The very best TESTED hunting gear of 2024. Enjoy!
by Jace Bauserman
I wouldn’t say I like excellence awards. Why? It’s too hard to choose. Plus, we at Born Hunting can only test some gear on the market. We do our best, but it’s impossible to test it all.
Still, the show must continue, and if done correctly, excellence awards hold validity. Every award doesn’t need to go to a new-for-the-year product. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? At the same time, one of the most amazing things about the fascinating world of hunting gear is manufacturers continue to push the envelope and awe us with gear that most often trumps the gear that came before it. This is truly impressive.
So, without further ado, here are the gear items we at Born Hunting brand with our 2024 Excellence Awards.
Best Compound Bow: Hoyt Alpha X 33
Hoyt’s 2024 aluminum flagship, the 33-5/16-inch axle-to-axle length Alpha X 33, hits a not-too-long and not-too-short sweet spot. The bow feels remarkable in hand, and the dual-cage riser design provides an ultra-steady platform that sits in hand like a well-trained retriever at full draw. The HBX Xact Cam allows every shooter to achieve perfect draw length with a three-module system and 1/4-inch draw-length adjustments. As a cable-driven rest goer, I appreciate the Drop Cord Slot, which prevents excess cord. The bow’s quietness is second to none, and from the Rockies to the plains to the Midwest whitetail woods, this bow, if you do your job and execute, will do its job. This is a bold statement, but I firmly believe this is Hoyt’s best-ever aluminum model bow.
Best Carbon Arrow: Easton X10 Parallel Pro
For 2024, Easton gave bowhunters all the benefits of its top podium arrow—the X10—in an easy-tuning lightweight 4mm shaft that makes game shudder. Dubbed the X10 Parallel Pro, Easton created this high-strength carbon fiber bonded to a 7075 alloy core arrow in 15 spine sizes to ensure bowhunters of varying draw weights can enjoy this shaft’s precision accuracy and deep-penetrating power. Something else Easton did that I found beneficial was selling arrow components: nocks, nock collar, and four different weights of Match Grad Half-Outs, separately. Doing this allows each hunter to customize their shaft for maximum downrange accuracy. I ran the X10 Parallel Pro through four turkeys and two whitetail bucks this year and was highly pleased with the arrow’s overall performance.
Best Bowhunting Sight: Spot Hogg Boonie Triple Pin
The best bow sight of 2024 and arguably the best moveable bow sight ever created, Spot Hogg’s Boonie Triple Pin is 10 percent lighter than Spot Hogg’s award-winning Fast Eddie via a redesigned tool-less windage bar and yardage dial. The new dial is slimmer and showcases a new Micro-Adjustable Center Knob that allows for quick lock/unlock yardage adjustments. Plus, the yardage wheel, by removing a pair of hex-head set screws, comes off. This allows the shooter to attach their sight tape without trying to slide the tape under the trio of yardage indicator needles. Plus, shooters can purchase as many dials as they like, allowing one sight to work with multiple arrow builds. The Boonie includes mounting options of Pic Mount, Hard Mount, and Dovetail.
Best Fall-Away Arrow Rest: Quality Archery Designs UltraRest Integrate MX2
As good as the original Integrate MX was, the MX2 is even better. One of the most prominent features to point out, and one I love, is the new Launcher Dampeners and Berger Hole Dampener. Felt is out, and rubber is in. The new rubber dampeners eliminate the need for felt and the need to replace felt. The new dampeners, which QAD offers in various colors for bow customization, fit into slots in the new launcher arm. Installation is easy, and QAD includes a rubber Berger Hole Dampener. Other must-mention features include the new machined Aluminum Launcher Arm and redesigned Capture Bar. I love the sleek, streamlined design, and windage/ elevation adjustments can be made in .0019 of an inch. A cable-driven rest, meaning the rest’s cord attaches or goes through the bow’s down cable when the bow is pressed, the Integrate MX2 is a breeze to time via the laser-engraved arrow on the rest body and the timing mark on the loading wheel.
Best Broadhead: SEVR Ti 1.5 4-Blade Hybrid
I’ve killed elk, bear, pronghorn, big horn sheep, hogs, deer, and the list goes on with SEVR’s original Ti 1.5. Frankly, I didn’t think it could get any better. I was wrong. SEVR added a single .7-inch bleeder blade to increase the cutting diameter by 46 percent—1.5 inches to over 2.2 inches. The excellent news is bowhunters still get Practice Lock, Lock-and-Pivot Blades, and more. And while I can’t explain how the Ti 1.5 4-Blade Hybrid is even more accurate than the original, it is. On November 6, 2024, I sent a Ti 1.5 4-Blade Hybrid through a whitetail buck. The result was a dead deer 50 yards from the spot of impact and the best blood trail I’ve ever seen in 25 years of bowhunting.
