We had been hearing a lot about the SilenTrace Hunting Jacket System from TideWe and we wanted to check it out for ourselves to see what it was like…
TideWe SilenTrace Hunting Jacket System Features
Read below as we check out some of the key features of the TideWe SilenTrace Hunting Jacket System…
The Heated Core
The SilenTrace jacket system has a heated core that runs across this area right here…
The heat is controlled by a battery pack. You simply plug in the cord to the USB port on the batter and then slip it in the frontside pocket…
The SilenTrace has three heat settings, which can changed by pressing the TideWe logo button on the front of the jacket. The color changes from blue to white to red depending on the heat setting you select.
In addition to the electrically heated core, the SilenTrace also has a separate base layer that you can wear to provide extra warmth.
Elbows
It has reinforced elbow areas…
Zippers
In addition to the side pockets where the battery pack goes, it also has front zipper pockets on either side of the main zipper for carrying other hunting items or even hand warmers.
Hood And Neck Gaiter
It also has a neck gaiter as well as a removable hood for when you need extra warmth in more severe cold or windy weather.
Should You Buy The SilenTrace Hunting Jacket System?
The fleece fabric makes the SilenTrace live up to its name… it’s silent! With plenty of pockets, as well as a removable hood and then the heated core, it’s a solid option for those looking for warmth and silence in the hunting woods!
Overall, the SilenTrace Hunting jacket system is a great option for those wanting to keep quiet during the hunt and warm in windy or cold weather.
I’m Josh, and I got my hands on a hunting blind made by Nukem… it’s called the Grab & Go Hunting Blind.
This blind is supposed to be more for the run and gun type hunter, which sometimes I am, and sometimes I’m not. But, I’ve got young boys that I am trying to familiarize with the turkey woods, so I was excited to see how this worked with them.
The Nukem Blind’s Ease Of Assembly
I was able to put the Nukem Grab and Go blind together very quickly (and I didn’t even read the directions!) The poles are like tent poles. They just connect together and have a bungee inside to hold them together once you get them fastened. There’s a bushing in the center on each one. There’s one along each side, and there’s one in the middle to keep it rigid.
The Nukem blind is adjustable to the height that you need it to be, based on the position you’re sitting. You can widen it out to shoot through it from a lower position. And then, if you’ve got a chair or something, you put it up higher.
This was as I was putting together the “double up” Nukem system…
There is a center piece that attaches in the middle of the two blinds to connect them… it is attached to the leafy camo cover.
Here’s a look at what the double system looks like after connecting the two blinds. My first impressions on putting it together was that I was really impressed. I love the leafy camouflage. This is the Mossy Oak Country Roots color, but there are four or five different colors that Nukem has in this blind.
I’d say the whole setup only took about three or four minutes to set up, and that was my first time ever doing it! So, I’m sure you can do this in the woods in less than a couple of minutes.
I could tell that you’d want to be able to shoot to the sides of it if you can. I can see me back here with the video camera, videoing. I’d maybe have the boys a little bit closer so they can still shoot out the side, but so they’re more concealed. But, I really liked the way it was set up.
Trying Out The Double Up System In The Woods With Kids
As you could tell, those two little boys blended in real nicely behind this blind. And I don’t believe any a wily gobbler would have been able to pick them off (as long as they sit still!)
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The Nukem Hunting Blind Is Solid
If you’re like me and you got kids that you’re going to be taking hunting this Spring, or even if you’re going to be videoing and doing a lot of moving behind the blind in the turkey woods, the Nukem Hunting Blind is a great option for turkey hunters.
This Nukem Grab & Go double up system really has impressed me. I don’t know what the woods look like where you are, but here in central Georgia, the Mossy Oak country roots pattern blends in really well. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a blind blend in better than this Nukem Blind does in the Mossy Oak country roots.
Is the Kifaru Shape Charge backpack worth all the hype (and the price)?
It certainly carries a hefty price tag, that’s for sure. But, you know the saying, “you get what you pay for.” Well, we wanted to find out if it was indeed worth the cost of admission… so let’s dive right in to what we learned!
