Knockoff Hunting Gear Is a Safety Problem Nobody’s Talking About

Whether hunting elk backcountry or huddling in a frigid treestand in late season, your gear is your lifeline. It is the only thing between you and the savage elements. But as the price of top-tier, high-performance gear continues to skyrocket, a quiet and dangerous trend is creeping into the outdoor community: counterfeit and knockoff hunting gear.

It’s tempting to go for the lowest price tag, but keep in mind that knockoff gear lacks quality control, which means wearing it may put you directly in harm’s way.

The Hidden Hazards of “Budget” Fakes

Hunting brands, if legitimate, invest significantly in research and development along with thorough testing before introducing their equipment to the market. This is why, when you purchase from a brand recognized and respected in the market, you know you are investing in equipment engineered to meet all the requirements of outdoor performance in terms of visibility, impact resistance, insulation, and robustness.

However, knockoffs do not undergo any of these crucial processes and instead cut corners to reduce manufacturing expenses. They choose poor-quality materials that may pass muster at first but fail spectacularly in actual outdoor conditions.

How Knockoff Gear Fails You

You may feel safe when you carry the right equipment with you. However, it’s important for that equipment to be fully functional, which is not always the case with knockoff models. Here’s how the cheap knockoff hunting items let outdoorsmen down:

• Material failure: Counterfeit climbing sticks and treestand components use cheap alloys or weak webbing that can snap under sudden tension, causing severe falls.
• Toxic chemicals: Fake fabric dyes and waterproof coatings include heavy metals, lead, and other dangerous chemical compounds that are banned in many countries.
• No real warmth: Knockoff cold-weather jackets are stuffed with cheap synthetic fibers. These synthetics lose their insulating properties in the rain, leaving you vulnerable to the cold and hypothermia.
• Weak stitching: Vital stress points on packs and slings lack military-grade bar-tacking, causing straps to blow out when you are miles deep in the wilderness.

Staying Safe On the Field and Online

Making purchases from unauthorized vendors is not only dangerous physically while out hunting, but also greatly compromises your computer and internet security. Numerous fly-by-night stores and fraudulent operations establish incredibly sophisticated “mirrored” online shopping sites designed to collect information about you, including credit cards and other personal details.

While you’re resting from the strenuous hunting activities and browsing the internet, it’s worth looking into VPN downloads to fully encrypt your internet connection and keep your data secure. This is especially important if you’re in an unknown area far from home. Just as you check your tree strap before starting a climb, you need to protect your digital footprint from data miners.

How to Spot Bad Knockoff Hunting Gear Before You Buy

Before adding that camo or alpine pack that’s been marked down by more than half its price to your cart, it’s imperative that you save yourself some trouble and avoid falling victim to these obvious red flags:

• Too big a price difference: For instance, if the MSRP is $400 but the product is being sold by some unknown outlet at just $85, you should know it’s fraud. It takes a great deal of investment to develop high-quality fabric material for clothing.
• No certifications given: Authentic products will always be labeled with information regarding any certifications awarded to them by the industry body, such as IHEA-USA (DA 78).
• No details about the fabric: The products labeled as fraudulent will only employ marketing language without specifying any information about the materials or their weight; for instance, “ultra military grade.”

How Can You Stay Safe on a Budget?

In the end, your gear isn’t just stuff you carry around. It’s what stands between you and real risk when you’re hunting out there. Skimping on the essentials that keep you safe, warm, and comfortable just isn’t worth it. Approach buying gear the way you approach the hunt: don’t cut corners. Saving a little money on cheap gear just isn’t worth it if something fails on you when you’re deep in the backcountry.