Best Target: Morrell Yellow Jacket MOD Pro
A less than $200 bag target that measures 29 inches wide, 13 inches deep, and 31 inches tall, Morrell’s Yellow Jacket MOD Pro is a BIG bag target capable of stopping arrows powered by today’s high-speed bows and crossbows. What I love most about it, though, are the interchangeable faces that attach to the sides of the target with Velcro. Morrell offers target face wraps in MOD Pro Tuning + Precision, Buck + Turkey, ASA/IBO + Scoring, Pro Games, Pro Long Distance 80 CM, and NFAA 40 + 60 CM. I’ve shot thousands of arrows into this weather-resistant target. It takes a beating and allows easy arrow removal. This is it if you’re looking for one target for all your practice needs (minus broadheads).
Best Backpack: ALPS Elite Frame +3800
Didn’t we give the Elite Frame +3800 the Backpack Excellence Award last year? We sure did! We don’t believe in picking a new-for-the-year product just because it’s new. This fall, I was a part of seven elk kills. Once again, day after day, load after load, this thermoplastic composite frame pack met and exceeded my expectations. It can tote a massive load, and thanks to the padded waist belt, padded shoulder straps, and load lifters, I can remain somewhat comfortable even when I have over 100 pounds of elk meat on my back. The pack is ultra-roomy, and I love the single main compartment.
Best Boots: Zamberlan 1110 Baltoro Lite GTX RR
I don’t know how many elk, pronghorn, turkey, and muley miles I’ve put on my Zamberlan 1110 Baltoro Lite GTX RRs over the past three years, but it’s a bunch. Though my hunting buddies tell me that the boots are “no longer brand recognizable,” which I take great pride in, the exclusive Zamberlan Vibram Starlite outsole is still dominating the terrain. These boots are 100 percent waterproof. In three years, I’ve done nothing to them to boost water protection, and this fall, after walking through a soggy elk meadow, my feet were still dry. The 620-gram weight is exceptionally light. I hate heavy, clunky boots! The ZBPK backpacking last ensures proper heel grip, comfortable over-the-top foot wrap, and a toebox that offers room.
Best Rubber Boots: DryShod Evalusion Hunt Maxx Gusset
As much as I loved DryShod’s Evalusion Hunt Camo/Bark, its predecessor, the Evalusion Hunt Maxx Gusset is even better. The adjustable calf gusset means the boots’ uppers will expand, allowing more room for heavy outer clothing to be tucked inside. If you prefer, though, you can suck the gusset tight and slide your outer layer over the boots. The 2mm airmesh/2mm warm fleece lining increases warmth and makes these boots feel incredible when you slide your feet in. Built for extreme cold, the 5mm Densoprene Foam Insulated Bootie keeps cold and wet out, and the 4-Way Stretch Breathable Airmesh Lining promotes airflow to prevent swamping. These are the most comfortable, lightweight rubber boots I have ever owned.
Best Hunting Rifle: Browning X-Bolt 2 Pro McMillan SPR Carbon Fiber
This past fall, I tested and killed big-game animals with multiple models in Browning’s all-new X-Bolt 2 lineup. All proved their salt, and I don’t plan on sending a single one back. They all earned a place in my gun safe. However, after multiple one-shot kills on 10 African animals and two 300-plus inch bull elk, the X-Bolt 2 Pro McMillan stole my heart. I love the raised stalk design, which promotes exact stock-to-optic alignment, and the deep recess into the thick pistol-style grip promotes an exceptional feel. The redesigned bolt knob is slimmer for faster handling, and the new receiver includes additional bolt guidance surface area for smoother operation. Of course, you still get that sweet 60-degree bolt throw. I’m a fan of the new DLX Trigger, which breaks like a crispy piece of bacon. The blot is fluted, and the wrapped carbon fiber barrel from Preferred Barrels is 4 inches shorter than the standard barrel length. This way, when you add a suppressor, you get a standard-length barrel. This rifle delivers accuracy in spades and boosts shooting confidence.
Best Hunting Shotgun: Franchi Affinity 3
Cloaked in Realtree’s MAX-7, this inertia-driven semi-automatic shotgun shoulders like a dream, swings with elegant grace, and kills like crazy. All controls (minus the safety) are oversized for positive use, even when the hands are covered with thick gloves. The slim fore-end design boots ergonomics and the magazine port is oversized for quick reloading. Built to dominate the fields, rivers, and swamps, this shotgun has a trio of choke tubes, a front fiber-optic (red) sight, and five stock drop and cast adjustments shims, meaning a custom shooting experience. The TSA recoil pad soaks up recoil from 2-3/4- and 3-inch shotshells, and the Franchi Affinity 3 is available in 26 and 28-inch barrel options.