Kifaru Shape Charge Backpack Up Close
This is how the Shape Charge came right out of the package.
Many backpack hunters will ask right away, “so how much does it weigh? Well, the Shape Charge weighs right at 4 pounds. Obviously, it packs up pretty tightly, but we wanted to take a closer look and see what it looks like inside and what kind of advantages it has for the backpack hunter, saddle hunter, or anyone that needs to carry their gear into the woods or mountains with them.
The Outside Of The Pack
So, the first thing we noticed about the Shape Charge is that it’s just so well-put together. It feels so high quality. Everything about it, the stitching on the MOLLE webbing to the quality of the zippers and other materials… everything was just very high quality. So, that was a huge plus right off the bat.
There were also many little details that were also pretty impressive. It looks like they just thought of everything. It comes with stout, high quality zippers and handle material (shown here), with every stitch being meticulously sewn. It was evident that superior quality is paramount with Kifaru’s offerings. And, we hadn’t even gotten to the inside of the pack yet!
One thing we appreciate in hunting equipment, whether it be a deer stand, or archery equipment, or a backpack, is just the attention to detail. And we could tell right off the bat that not only has Kifaru put a lot of thought and effort into creating this backpack, but they’ve used high quality components and materials. Everything from the stitching on the MOLLE webbing to the material that they make the handles out of — everything is very high quality.
Also, on the external part of the waist trap, you’ve also got four rows (two on each strap) of 5-section MOLLE webbing, which gives you more options to attach gear or other pouches.
The Shape Charge backpack has an internal 18-inch sheet frame, which gives you the ability to carry a good amount of gear without committing to a full framed pack.
The lid has some zippered pockets. This one on top has a key hook.
It’salso got a large center pocket with three slots, made of 4-way stretch tweave with elastic reinforcement.
The lid will continue to zip all the way around and down to make it a full top and front-loading pack with zippers at the bottom on each side.
The front panel of the backpack has 8 rows by 4 channels of the MOLLE webbing.
It’s also got two outer pockets for holding water bottles or spotting scopes.
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Here’s a look at the breathable, padded back material. This pack comes in a small, medium, and large. The small is for a 28 to 33-inch waist, the medium is 34 to 38 inches, and the large is a 39 plus inches.
Inside The Pack
The Shape Charge is a 2,050 cubic inch pack.
It has some nice, mesh pockets on the inside.
You’ve also got 8 rows of 8 channels of MOLLE webbing. It has also got a bladder-hanging tab and also a chamber pocket connection point.
The Shape Charge can be purchased with or without the waist belt.
Experimenting With The Shape Charge
Now, I know we’ve got a lot of you saddle hunters out there, and this pack is used by a lot of saddle hunters. However, there are those who only hunt with climbing stands or use lock-ons/hang-on stands. So, we wanted to do is I wanted to see if this pack could handle a heavier setup.
We took an XPO Air Raid lock-on that we had and some Hawk Helium steps and strapped them the back of the Shape Charge to see if it could handle a heavier load and to see how it felt when wearing it.
After walking out in the woods for a little while with the Shape Charge backpack on with a lock-on stand and some steps (around 30 pounds total), we learned some things. The shaped molded insert in the back of the Shape Charge really does keep the weight off of your lower back and it keeps the pack from sliding down. That is definitely a plus.
This would make the Shape Charge very beneficial, even in the pre-season, for those hanging lock-ons, as it would give them the ability to strap on the stand and the steps and have both hands free.
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Final Thoughts On Kifaru Shape Charge Backpack
We absolutely love this backpack for hunting. You could tell that the folks at Kifaru put a lot of time and effort into thinking through not only what the hunter needs in the field, but also the overall quality, from the stitching, to the components and materials. Everything is crafted in a top-notch manner.
We are confident saddle hunters will appreciate this pack, but, if you’re someone who hangs stands before the season, it’s a great way to not only strap on your lock-on and your steps, but also have your hands free. And, we know from testing it that it can handle the weight of that and still stay off of your back, due to the molded insert inside of the backpack.
