The Mindful Hunter Podcast

With sheep season quickly approaching I thought it would be a great time to go over what is in my first aid kit for solo hunts. Please jump in the comments section below if you’ve got any tips to add! Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

In this updated binocular review for 2023 I compare 6 different 10x42 binoculars; Swarovski NL Pure, Leica Noctivid, Leica Trinovid, Zeiss Conquest, Tract Toric and Athlon Cronus G2. I analyzed and tested 21 different categories across 5 classes: Descriptive, Construction, Optics, Performance & Operation. At the conclusion of the review, I give 3 recommendations for binoculars within premium, mid-range and low-range budget constraints. I am raffling off the winning pair of binoculars. Please go to https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ for all the details. Once you are a member you will have access to the link to purchase tickets. Once the raffle is sold out I will update this section to indicate tickets are no longer available. 0:00 – Intro 0:55 – Raffle Info 1:19 – Structure of Review 2:36 – Why I Chose These 6 Binos 3:12 – The Maven Story 6:42 – The Tract Story 10:41 – Emotional Marketing Disclaimer 11:40 – Scoring System 12:55 – Price 14:46 – Weight 16:19 – Length 17:32 – Origin 19:27 – Descriptive Totals 20:32 – Warranty 23:53 – Durability 25:26 – Weather Resistance 29:21 – Frame Material 30:08 – Gas Purging 31:49 – Construction Totals 32:07 – Prism Type 35:22 – Field of View 42:02 – Glass Quality 47:16 – Glass Coatings 49:24 – Eye Relief 51:32 – Close Focus Distance 52:03 – Light Transmission 55:11 – Interpupillary Distance 57:02 – Optics Totals 57:47 – Performance & Operation (Field Testing) 1:00:00 – Aziak Bino Clamp Giveaway 1:01:00 – Performance Testing Scores 1:03:29 – Operation Testing Scores 1:06:29 – Field Notes From Testing 1:13:56 – Final Scores and Ranking 1:14:39 – My recommendations and Caveats 1:19:23 – The Binos That Are Getting Raffled Off Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

This week’s podcast is a deep dive into a mapping application called Top Notch Navigator with founder Mason. More than that though it is a super thorough discussion on how to better utilize mapping apps to help us plan and execute more successful hunts. As a thank you to the audience Mason gave us the code MINDFULHUNTER for 20% off which is good until July 31st, 2023. To be clear I get no kickback from this Mason just wanted to show his appreciation. Top Notch Navigator https://www.topnotchnav.com/ https://www.instagram.com/topnotchnav/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

This week’s guest needs no introduction. You have seen his photos and videos for years. I sat down with Steven Drake, and we discussed his early exposure to hunting, a pivotal moment that changed the way he saw hunting, his approach to content creation and much more. Steven Drake https://www.youtube.com/user/stevendrakemt https://www.instagram.com/stevendrakephoto Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Coming back with another Q&A episode. Tons of great questions this week such as my favourite piece of gear under $100, is upper body strength necessary, or should we just focus on legs and cardio, my archery setup this year, and much much more. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

I decided to take a bit of a left turn with the podcast this week. Competing in the Toronto Pro Qualifier bodybuilding competition last weekend left me with a ton of insights that I felt the need to share. This episode is truly a blend of my business and hunting backgrounds. I dove into Michael Porter’s definition of competitive advantage and share a couple of frameworks from Jim Collins that can be helpful when trying to plan new ventures. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Well folks this one took a hard left turn. I have been running these headlamps since September of last year. I put the Fenix HM65R-T, Peax Backcountry Duo and Nitecore HC68 through the wringer in a major way. After testing and collecting data for 9 months I never foresaw the actual outcome that occurred. You need to watch this one to find out. 0:00 – Intro 0:14 – Mindful Reviews 1:50 – Nitecore HC68 (chop a reel from this part) 10:40 – Fenix HM65RT 12:55 – Peax Backcountry Duo Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

For the next installment of The Founders Series, I sat down with Jim Graham of Marsupial Gear. It is incredibly impressive what Jim has been able to build since 2015 and what is even more helpful is Jim’s level of awareness about the challenges he faced and the tactics he used to overcome them. I learned a ton from this conversation, and I am sure you will too! Marsupial Gear https://www.instagram.com/marsupialgear/ https://www.marsupialgear.com/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

This week I share my gear list for my upcoming sheep hunt and dive into gear related listener questions. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