Best Rifle Ammunition: Federal Terminal Ascent
Federal has given us some great ammo makes over the years, but few are better than its Terminal Ascent line. Terminal Ascent bullets are available in an array of calibers and bullet grain weights, which feature a bonded construction that penetrates deep on close targets. Too often, when shooting big, heavy calibers, bullet designs blow apart on close-range shots, causing limited damage. This isn’t the case with this tried-and-true ammunition. Federal’s patented Slipstream polymer tip initiates expansion at ultra-low velocities for remarkable downrange killing power, making this bullet ultra-effective on close and long-range shots. I’ve harvested elk as close as 60 yards and as far as 600 yards with Terminal Ascent bullets, and their performance is truly remarkable. The bullet’s long, sleek design ensures a high ballistic coefficient, and its AccuChannel groove technology boosts accuracy.
Best Shotshell: HEVI-Shot HEVI-XII
Promising high velocities, maximum payloads, and insane killing power, HEVI-Shot’s HEVI-XII shotshells are my go-to when waterfowl is on the to-hunt list. Filled with HEVI-Shot’s original 12 g/cc tungsten, which is almost 54 percent denser than steel, these loads increase every waterfowler’s effective range, and because the tungsten is so lethal, waterfowlers can drop down in shot size and fill the air with more pellets. HEVI-XII is 100 percent nontoxic and is available in multiple shot sizes.
Best Knife: Benchmade Altitude Carbon Fiber
Lightweight, strong, and sharp, Benchmade’s Altitude Carbon Fiber sports a 3.08-inch Drop-Point blade crafted from CPM-S90V Premium Stainless Steel. The carbon fiber handle adds strength while keeping weight down, and this sub-two-ounce knife will handle any chore from skinning to quartering to caping. I love the orange blade, which makes the knife easy to find when you start a small yard sale around your kill site.
Best Hunting Clothing: Browning Big Game Clothing
Browning’s Big Game Clothing line keeps you on the hunt from the sun-baking early season to the doldrums of deep winter. I wore garments like the Early Season Pant, Packable Puffer Hooded Vest, Last Season Bib, and more this past season. All garments proved their salt from the plains of Africa to the Alaskan tundra and everywhere in between.
Best Digital Scouting App: HuntStand App – Pro Whitetail
If you’re a whitetail hunter and don’t have HuntStand’s Pro Whitetail, you need it. The most advanced scientific algorithm of its kind, Pro Whitetail tells you the best days and times to be in the woods. Activity forecast models are available up to 15 in advance, and I’ve found predicted movement times to be, generally, spot on. With Pro Whitetail HuntStand users also get an advanced Rut Map, and all of the other award-winning features that make the HuntStand App a win with hunters across the globe.
Best Rifle Optic: Leupold VX-6HD
The juice of Leupold’s legendary VX lineup, the VX-6HD offers remarkable low-light brightness, maximum durability, and edge-to-edge clarity you have to see to believe. The scope’s most impressive feature is the CDS-ZL2 Zero Lock elevation dial. Zero your scope and then obtain some ballistic data. Then, send that data to Leupold, and you’ll get a customized elevation turret with dial-to-the-yard accuracy. It’s a simple yet effective system that I continue to trust. VX-6HD models also feature a twist-and-turn windage turret to ensure just-right wind holds. The scope has an in-scope electronic reticle level and is guaranteed for life.
Best Electronic Rifle Optic: Burris Eliminator
On a Wyoming pronghorn hunt this year, I located my target speed goat in the Eliminator’s ultra-clear reticle, clicked the on-scope range button, and then made a perfect 287-yard shot. This scope pairs seamlessly with the BurrisConnect app to get the exact drop information to program your scope with your specific load data. I love the red LED aiming point that displays in the reticle, and though I shot my Cowboy Sate pronghorn with the sun high overhead, I tested the scope in various lighting conditions, and it proved more than worthy.
Best Shooting Rest: BOG DeathGrip Sherpa
Designed for those wanting to venture off the beaten path, BOG’s DeathGrip Sherpa weighs just over 4 pounds and comes with a quick-change Arca-Swiss mount system. This tripod instantly transforms from a shooting rest to a tripod stand, perfect for a spotting scope. The legs are fully adjustable, the carbon build keeps weight down and increases strength, and the rubber feet grip any terrain. Best of all, the DeathGrip clamping system secures your weapon like a vise, letting you execute when that shot of a lifetime presents itself.
