mickgibbo

No not at all the 60xt is a long blade that doesn't fit in a scapel handel like you use, the havalon can cater for 2 blade styles. The tracer 22 is the one you want to look up might make it a bit clearer. Butchering a sambar with a scapel is impressive.

Main reason being that when you use the Havalon with the 60xt blade (from memory) you dont need to carry another knife. The scaples are only good for getting the head skin off and splitting other than that have no practical use for taking a cape or skin off let alone meat. The blades that you mentioned for $20 for 100 will also fit in the havalon if thats what you like caping with. Also I got mine with blades from the states for just over $50

They are very good knives and will do way more than you expect. I have taken a whole big red hind skin off with one blade. I took off and caped an old boar with 2 blades and even then I could have probably got away with one but why bother the blades are cheap. I managed to get the whole head skin off a buffalo for boiling I did snap one around the horn though. I also did my whole sambar cape and face skin with 2 blades as well so they are well up to the task and hold a decent edge for the worth that we do. I keep half long blades in the pouch and half short so that when you have the cape off something you can then swap over to cape the face with the shorter scalpel blade.

For hunting purposes it doesn't really matter what model you get unless you want maps on the screen even then it's normally a mark car, walk and explore then return to the car or tent. I use my gps in conjunction with oziexplorer and maps that I make myself and navigate between the 2 and it's far easier. Most the functions that are on them that cost money a run of the mill one will achieve. I would be looking for one that has proven good reception in forests and bush.

Ive been wearing the red head air mesh which is basically the same thing with the Ridgeline sable shorts and I found them great in the real hot conditions up in the Territory over the past 2 years. The long sleve shirt and long pants were good to keep the sun off whilst still keeping you cool and they are great when wet as the slightest breeze cools you. I also use them for the summer scouting of deer when its hot walking in the hills and I want to cover many kms. The down sides to them which are minor is that they are not bug proof (which you could not expect them to be), and that they pick up quite a few spurs, seeds and sticks in the dry country stuff.

They are very handy knives and I have done a fair bit of work with mine this year and have been extremely impressed and if you are trying to cut the weight down they are perfect. I bought a heap of blades at the same time and found them very cheap.

I own the i-40 and a reconyx and for the monet the Moultree are hard to beat but there are a lot of good ones out there for the price but cant comment on them.

Canon SX1 reason for its selection is the HD video and still camera in one with 20x optical zoom. Compact enough to carry but I would much rather a good slr with HD built in as Im finding its limitations in poor light, but cantexpect it to do too much for the price.

I got a nice solid belt of that fence on the shin last time I was there, I have also seen the odd fence chain hanging off it as well.

Leupold or crooked horn

Harness all the way and buy a decent one as the cheap ones don't ware well.

Cabelas has a sizeing chart but they are just US sizes.

I just got the IRISH SETTER GRIZZLY TRACKER 400 GRAM BOOT REALTREE AP HD I have been waiting for them to come down but just bit the bullet as my Rocky Boots have fallen to peices after last weekends walking. The rocky boots lasted me one season but they did get a hell of a lot of use. I like the 400gm thinsulate as I can wear it any time of the year without my feet sweating up a storm and this year I wore them in NT without a problem so it covers me for all Australian seasons. I would even get zero thinsulate as long as they were waterproof. Cabelas reviews are normally accurate and a good help when selecting a boot, also make sure you look at weight as a lb difference will make a difference on those hard hill walks.

It will be interesting to see thats for sure, I dont give them a chance in those Vic hills but like you said only one way to find out.