After years of testing, I firmly believe that quilts are a superior choice for backcountry hunting over sleeping bags. In this video, I give my top 5 reasons why and I also detail my entire deep winter and 3-season sleep systems. Deep winter setup: Exped Ultra 7R Long Wide Enlightened Equipment Enigma Synthetic 20* Quilt Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor Sleeping Bag Liner Puffy Layers 3-Season setup Big Agnes Q-Core SLX Enlightened Equipment Enigma Synthetic 20* Quilt Or Enlightened Equipment Enigma Down 20* Quilt 0:00 – Intro 0:41 – Mindful Reviews 1:28 – Tent Raffle 2:03 – Origin of Quilts 3:22 – Quilt Physics 4:47 – 5 Reasons Quilts are Superior 4:58 – Weight & Size 6:23 – Price 6:53 – Temperature Management 7:48 – Versatility 9:08 – Comfort 12:18 – My Deep Winter Sleep System 17:51 – Weight of Winter Sleep System 19:56 – My 3-Season Sleep System 23:05 – Weight of 3-Season System 25:01 – How I Set Up My Quilt 32:15 – Wrap Up Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

To enter the raffle join https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ This review has been over 2 years in the making. I have put these two 4 season shelters from Hilleberg and Stone Glacier through the wringer spending more than 20 nights in each of them in temps down to -25c, -10f with upwards of 12”-16” snowfall on some nights. Both the Sky Solus and the Soulo are premium tents but they also both have their flaws. Watch this video to learn what worked for me and what didn’t with these two tents. 0:00 – Intro 0:55 – Raffle details 2:03 – A note on specialized shelters 4:20 – My personal experience with both tents 5:36 – Categories of comparison 7:45 – In the field footage 15:11 – Sleeping pad size comparisons 27:36 – Price 27:59 – Advertised dimensions 32:57 – Practical vestibule space 33:05 – Practical space inside the tent 34:15 – Tent fabrics 36:30 – Doors 37:23 – Weight & Weight honesty 40:59 – Tent pegs 41:17 – Ease of setup 42:11 – Build quality 42:35 – Pole quality 44:26 – Weather resistance 45:10 – Breathability/Condensation 46:10 – Heat retention 47:05 – Personal X factor 52:53 – Instagram Q&A 56:44 – Final scores Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

This was the biggest Q&A I’ve ever had on the channel. I want to thank every single person that submitted a question. I did my best to answer them as thoroughly as possible. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Well ladies and gentlemen this is either the podcast you’ve been waiting for or the one you’re gonna want to skip. If you’ve ever wondered why I am the way I am and how I do the things I do this podcast will give you those answers. I did my best to share my story through addiction and recovery as honestly and transparently as I could. Please keep an open mind. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Well folks apparently last week, when I thought I posted this review I actually double-posted the first review. So here's a bonus episode to fix my screwup. Regularly scheduled new episode tomorrow as always. Battery Banks For Backpacking Review I picked up 5 battery banks that are marketed at people who spend time in the backcountry and tried my best to figure out which one was best across a number of different categories. 5 banks tested are the Goal Zero Venture 75, Anker 525, Anker 325, Nitecore Carbo 2000, and Biolite 80 PD My apologies for constantly referring to the Nitecore as Nightforce. Also here’s another video I did explaining my entire backcountry power setup. Complete Battery System For The Back Country https://youtu.be/Wl4GKTNJp_M 0:00 – Intro 3:13 – Mindful Reviews 4:09 – Objectivity 4:40 – There is no “best” 5:14 – Categories assessed 5:49 – Notes about power packs 9:03 – Price 10:42 – Weight 11:08 – Size 12:41 – Ports 16:25 – Cables 17:16 – Weather resistance 23:33 – Charging capacity 38:53 – Final scores Mindful Reviews https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

