s General Store on the run or tipping back family-sized bags of chips like it’s a feed sack. Yeah, we know what you’ve done.

Enter MTN OPS, a company in the fray for that healthy hunter market. Like Wilderness Athlete, they’re wanting to support the hunt, but the busy lifestyles of those of who do our pursuing in wild places.

The lineup we tried out from MTN OPS included their daily multivitamin STM Quick Sticks, a powdered vitamin, single-use packet. Hot Ignite (Mountain Mocha), a caffeinated coffee alternative, Ignite, a pre-workout nitric-oxide drink. Slumber, a melatonin-infused chai drink, and the Cam Hanes line of Keep Hammering pre and post workout drinks along with a chocolate whey protein shake. We used the same metrics as we did in our test of the Wilderness Athlete products; did we have the fuel necessary for the pursuit? Did it help us decrease recovery time? Did the products taste good?

One tester found that the Ignite drink was a great way to boost his energy level to fuel his late-night workouts. Between work, hunting, and family, nighttime was the only time for him to focus on fitness. The boost he got from the Ignite drink allowed him to almost make a little more time in the day.

Another tester, a distance runner and bowhunter, found that taking a sports bottle’s worth of the BCAA drink helped him feel less sore after a run, an indication that his muscles were being rebuilt faster than usual.

One tester found the Slumber drink made no difference in his quality of sleep, while his wife (who helped herself to some) began making it part of her bedtime routine it helped her so much. And speaking of family, that same tester’s family began swarming to the kitchen whenever he made a protein shake because the chocolate whey protein tasted so good.

If you’re looking for a sunup through sundown suite of fitness-oriented nutrition, check out MTN OPS. Find them at MTNOPS.com.

Wilderness Athlete Nutritional Products

Wilderness Athlete (WA) is focused on serving the unique nutritional needs of those of us who push hard in the outdoors. For the bowhunters among us, that can mean long hikes in, hauling a climbing stand, dragging out a deer, stoking the little furnace that is your belly on a late-season hunt, or just having something healthy to grab as you’re dashing out the door to get into the woods before sunup.

WA sent us a wide assortment of their products to try out, but how do you “test” nutritional supplements? Well, we did the same as what we did for our Mountain Ops trial; we used the products in our daily lives, which included bowhunting trips, and monitored how we felt. Did we have energy for what we needed? Did we recover rapidly from efforts? Were the products tasty and not a chore to eat?

For months, we used the WA daily High-Performance multivitamins, drank the Hydrate and Recover mixes (Kiwi Pineapple was our favorite flavor), ate the ReBars and supplemented meals here there and fueled the post-workout reconstruction with the chocolate Meal Replacement and Recovery Shake. There was also an overnight supplement called Midnight Build designed to support testosterone levels and the body’s nightly healing routine.

The two most impactful components of the WA lineup ended up being the RE-BARs and the Meal Replacement and Recovery Shake. The RE-BARs were awesome because they offered a healthy, calorie-dense, easily-packable option for taking into the stand. The Almond Chocolate Chip bar packs 220 calories (the author’s personal favorite) and the Mountain Berry bar contains 200. Because they are high in protein, we suggest drinking them with a little water to help your body process efficiently.

The recovery shake ended up being one tester’s go-to breakfast on the way to the stand. Since he works out frequently and burns a lot of calories, he’d often add a scoop of peanut or almond butter and a frozen banana blended with whole milk instead of water. That shake would live in a travel cup as he sipped on it during the drive to either work or the field.

Every bowhunter has different nutritional needs, so you’ll want to check out the Wilderness Athlete line and dial in what makes sense for you. Find them at WildernessAthlete.com.

Head Hangerz

With a product as simple and effective as Head Hangerz, we felt like we could overlook the gratuitous “Z” in their product name. By far, the most cost effective way to display your trophy buck is with a euro mount. They’re relatively simple to do and look great, but you don’t want them just laying around or hanging precariously on the wall from a nail.

A couple bowhunting guys from Kansas started fabricating these steel bracket hangers and over time, have dialed in an elegantly way to securely feature your trophy whitetail skull (or mule deer, elk, mountain lion, jackelope, etc).

With one screw (into a stud or solid wood wall, not drywall alone) the Head Hangerz bracket is installed and ready to accept whatever skull you intend to showcase. The end of the bracket is squared-off, leaving the steel corners to bite into the inside of the brain cavity keeping the skull locked into place so it won’t rotate.

Got a cabin or barn you’d like to decorate the exterior with a skull? Head Hangerz are powder coated and will probably still be there as the building finally crumbles. There are other euro mounting brackets out there, but few as no-nonsense and affordable as the Head Hangerz.  Multiple sizes and configurations are available that’ll cover whatever you want to hang, wherever you want to hang it. Hangers start at as low as $18 and desktop stands max out at $35. Find them at HeadHangerz.com.