Hunting Annual Gear Guide Editor's Choice: Essential Gear 2024

The Petersen's Hunting 2024 annual gear guide is jam-packed with essential gear. It was no easy task to narrow down our favorites, but the following were our Editor's Choice picks!

Click this link if you are interested in picking up a full magazine print copy of our 2024 Gear Guide which has tons of other gear such as rifles, optics, and archery equipment.

Camping:

Kuiu Summit Refuge 3P

Kuiu’s Summit Refuge 3P tent is a lightweight (less than 2 lbs.), three-season shelter, that’ll provide refuge for up to three people (Two comfortably with gear; three in a squeeze, but gear may have to stay out.) at base camp or spike camp. Its innovative minimalist design is built for modularity and maximizing internal space, using two trekking poles (not included) as upright supports, creating headroom and interior space. Made of silicone/polyurethane-coated ripstop nylon (and fully taped seams) to keep weather out.
$600; kuiu.com

Pack:

Kifaru Maniml Combo

The 2,200 cubic-inch Maniml pack and 750 cubic-inch cinch front pocket (which detaches for daypack use) combine with Kifaru’s lightweight Ark carbon-fiber frame to create a pack for western backcountry hunts, cold-weather whitetail hunts or any hunt requiring hauling in gear and hauling out meat and trophy. MOLLE tracks allow customization. Internal and external pockets provide ample storage as well as side pockets for water bottles, spotting scopes, tripods, etc. The Maniml also features a full-length load shelf for carrying treestands in and meat/trophy out.
$875; kifaru.net

Knife:

Montana Knife Company Mini Speedgoat

Measuring 6.5 inches and weighing 1 ounce (You read that right: one ounce), the Mini Speedgoat may be the ideal crossover knife. It’s tough enough to handle hunting, camp and in-the-field chores, yet is virtually unnoticeable clipped in a pocket as your everyday carry knife. Uber-lightweight fixed-blade EDC knives ain’t exactly easy to come by, you know. Made of Magnacut stainless steel with full-tang construction; paracord-wrapped handle; 3-inch blade and 6.5-inch overall length. Made in USA.
$200; montanaknifecompany.com

Essential Piece of Kit:

Garmin Xero C1 Pro

Garmin’s new Xero C1 Pro chronograph elevates the discerning shooter’s capabilities and arms them with invaluable ballistic data from a device that fits in the palm of your hand. The Xero C1 is precise, easy to operate, measures projectile speeds from your favorite bow on up to the screaming speeds of modern centerfire cartridges and features battery life up to six hours. Collected data also synchs directly to your phone when paired with their ShotView app.
$600; garmin.com

Boot:

Meindl EuroLight Hunter

Meindl pitches these as their EDC boots for everything from upland to pronghorn to deer hunting and beyond. More than three years in development, these German-engineered boots are the lightest Meindl’s ever with the uninsulated version weighing a mere 3.1 lbs. The Eurolight Hunters utilize full-grain nubuck leather uppers, reinforced toe caps, full metal hardware and a breathable Gore-Tex liner to keep moisture out. Both insulated and women’s models are available.
$295-$315; meindlusa.com

Clothing:

Stone Glacier Cirque Lite Vest

If you like their Cirque Lite Jacket, and if you have one you like it a lot, you’ll like this streamlined vest version. The Cirque Lite vest features a minimalist design that works as a versatile all-season layering option, from outerwear in mild conditions or warm, breathable mid-layer when weather turns bad. It’s body-mapped with PrimaLoft Gold synthetic insulation in the torso and neck areas with breathable micro-grid fleece side panels to manage sweat when you’re on the move.
$150; stoneglacier.com

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