I'm down in AZ with the fam for some R&R so I am throwing up some recent reviews by request. Hope you enjoy and we'll be back to regularly scheduled programming next week. Sitka Ambient vs. Heavyweight Hoody – Field-Tested Review After running both the Sitka Ambient Hoody and the Core Heavyweight Hoody back to back for the last year I put my final thoughts together in this field-tested review. Let me know if you have any additional questions. 0:00 – Intro 0:40 – Mindful Reviews 2:06 – Objectivity in reviews 3:20 – Purpose of this layer 8:04 – Categories for this review 8:49 – Price 10:07 – Weight 10:38 – Fabrics 11:06 – Overview 20:29 – How they fit on me at 6’1” 240lbs 27:16 – Final thoughts Battery Banks For Backpacking Review I picked up 5 battery banks that are marketed at people who spend time in the backcountry and tried my best to figure out which one was best across a number of different categories. 5 banks tested are the Goal Zero Venture 75, Anker 525, Anker 325, Nitecore Carbo 2000, and Biolite 80 PD My apologies for constantly referring to the Nitecore as Nightforce. Also here’s another video I did explaining my entire backcountry power setup. Complete Battery System For The Back Country https://youtu.be/Wl4GKTNJp_M 0:00 – Intro 3:13 – Mindful Reviews 4:09 – Objectivity 4:40 – There is no “best” 5:14 – Categories assessed 5:49 – Notes about power packs 9:03 – Price 10:42 – Weight 11:08 – Size 12:41 – Ports 16:25 – Cables 17:16 – Weather resistance 23:33 – Charging capacity 38:53 – Final scores Mindful Reviews https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Pap has been one of my most requested guests and we finally got the chance to sit down and chat. First, we dove into Pap’s background growing up as a guide in AZ and then moved on to a Q&A. I apologize in advance if we did not get to your question, we crushed a two-hour podcast and just ran out of time. Pap has promised to come back on though and catch us up on his hunting adventures and answer another round of questions in the near future. Pap on IG https://www.instagram.com/papwinkle/ Mindful Reviews https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Ryan is one of my best internet friends and I’ve been meaning to get him on the podcast for a while. He’s got a super cool job as the captain of a sportfishing boat off the coast of southern California. He also gets after it and smokes good deer every year mostly in CA and AZ but branched out to ID this year. I really enjoyed this chat. Mindful Reviews https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Dove into some listener questions this week answering things like, the best early-season hiking boots, what bow release I use, book recommendations for entrepreneurs, and much more. Mindful Reviews https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Before we dive into this week’s episode I want to mention that the Frontiersmen Gear film Through Our Eyes is premiering on March 18th at 6 pm PDT on YouTube. There will be a giveaway live during the premiere. Go follow Tanner on IG for more details. https://www.instagram.com/frontiersmengear/ In this review I compare the two ultralight tripod pan heads; Tricer LP and Wiser PH-170 Nighthawk. While at first glance these pan heads seem incredibly similar there are definitely some important differences to note and depending on what your individual priorities are as a hunter one of these is going to be clearly better for you. 0:00 – Intro 0:40 – Lightweight vs Ultralight pan heads 10:18 – Price 10:47 - Weight 11:56 – Warranty 13:53 – Origin 15:38 – Mounting Options 18:16 – Manufacturing quality and hand feel 21:49 – Accessories 25:32 – Additional observations 28:01 – Wrap-up conclusions Mindful Reviews https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Welcome to my most ambitious review yet. I compare 6 popular 85mm spotting scopes: Swarovski ATX 85mm, Kowa TSN Prominar 88, Zeiss Conquest Gavia 85mm, Maven S.1A 80mm, and Zeiss Victory Harpia 85mm to give you a better understanding about what makes them different, and which one may be best for you. 100% unbiased, highly technical, and overly detailed, as always! The raffle for the winning spotting scope is now live. You can join and buy tickets at https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ Original YouTube Video https://youtu.be/4fBi-ucLTpM 0:00 – Intro 1:47 – Mindful Reviews and the spotting scope raffle 3:36 – Tribalism and psychological marketing 5:04 – Objectivity and financial incentives 7:59 – No such thing as a “perfect” spotter 9:07 – Review methodology and categories 13:20 – Scoring system 18:27 – Pricing 21:53 – Weight & Weight Honesty 26:25 – Length 27:57 – Angled & Straight options 29:33 – Origin of manufacture 35:44 – Descriptive Class Rankings 36:26 – Warranty 44:12 – Durability 49:16 – Hardware 53:19 – Build Quality 53:57 – Weather Resistance 58:24 – Frame Material 1:00:11 – Internal Gas Purged 1:02:49 – Construction Class Rankings 1:05:16 - Magnification 1:06:54 – Objective Lens Size 1:07:13 – Field of View 1:10:37 – Glass Quality 1:20:24 – Glass Coatings 1:22:53 – Eye Relief 1:24:52 – Close Focus Distance 1:26:30 – Optics Class Ranking 1:28:28 – Performance Class 1:35:51 – Final Rankings Mindful Reviews https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

