Hi Jimmy, I agree with your gear in this vlog 100%. I like to have an ultra lightweight chair in my backpack. Furthermore, I am working on an ultra lightweight tent and hide (blind) combination.
I couldn't agree with you more! A chair can be so nice to have in the field. I rarely take mine, just because I already carry enough stuff as it is, but the times I do (usually when I'm working out of a blind) are so nice in comparison to when I don't. That's funny that you mention the tent/blind as I'm also working on one at the moment.
That is a wonderful tip and it's funny that you should mention that. Just yesterday I was walking up my stairs thinking about how much my knees were hurting from my previous day out on the mountain 😆
Not camera gear or techie stuff but if away from civilization, the one item that I believe is essential has to be some toilet paper😮. You just never know .... Being relaxed and comfortable means increased patience and ultimately better pictures.
Robert, I couldn't agree wit you more! I can't tell you how many times I've been caught without some TP in my pack, you'd think I would have learned my lesson by this point, haha!
Thank you so much, greatly appreciated. I have a mosquito hat that I usually carry with me, it works like a charm. I'm also usually in layers, so they really only go after my face and head.
I keep finding myself incredibly frustrated with my gear. It needs to be lightweight enough for me to carry yet provide more stability. My camera has zero stabilization and neither does my long lens (drives me crazy) . My tripod and head barely does the job (okay for landscape but not wildlife) . I am considering on of those pop up blinds. I really wish I had gotten a more professional level tripod that could handle a larger smoother video head.
I understand those frustrations as I've been there before. The hard thing with a lot of the camera gear we use is that it's sooo expensive and many times the budget option can just hinder us more than it helps. A quality tripod really does go a long way and I recommend saving up for one when you can. The popup blinds are handy in a tight spot, but honestly, I recommend you make your own if you can. Every commercial blind that I've used is so bulky and/or heavy, that it's just a pain to hike around with. If you're not going to be doing a lot of hiking with them, then it really shouldn't be an issue, but if you will be, I recommend just making one yourself.
Things I end up using every time are a foldable, waterproof sit mat and the Merlin bird app which helped me many times to find birds to photograph, especially new species (the acoustic identification works in real-time and even offline).
Great tips, thanks so much! The waterproof mat is something I'll definitely look into, I get tired of a wet bum at times, haha. I haven't used that Merlin app a ton, but from what I have done on it, I'm extremely impressed.
The bean bag for the car and a monopod with a head for walking. I have several binoculars but I carry the bigger ones only when I am in the car. Otherwise I carry some really small ones that can fit in my jacket pocketI. I have back issues when carrying weights for long periods of times so I try to minimise the things that I take with me.I don’t own a blind yet but I am going to invest on a rain cover for my camera and lens because they are not waterproof (the lens is but the camera is not) and since everything is so expensive I prefer to take care of my equipment. Also in all the years that I have been doing photography I came to the conclusion that I need as less as possible and it’s best to use what you actually need than end up carrying a bag full of unnecessary things. 😃
Thanks so much for the input, you've got some great points there! I usually try to carry a rain cover for my camera, lens and backpack whenever I go out. Mother nature and the forecast both have deceived me one too many times, so I just carry them with me at all times at this point :)
That's a great idea, way to be resourceful! I've used about everything you can imagine out in the field to help stabilize my camera on the rare occasion that I don't have my tripod.
Some great information Jimmy and I agree with every item. The only one I don't use is the spotting scope, I have one but I haven't found much use for one in our area. One thing that I really like is a ground pod to be able to get those low eye level shots. They work great for me because it is difficult for and old guy like me at 75 to get down to those levels. Another thing I like to have with me on a long hike is a monopod rather than a tripod, it is much lighter and can provide good support when needed. One more thing I carry with me if I am in uneven terrain is a good walking stick, as you get older balance is not always the best. Everything is also quite expensive but most things you can find used and can save a lot of money. Have a great week and thanks for all your work and efforts to entertain and help us.
Thanks a bunch for the input, Keith! I need to make a new ground pod, it's about time I think. I really like the flip out screen on my R5, it allows me to put my camera right on or above the ground and still see what I'm photographing and compose my images without having to get all the way down myself. The monopod is another great item. I don't have one myself, but I have used them and they're handy in a pinch. I haven't looked into it, but I wonder if there's a monopod that is strong enough to double as a walking stick, just a thought. Thanks again for the input, I always appreciate it!
I have little plastic beads in my window bag but I have found them to be too noisy and can spook the birds or wildlife. Any ideas for an alternate that mice won’t find and chew on while it’s in my garage or vehicle?
Plastic beads? Like airsoft pellets? That's a great idea, I could see how rodents could be problematic. I've never had that issue myself luckily. I'll have to put some thought into an alternative that won't attract rodents. The buckwheat hulls are a great idea, are rodents not attracted to them?
@@JimmyBreitenstein I don't use them personally (I use Poly-Pellets), but I've heard people use them. From what I've read on the subject rodents aren't attracted as the food (buckwheat) is already gone.
Exercise ball too? I'm only joking! Great recommendations. As one who is constantly laying down in thorns and on rocks and sticks, I should probably get a mat like you recommend!
Recommend that people avoid aluminum tripods if they plan to shot in the cold. I had an aluminum tripod in the Sax-Zim Bog in MN in January. It was -25 deg f and the tripod sucked the heat out of my hands like a heat sink. When I got back to NC, I purchased a carbon fiber tripod and never looked back.
Great advice, thank you! Carbon fiber is the way to go in my opinion as well. I've gotten minor frost burns from metal gear in the winter time, definitely not fun.
I almost always carry my camera using the Cotton Carrier with a safety strap attached to the clip on the right side and to the camera via Peak Design Anchor links. No worries about dropping the camera, it would only fall about a foot or so! On the left side, I attach a monopod with the Wimberley MH-100 MonoGimbal Head for when I need the extra stability with a heavy lens. I use it as a walking stick most of time and since I attached the strap to the to the clip on the left side of the vest , I can drop the monopod when I don't need it and retrieve it via the strap (like a wading staff while trout fishing) when I'm ready to move.
Great tips, thanks so much for sharing! I've heard so many good things about Cotton Carriers. I've still not used one myself as I'm fairly content with my Peak Design clip. But I'm sure one of these days I'll end up trying the Cotton Carrier out. I've considered carrying a monopod, but with how much video I do, I think I'll stick with the bulky tripod for now, haha. Thanks again, have a wonderful week!
Great video Jimmy, and super useful. From your list I miss the guille net, and I'd like to try it. Yours looks really good; have you got a link to share about it? Thanks!
Thanks so much my friend! The ghillie net really is a game changer in my opinion. I don't have a link for it at this point, my apologies. It was fairly simple to make, just an old fishing net and some burlap all tied together.
I really like using the Cotton Carrier when I'm out hiking. I can click my camera and heavier lens right into it and know it's safe while I have both hands still free to hike, scramble over rocks, etc.
Great tip! I've heard so many good things about Cotton Carriers and I know so many people who use them, you'd think I'd have tried one out at this point. One of these days I'll give one a go! Thanks again :)
It's a pretty basic homemade net/suit. It's just an old fishing net with dyed (at least it was in the beginning) burlap strands tied to it. Works like a charm!