I’m back from my third winter goat hunt and while I did not kill a Billy I had a phenomenal hunt. 0:00 – Intro 2:16 – The hunt 7:50 – The difference between -10 and -20 13:40 – Limits of cannister stoves in very cold temps 16:30 – My daily routine 18:07 – My updated strategy 19:55 – Insulated booties 21:40 – Glassing strategies 26:10 – First goat of the trip 29:10 – Three Billy’s 34:40 – The little things that help 42:00 – The day 4 “Billy” 50:18 – Decisions Mindful Reviews https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Seeing as I am heading back in for another goat hunt I figured I'd post another review instead of skipping a week so here you go! After doing my initial 2-person 3-season category review of 9 tents I took my number one choice the Sea To Summit Telos TR2 on a sheep hunt. Unfortunately, I was met with unexpected and considerable water in the tent. Well, it has taken 6 months and a new tent being shipped out but after extensive testing, I can finally share my findings. Original Review: https://youtu.be/lCijxES4wmw Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

This week I do my best to answer all the questions I received regarding my solo winter mountain goat hunt. 0:00 – Intro 1:02 – Sea To Summit Telos TR2 Review 1:50 – Mindful Review updates 3:00 – Rokslide updates 4:15 – Influencer Economics 101 16:38 – Snowshoes vs. Skis 19:26 – Atlas vs MSR Snowshoes 22:55 – How would you escout differently in the future? 26:18 – Will you apply for the same LEH? 26:30 – Extra clothing? 32:31 – MSR Warranty 33:42 – Hot Tent 38:42 – Opinion on Exo K4 42:18 – Campsite selection in winter 44:18 – ATV use 46:18 – Boot Selection 47:00 – Drying your gear 48:36 – Crampon selection 49:19 – More drying tips 50:54 – How I picked my unit 53:28 – Temps 53:32 – Avalanche training and gear 54:25 – Plans for the rest of the season Mindful Reviews https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Well, the title kind of says it all, if you want to hear the story check out the podcast. I also go through a bunch of house cleaning and had a few rants on various topics lol. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Alright folks I failed to kill a goat, but I successfully made it back in one piece. In this week’s episode, I walk through every piece of gear I brought and discuss how it performed! Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

I’m still out of town goat hunting so I put the audio of two of my YouTube reviews from December up as an interim episode. See links below for YouTube videos. FINAL REVIEW: Fierce CT Rival 300 PRC Leupold VX-5HD 3-15x44 https://youtu.be/ahHCjx5uFY0 Seek Outside 12 Man Tipi with XL Stove Review https://youtu.be/v3zJNeq-lVw Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

I’ve put both these binocular harnesses through the paces on multiple hunts over the last two years. I rank each one across 21 different categories and break down exactly why I prefer one of these for my particular hunting style. 0:00 – Intro 6:02 – 21 Categories 6:34 – Scoring System 7:14 – AGC Kodiak Cub Max 10:08 – Marsupial Bino Harness 11:34 – Price 12:03 – Colour Options 12:41 – Sizes 13:05 – Weight 14:23 – Purchase Experience 17:00 – American Bonus 18:25 – Canadian Bonus 19:36 – Capacity 25:10 – Materials 27:33 – Construction 28:41 – Harness Systems 30:23 – Fitting 31:43 – Accessories 33:10 – Noise 34:32 – Lid Functionality 36:10 – Optic Fit 46:25 – Durability 48:08 – Impact Protection 49:22 – Water Resistance 51:15 – Hardware 52:07 – Archery 53:19 – Final Ranking 55:31 – How To Win The Marsupial Harness Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Kevin is the co-host of The Focus Hunting Podcast and has been a good friend for a while and someone I look up to for his hunting skill and the way he conducts his life both on and offline. I wanted to get Kevin on over the holidays to catch up and see how his year went and what his plans are for 2023. Kevin is the type of hunter we should all try to be a little more like and I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with him. Kevin Toye https://www.instagram.com/kevin__toye/ https://www.instagram.com/focus_hunting/ https://focushunting.ca/podcast Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Bradley Brooks is the founder and CEO of Argali Outdoors, a company that specializes in the design and manufacturing of ultralight hunting gear. Brad was also kind enough to give us an exclusive insight into their new trekking poles that are launching on Jan 5th. As always, with the founder’s series, I am trying to uncover the challenges entrepreneurs faced while growing their companies in the outdoors space. I was incredibly impressed with Brad’s thoughtful approach to design and business growth. In addition, he is a badass hunter and climber himself with lots of cool stories to share. Argali https://argalioutdoors.com/ https://www.instagram.com/argali_official/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Ben and I have been Instagram friends for quite a while, and I finally had the chance to get him on the podcast. Ben is one of the guys I rely on for feedback and advice on my gear choices. He is insanely analytical and has run more gear than most of us will get a chance to see in our lives. We barely scratched the surface in this one, so we are already planning part 2 for when I am back from my goat hunt. Ben Reynolds https://www.instagram.com/b_reynolds_ak/ Down Synthetic Layering Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/backpacking-light-podcast/id1363370570?i=1000586310696 Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Well, folks in 3 weeks I will be trudging up the side of some god-awful mountain trying to kill a big old billy so might as well go over the gear list. Also, tons of great questions in the second half this week. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Kurt Racicot is the next guest in The Founders Series. Through these podcasts, I will explore the roots of some of the most popular outdoor brands and how their founders built them. Kurt is the founder and lead designer for Stone Glacier. We dove into his history as a hunter, where his entrepreneurial drive came from, some of the challenges he faced founding both these companies, and much much more. Kurt Racicot https://www.stoneglacier.com/ https://www.instagram.com/stoneglacier Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Steve Speck is the first guest in The Founders Series. Through these podcasts, I will explore the roots of some of the most popular outdoor brands and how their founders built them. Steve is the owner of Exo Mtn Gear and S&S Archery. We dove into his history as a hunter, where his entrepreneurial drive came from, some of the challenges he faced founding both these companies, and much much more. Steve Speck https://www.instagram.com/steve.j.speck/ https://www.instagram.com/huntbackcountry/ https://www.instagram.com/sandsarchery/ https://exomtngear.com/ https://sandsarchery.com/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Tried to answer as many questions as I could from IG this week. I got into things like is TRT worth it, Dealing with knee pain, best base layers and many more. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

I recorded this podcast while driving home from Northern Alberta. I spent a week sitting in treestands at -20c trying to kill a buck with my bow. I wasn’t successful but I learned a ton and I go over my takeaways from the hunt and my thoughts about all the gear I used. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

The battle of the ultralight backpack titans! Here is my analysis of the Seek Outside Goshawk 6300 vs the Stone Glacier Terminus 7000. If you want to enter to win either of these bags head over to Mindful Reviews. Comparing these two ultralight packs was a blast. These backpacks both go about trying to solve the same problems in very unique ways. https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ 0:00 – Intro 1:23 – Mindful Reviews community launch 5:44 – Tribalism in marketing 6:51 – Premium gear 7:39 – Individual pack preference 8:35 – 24 elements reviewed 9:49 – Scoring system 10:18 – Ultra vs. Cordura 16:29 – Marketing copy for Terminus 18:26 – Marketing copy for Goshawk 23:50 – Price 25:12 – Weight honesty 29:16 – Volume/weight 30:45 – Purchase experience 36:23 – Local bonus 40:28 – Lids 43:13 – Compression 53:31 – Fitting 1:04:15 – Construction 1:14:45 – Lumbar pads 1:15:18 – Load lifter angle 1:16:10 – Meat shelf 1:20:50 – Day pack mode 1:22:35 – Accessories 1:28:40 – Training mode 1:29:40 – Durability 1:31:48 – Water resistance 1:40:09 – Functional volume 1:42:01 – Hardware 1:42:23 – Load ratings 1:52:09 – Conclusion Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

I had a great chat with John Barklow who is not only the Big Game Product Manager for Sitka but is a very accomplished bowhunter and has a fantastic newsletter full of insights and tactics for hunters of all experience levels. John Barklow https://www.instagram.com/jbarklow/ https://knowledgefromstorms.com/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

This week I broke down my entire archery setup including bow, arrow build, broadhead, speed, everything. After that, I dove into an archery-focused Q&A. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Well my friends I was finally able to break the curse. In this podcast, I go over my history with elk in B.C. and then break down my latest hunt where I was lucky enough to arrow a great bull while hunting solo. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

I just spent 9 days hunting elk with my old man and brother in northern BC. While we didn’t kill an elk it was our first hunt all together and it was great to spend time together. I thought I’d do a gear breakdown and share some of my takeaways from the hunt. Also, I’m headed back out solo for elk on Sunday and dove into my plan for that as well. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois is a MeatEater culinary contributor, an expert on all things Cajun, and an all-around badass with an infectious love of cooking, the outdoors, and intense pride in his home state of Louisiana. He just debuted season 2 of his feature cooking and hunting show Duck Camp Dinners last week on the MeatEater YouTube channel. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting down with Jean-Paul and was part history lesson, part cooking lesson, and part waterfowl hunting lesson. Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois https://www.instagram.com/chefjean_paul/ https://chef-jean-paul.myshopify.com/ Duck Camp Dinners https://youtu.be/JI41RNYDix0 Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

To wrap up the three-podcast series on my sheep hunt I did a massive Q & A covering the hunt itself, the filming process, and the gear I used. I answered things like the best and worst piece of gear I brought, my e-scouting process, how the new tent held up, and much more. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

I felt as though there was some value in digging a little deeper into my decision-making process during this hunt and going over some of my mistakes might be useful to some people. It also gave me a chance to reflect on the journey and see where I could improve next year. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Okay, I’m back from my sheep hunt. I didn’t kill a sheep, but I certainly got to put some gear through its paces and learned lots that I’ve got to share. Let me know if you have any follow-up questions. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Up next in the Mindful Review series is a comparative analysis of 9, 2-person 3-season tents including the Big Agnes Copper Spur, Sea To Summit Telos, Hilleberg Niak, MSR Hubba Hubba, Nemo Dragonfly, Stone Glacier Skyscraper 2P, Kuiu Mountain Star, Hilleberg Helags, and the Slingfin Portal. I looked at 30 different elements including price, build quality, practical space, pole construction, and many more. I am also raffling off 4 of the tents and if you head to the link below you can buy tickets if they are still available. Please let me know which category of hunting gear you would like to see reviewed next? Rain Gear? Electronics? YouTube Version https://youtu.be/lCijxES4wmw Raffle Tickets https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast 0:00 – Intro 0:26 – List of Tents 2:18 – The Raffle 6:36 – Consumer Psychology 8:41 – Personal Opinion 11:15 – 30 categories tested and 20 scored 13:31 – Practical Space 13:52 – In-tent Height and Length Footage 29:33 – 2-pad Test 33:14 – Price 34:42 – Weight & Weight Honesty 37:24 – Tent Pegs 39:32 – Ease of Setup 44:09 – Build Quality 47:58 – Pole Quality 51:23 – Rain Test 58:10 – Practical Vestibule Space 1:00:00 – Breathability vs Warmth and the Effect on Condensation 1:02:18 – Zippers 1:02:37 – Practical Fabric Quality 1:03:24 – Fabric Specs 1:11:11 – Freestanding 1:11:21 – Number of Doors 1:11:38 – Ease of Getting In and Out 1:12:35 – Final Rankings

Going through the process of prepping for a bodybuilding contest is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, and I’ve been lucky enough to do some pretty hard things in my life. I learned a lot about who I am and what it takes to be successful. I thought it would be interesting to see how I could apply those lessons to becoming a better hunter. Here’s what I came up with. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Okay, folks so I have put together my nutritional plan for my 2022 solo sheep hunt. I have included macros, micros, electrolytes, and all my supplements. In addition to that, I am reposting my Backcountry Meal Planning Guide for free (link below) and have also teamed up with Wilderness Athlete to give away over $200 worth of supplements. Giveaway Instructions: Go to my Instagram page and look for the latest post with the photo of the supplements being given away https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Make sure you are following me and Wilderness Athlete. Every person you tag will get you one entry. Share the post to your story for 5 bonus entries Leave a rating and review on my podcast for 5 bonus entries The giveaway is open for 1 week until July 15th https://www.instagram.com/wilderness_athlete/ https://wildernessathlete.com/ Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

This week I had the opportunity to sit down with someone I have looked up to for a long time. Trail Kreitzer is a legitimate backcountry hunter in the truest sense of the words. Not only is he insanely dedicated he is also extremely analytical about his process and his gear. The pack dump videos he does for GoHunt are some of the finest on YouTube. We talked about all kinds of things from the psychology of mentally breaking in the mountains to a deep dive on all sorts of cool gear topics. This may be my favourite episode I’ve recorded to date. Trail Kreitzer https://www.instagram.com/trailk11/ https://www.gohunt.com/author/trail-kreitzer Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

This week I break down my backpacking camera gear for hunting. I dive into it from both a photography and videography perspective and cover cameras, lenses, power management etc. I also give three different gear lists for three different budgets. Let me know your thoughts. Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Time for another solo Q&A episode. This week I answered questions about how to get fit for hunting in the backcountry. I personally believe this is a lot simpler than most people make it out. I discussed everything from training splits to injury recovery and a whole lot in-between. Let me know your thoughts! Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast