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Karmik Blogs

What should I put a Karmik decal on?

We hear it all the time….

  • “What do I put a Karmik decal on.”
  • “I cant think of anything to put a decal on.”
  • “I don’t have anything worth protecting.”
  • “I don’t buy expensive gear.”

At Karmik we believe you DO have items worth protecting. As you think about your outdoor or personal gear, try to consider these factors.

Consider these:

COST: expensive items- If something is prohibitively expensive to replace it needs a decal. If it stores a lot of gear (packs and Cases), thus being expensive, it needs a decal. Examples: Spotting Scopes with a tripod. That setup is over $7000 and although it might be hard to lose, it’s worth the cost of Karmik’s lost and found Service, just in case. We like to say our decals have a 2X value. They protect your original purchase price and prevent the need for a repurchase. 

LOSE-ABILITY: Small and portable does not mean inexpensive or non-valuable. However, small and portable DOES equate to easily being lost. If gear is small and portable it might deserve a decal based on that fact alone. Nalgenes or HydroFlask are portable by design and are lost ALL THE TIME! They are not that expensive nor do they often carry sentimental value. But if you don’t want to buy them over and over for yourself or your kids, you should get a decal. Trekking poles are lost quite frequently. You see them at trailheads all the time. Depending on the size of the item our Karmik Anywhere decal is your go to solution. 

SENTIMENTAL: This goes without explanation, somethings are irreplaceable. As outdoor folk we can get attached to our favorite gear and we can have fond memories as we use gear. Also, if someone we are attached to gave us something, that item is automatically irreplaceable. I have a Karmik decal on my Buck knife that my father gave me before my first deer hunt. I can’t get another one, ever; thus, I can’t lose it. Please, do not forget to protect your irreplaceable items. 


If an item is firmly in one of those categories above it MAY warrant a Karmik decal. If an item you posses overlaps with two of them, it SHOULD have a decal. And finally, an item that is expensive, irreplaceable, and easily lost MUST have a decal.

1. COST & SENTIMENTAL: At a fly fishing expo I encountered a lady who stood back from the booth and gazed at Karmik, then came in and started to get teary eyed. She lost a net recently. This net was her brother’s and he gave it to her.  They loved fly fishing together. He passed away after a battle with cancer. Every time she would fish with it, she was reminded of him. It was their bond. She didn’t lose a $198 net, she lost a tangible memory of her late brother. That net might sway far more in the Sentimental value category but the price tag is still there to buy another. Imagine finding a net yourself. Would you be so excited to keep this high dollar item or would you want to return it. Now imagine finding her net and being able to read her story about that item. What lengths would you go to to get it back? A Karmik decal would allow you to see the sentimental value of the item and the ability to get it back.

2. The COST & LOSE-ABILITY overlap is a no brainer. Easily lost and expensive to replace; yep, put a Karmik decal on it. Maybe the most common lost item while hunting is a rangefinder. That is a small item that is easily misplaced in the woods. A single maple leaf can cover your $500 rangefinder! Air Pods are lost all the time. My Garmin In-Reach Mini is with me on pretty much any hunt or backpacking trip or solo adventure. It is small and expensive to replace. 

3. LOSE-ABILITY & SENTIMENTAL: items that are easily lost and sentimental need to be protected. My buddy has a discontinued Sage Fly Rod. He loves it. They don’t make it anymore and if he lost it he simply could not replace it. Fly rods are lost often.

The Trinity or Trifecta or Thrice Level of Importance (hmmm should TM that) you need a Karmik decal on those items. Admittedly, I don’t think I own something that is expensive, lose-able and sentimental. These items are rare and cherished and mean a lot to you. They would not mean the same to a finder. Think of your gear and if it fits in this area, you need a Karmik decal.

  • Robert, Founder of Karmik and clarity bringer.
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Karmik Blogs

5 Reasons Why Your Fly Shop Should Start a Rental Program

If you own or manage a fly shop, you may have considered expanding your services beyond selling flies and fishing equipment. One lucrative opportunity worth exploring is starting a rental program. Here are five compelling reasons why this could be a great addition to your business:

  1. Save Time: By offering rental gear, you can save both your employees and customers valuable time and effort. If your shop manages its rentals using excel or worse notebooks or sticky notes you are wasting your employees time. Your rental program should provide a convenient solution, allowing employees and customers to get the gear they need quickly and hassle-free. Every wasted minute trying to book a rental, fulfill an order, looking for gear, shipping, checking an item back in, locating lost gear, etc is costing you money. Also, by making a simple process complicated your customers are bouncing. Let them book gear from the comfort of their homes.
  2. Make Money: A well-managed rental program can be a significant source of revenue for your fly shop. Outdoor enthusiasts are always looking for cost-effective ways to enjoy their hobbies, and renting equipment can be more affordable than buying it outright. This affordability can attract a wider customer base and generate a steady stream of income for your business.

It’s also a great way for people to test newly released gear before making the purchase. New fly fishing gear is expensive and gives people the opportunity to try a new Abel reel or Orvis H3 or Scientific Angler Line or whatever. You should always offer rentals and allow people to experience gear your shop offers. 

  1. Sell Used Gear: Over time, you’ll accumulate a collection of used gear from your rental program. This gear can be resold to customers who want to purchase equipment at a lower price point. This secondary market can become a profitable arm of your business, allowing you to recoup some of your initial investment in gear and increase overall sales. By using our system you have valuable data on when to sell something. If you want to continuously provide your customers with a high quality experience it is important to provide them with quality gear. Maybe you want to make a policy to sell after 100 rentals. You can easily sell your gear on our platform.  
  2. Collect Rental Data: Running a rental program gives you valuable insights into customer preferences and the most popular gear. You can use this data to fine-tune your inventory, ensuring you have the right equipment available at all times. Additionally, you can identify trends and plan marketing strategies based on what customers are renting most frequently.
  3. Protect Your Gear: Karmik Outdoors lost and found service is included. We have a 78% return rate within one day. Loss happens. People lose gear all the time, including guides. It hurts when it’s your gear! Yes, your customers or guides will have to pay to replace it, but maybe it comes back and they don’t. WIN WIN. We helped a fly shop (and guide) by recovering 3 Sage rental rods. When you sell your used rental gear, consumers can register for the service included at no additional cost.


In conclusion, starting a rental program for outdoor gear in your fly shop is a smart business move that can benefit both you and your customers. It saves time, makes money, creates opportunities to sell used gear, provides valuable rental data, and allows you to protect your gear investment. By offering this service, you’ll not only enhance your customers’ experience but also boost your shop’s profitability and long-term success.

  • Robert, Founder and Owner of Karmik Outdoors and dreamer of Win Win situations.
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Karmik Blogs

Does Karmik Work? Real Use Case (Testimonial)

Overwhelmingly the biggest reservation we have to customer adoption is “does it work” but often phrased in a more pessimistic tone more like, “Sure, it’s a great idea but no one is going to return something they found. They will just keep it and I’ll never see my XYZ again.”

We struggle with trying to fight this stigma. We simply can not guarantee that you will get your lost Sawyer Kayak paddle back. We can only guarantee that if you completed the simple registration process on Karmikoutdoors.com then your gear is IDENTIFIABLE. Conversely,  we can guarantee that without any identification your gear is NOT returnable.

Sawyer x Karmik cobranded decal applied to a paddle.

Trying to convey that this program and our service works, and with it you have a 78-90% chance of a successful return is a difficult thing to convey. Here is a quick testimonial of a recent lost and found scenario from a lifelong fly fishermen named Rison. He purchased one of our MFC co-branded decals and activated his pre-paid decal.

Protect your flies and fly box with an MFC x Karmik prepaid decal.

Rison’s first sentence was this, “I received my fly box last week from Ian who wouldn’t even let me pay for the postage. A good man.” We believe that most people are good and want to do the right thing they just need the chance. Ian is not the exception to the rule, he is the massive average. Here is the rest of Rison’s story:

My name is Rison. I’m a  69 year old retiree and live in Chatham, in south central Virginia.
I attended the wedding of my nephew in Denver, Colorado in September which was my first time in Colorado. My brother-in-law and I managed to get a day free to fly fish. The day before, we went to the fly shop for some flies and advice. We got both and I also picked up a new fly box. That night, I was looking through all my flies accumulated in over 50 years of fishing. I decided to consolidate three smaller boxes into my new box. I saw the return service that came with the box and thought “what the hell” and registered it, doubting it would ever do any good.
The next day we headed out early and found the BLM campground area that was recommended to us. We suited up and my brother in law headed upstream while I tried the water near our car. I was using a borrowed four piece fiberglass rod. I fished for maybe an hour having no luck, I tried a weighted nymph. After awhile I decided to move. My fly was still in the water and when I tried to retrieve it, I was hung up. Not wanting to jerk on it with a borrowed rod, I reached for the line near the tip and broke about three inches off the tip! While fumbling around with that mess, I must have leaned over and the new fly box fell out of my vest! I was helpless and watched it float down the river thinking how smart I was to consolidate three boxes into one the previous night!
In my younger days, I would have cussed, fussed, stomped around, likely drowning. The older me smiled and thought how lucky I was to be standing in that beautiful part of the world. I retired to a picnic table and took in the fresh air and beautiful scenery. I never expected to see my fly box again.
I was absolutely floored when Karmik emailed me that my box was found much further downstream and the man, wanted to return it! I contacted Ian who refused any reward and mailed the box back to me! Unbelievable!
I want to publicly thank Ian and Karmik for this positive experience. I not only have my flies and box back but I have a renewed respect for mankind.
– Rison

Rison wanted to thank Ian with a reward and that is always appreciated and sometimes accepted by the finder. Karmik rewards the finder on behalf of all of our users to help ensure your gear comes back.

For businesses, Karmik service helps your product stand out. Rison stated that he is much more likely to purchase an item that has this service built in. If you are a business owner looking to help your product standout in a marketplace, here we are. At Outdoor Retailer (where we won Innovative Product of the Year) the two most common items were insulated bottles of some kind and backpacks or packs of some kind. They are all great products and have high quality construction or components so what makes them standout? Color, brand recognition and all the other marketing things, but what about outstanding and lasting service. Safety and security and standing behind your customer beyond the purchase. We can help with that.

Innovation Award for creating something new and exciting in the outdoor area.
  • Robert, Owner of Karmik Outdoors and wannabe cultivator of our collective fait in humanity.
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Karmik Blogs

Hunting Western Big Game: What gear you need and what you don’t. 

Intro

After the ‘Fly Fishing Gear’ blog post I figured the next is western big game need and don’t need list. 

Everyone loves talking about gear and researching gear and buying new gear but then reality hits with all the options and costs varying so much. If you’re just starting, here are my thoughts about what you need for western big game. The west is wild and can be 60 in the day and 20 at night. It can range from -20 in November to 50. That said, this is not an all encompassing list, rather, a general guideline. Even saying ‘western big game’ we need to classify that by saying deer-elk-antelope as this list will change between Alaska Dall Sheep or Wyoming Bison or Idaho Mountain Goat.   

I’m a smaller guy at 5’9” 150lbs and I’m cheap. I tend to focus on weight and cost as my two main points of concern. Obviously, the more you spend the lighter gear is, usually, so I have to find the right middle ground that fits me and my family. I am not a gear junkie and I do not geek out about researching brands and tech specs between object *most of the time*. There are some exceptions for me such as optics and weapons where I try to research as much as I can. Most everything else comes down to a cost and weight ratio that I need to be comfortable with. I always feel guilty buying things for myself because I have a family and not a lot of expendable income. All of these things occupy space in my mind when making a decision. 

This is my setup for rifle or archery hunting. It’s my setup for backpacking or car camping. It’s my setup for early season or late season (with some changes). It’s my setup for deer or elk or antelope (with some changes).   


My gear

Pack and in the pack:
  • Eberlestock Mainframe with add-ons: Vapor 5000 duffle, gun scabbard, upland hunting pouch 
  • Seat pad
  • Sawyer water filter. In line plugin filter
  • Trekking poles with duct tape
  • Bugle
  • First aid kit/Oh shit kit
    • Toilet Paper
    • Bandaids/moleskin
    • Petroleum jelly on cotton balls (fire starter and for cuts)
    • Wrap for sprain and strains
    • Tylenol and personal medication
    • 2 fire starting devices in a ziplock bag. Metal match and lighter.
    • Dry tinder and paper in ziplock bag
    • Aluminum blanket
    • Printed map of hunting area
  • Water bottles/bladder. 2L bladder and extra L water bottle 
  • InReach Mini
  • Portable charger and 3 chords for 3 devices
  • Food. Everything for a day in a ziplock bag except a dehydrated dinner. Bags are between 2300-2500 Cal 
  • Kill kit
    • Elk game bags
    • Flagging tape
    • 2 knives. One is a Havalon with 4 replaceable blades. The other is a fixed blade. 
    • Paracord
Summary

My backpack is secondhand from a buddy who was selling it. I upgraded the bag to the Vapor 5000 at an expo when they were on sale. I love the pack. It is very lightweight and modular and holds all my gear. Being a smaller guy having an adjustable pack is important for me to get the right fit, and this does. I have a really nice upland hunting pack that I take one of the shell pouches off. It attaches to the waist belt of my hunting pack for snacks, bugle tube and other gear. I like having snacks at the ready during a hike. It’s amazing how quickly a little piece of candy can give you a quick burst of energy for a push up a hill. 

Favorite piece of gear:

I hate needing to take my bladder out of my bag to refill it; so I got the quick connect in-line filter. The squeeze filter is really light weight, inexpensive, and fast.

The Gamin InReach mini is a game changer also. I would recommend some kind of satellite communication device if you have a family.  

Bino chest pack:
Summary

I love having my binos and rangefinder protected but quickly accessible. Not much to say here other than the chest pack was a thing I was hesitant to add but am happy I did. Elk calls and wind checkers are often in my pocket or in the pouch.

Favorite piece of gear:

Vortex rangefinder. It has angle adjustment and compensation which is a great feature to have. I cant imagine not having it with me for archery or rifle.   

Bow and carry:
  • Bow: Bowtech Carbon Knight
  • Arrows. I buy cheaper ones. Not the cheapest, maybe mid-grade. 
  • I shoot a Fletcher J-hook release
  • Broadheads (Muzzy and shuttle t-lock). Fixed blade. 
Summary:

I love my bow. It is not the fastest or latest cool bow but it is light and shoots well. Hunting is hiking. You will go hiking, you might shoot your bow. You might hike for days and days, miles and miles, without ever shooting your bow. Having a weapon that is light and easy to carry is important for me given that fact. 

I first shot Shuttle t-lock broadheads. They were absolutely trash. One or two shots at a target and they were dull. They flew inconsistently and my confidence was very low with them. I switched to Muzzy. They stay sharp and fly great. Can’t ask for more.  

Favorite piece of gear:

My bow. I can and will change my arrows and veins and points, both broadhead and field points. My bow is light and shoots great. I feel very confident with it and that is the most important thing with a weapon. 

Gun and carry:
  • Gun- .270 WSM 
  • Sling. 
  • Scope- Leopold 3×9 
  • Scope Lens Cover.
Summary:

I bought the gun and don’t love it. It is hard to find ammo and it is very expensive when I find it. I even got reloading supplies but even those are hard to come by sometimes. The bullet is fast and shoots very flat. But it’s loud and kicks pretty good. The scope is a used scope from a buddy and I like it but might upgrade. 

Favorite Piece of Gear:

None really. I might add a break to the muzzle and new scope or I might sell it and get something entirely different. I would absolutely recommend some kind of lense cover for rain or snow with any rifle. You can’t shoot at game you can’t see. 

Clothing:
Summary:

I think clothing is worth the investment. I prefer material over patterns and I prefer quality over brands. I’d rather have a nice wool sweater from Kuhl than a camo hunting brand that costs more. The right clothing can make a hunt much more enjoyable and knowing how to layer is a great skill. You can use high quality outdoor brands and despite common beliefs you don’t need matching camo – you don’t need camo at all.

Favorite Piece of Gear:

This is a hard one. My bamboo shirts are my favorite piece of clothing for fishing, hiking, hunting, snowboarding or going to a movie. But having lightweight down jackets and pants for glassing are necessary. Rain gear is a must if you want to be comfortable. If I had to pick one thing I would pick my socks. Good high quality socks are so necessary for western hunting. If you’re climbing 1500 feet and hiking 5 miles or more you need to take care of your feet. I love them. 

Equipment I want to upgrade:

  • Binos. I have 8×42 and want another pair that are bigger. I am thinking 12 or 15 power binos. 
  • Boots. I’ve ran Asolo boots for a few years and they do just fine. I’m looking at Crispi boots. We both sponsor the same conservation groups and if I can spend my money to support a group that supports my interests I like to do that. 
  • Scope. If I keep my rifle I’ll upgrade my scope. A 3×9 scope is fine but there are soooo many great options out there for slightly better distance shooting. 
  • Game Bags (lighter is better). What I have is fine but there are bags that weigh half as much. Ounces equal pounds, pounds equal pain. 
  • Arrow tools to build and work on arrows. I love fly fishing and the intricacies and nuances of it. I love how deep you can get into entomology and tying your own bugs. Archery is a lot like that. You can go so deep as to make your own bow and arrows if you want. I like that I can make and fit arrows to me and my bow and I would enjoy that.
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Karmik Blogs

The Genesis of Karmik Outdoors

Genesis

On the first day I found a fly rod and it was bad. On the second day I lost a net and it was bad. This series of events lead to the genesis of Karmik Outdoors. As a person who has been hunting and fishing my entire life I have lost and found outdoor gear on many occasions. Maybe you have too. I believe that anyone who spends a significant time in the outdoors has encountered the same experience that I/we have. Personally, I’ve lost countless items ranging from fly boxes full of flies to multiple fishing nets. I think I’ve lost two life jackets while towing my boat and having them blow out. I can’t even imagine the amount of coffee mugs and water bottles I’ve lost. Honestly, if I keep a coffee mug for a year that is a major accomplishment for me! You’re probably thinking I’m a very irresponsible person who loses and misplaces stuff all the time. Shoot, when I type it and read it aloud I think the same thing. But – the fact is – you can’t keep your items safe and secure all the time. Inevitably, you will lose something, have it accidentally taken by a buddy, blown away, be rushed for time, let your son borrow it who then loses it, have something stolen, house burned down, be overcome by weather and elements, or a myriad of other situations that are out of your control. Karmik can help with these situations. 


At every expo or trade show I attend I have two marker boards that I use to record lost items and found items. They quickly fill up with items. I wrote a blog (here) about the most common lost items in the great outdoors. Sometimes I am surprised by some of the items people write because they are not things you might expect to see on the board. Things like guns and bows and backpacks (both day packs and packs filled with hunting gear), decoys, scuba gear etc. I’m always surprised when I see rangefinders with three tic marks next to it. Then I look at the found board and there are two tick marks. I always wonder if one of the found rangefinders is one of the lost rangefinders. Could be, we’ll never know. 

As I was thinking about this business I had to address the question: Do people really lose that much stuff? I looked at Craigslist, Facebook, outdoor chat forums, and even local sporting goods stores for data to see if people lose outdoor gear enough to warrant starting a business. “Is there a big enough problem to solve,” I asked myself. It didn’t take long to discover the answer is a resounding, YES! Even here in Boise, Idaho where our only claim to fame is that one line from the Lynyrd Skynyrd song; there are people losing and finding stuff at an alarming rate. Because of all the scenarios I mentioned above, it is highly likely you will lose something like the other 86% of us outdoorsmen who have. The scenarios I mentioned above are real and can happen to anyone.  


Story Time

A good friend of mine is type A. He does not lose things often. He is military, clean cut, organized and responsible. He keeps his positions in front of him so to speak and takes good care of them. The family purchased a nice fishing raft and all the accessories that go with a fishing raft. Enter his teenage son. He borrowed the boat and took his friend fishing. Well, while loading up all the equipment at the end of the day he left the anchor at the boat takeout. I guarantee you someone found that anchor. They even most likely wanted to return it but how could they? If you have a raft or drift boat or motorboat I bet you have an anchor. Do you have any contact information on it? How much did that anchor cost? If you lose it, it will cost you twice. The original purchase price and the replacement price. That’s the value of our decals, twice the price of the object you put them on. At almost no fault of his own my buddy had to buy another anchor. He did not buy the same kind or type and certainly did not spend the same money the second time (brands keep that in mind).


If you look at your local Craigslist lost and found right now you will see lots of phones, and keys and bags and dogs and cats, even llamas that have gone missing. If you look you will also see skis and ski poles, fishing rods and tackle boxes, drones like crazy, coolers, golf clubs, disk golf disks, tennis rackets, and pretty much anything that deals with water. These might be someone’s most prized possessions. They might have been expensive, or they might have been cheap but that’s not the point. They might have been hand-me-downs from Grandad and have sentimental value. The point is, it pains people to lose items. It causes stress and angst and even anger. The second you lose something the butterflies start flapping their wings in your belly. It simply SUCKS. I know that people are good. I know that people want to do the right thing if given the opportunity. If given the opportunity. That’s the key. I wanted to create a product that helps people and grants people the opportunity to do good. Karmic is the verb to Karma. It is the action or deed that bestows a person with good or bad Karma. Karmik decals or ID tags allow people to do the right thing and get good karma. If you search “found” in your local lost and found page or forum, you will see there are more posts for found gear than lost gear. There are more people trying to return gear than recover gear. Make it easy for them. 


Story Time

Allow me to tell you another story I heard while attending an expo. A lady noticed my booth and the product. We started chatting about lost and found items. She began to get emotional, even shed a tear. She went on to tell me about a net that was lost by her dear friend. The owner of the net recently lost it. Although this was an ordinary net it held great sentimental value to her. It was her brothers. He died of cancer. They used to fish together a lot. Fishing was their connection. That net was the physical tangible memory to her brother and symbolic of their time spent in hobbies and interests together. He was gone but his memory lived through the net. I can only imagine that every time she netted a fish with it, she was reminded of her late brother. Whoever found the net, found a net, but she lost a memory. One of the two individuals valued that net a whole lot more. 


Karmik Outdoors is a lost and found outdoor gear company. But, we are more than that to some people and more than that to any finder of gear. We’re here to protect your gear and give people the opportunity to return it if found. Because I’ve been there, I wanted to help. I felt the pain and stress and anger and stupidity caused from losing gear. I don’t want you to experience the same. Plus, I don’t want you to look at your spouse and to explain how you lost an expensive item! Karmik is all about connections: connection to your gear – connections to each other – connection to brands – that’s who we are and what we do. 

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Karmik Blogs

Advanced Nymphing Technique + General Nymphing Tips

This is why I fish with 2 rods!

Nymphing is the most effective way to consistently catch fish, without a doubt. Trout are aquatic predators and as such eat aquatic food. Most bugs we talk about while fly fishing have an aquatic life cycle. The main food groups for trout are Caddis, Mayflies, Midges, Stonefly, Terrestrials and other fish. 80% or more of a fish’s diet is aquatic insects in the nymphal form. Only during a hatch, which is at the end of an insect’s life, do trout eat the adult versions of the bugs. Even then, trout prefer emergers, cripples or rising nymphs over a mature adult. 

Dry fly fishing is the fun part of fly fishing. In the rare situation when you find rising trout and can identify the bug they are eating, then tie one on, it’s amazing. Because this happens rarely, especially in the winter when most aquatic insects are not hatching, anglers typically have a nymph setup or at least a dry dropper set up. 

The problem for me is that the two styles of fishing are mutually exclusive of one another. My setup for either style is not compatible with the other. As you will see it is not the easiest to switch between setups which is why I almost always have two fishing rods with me. One is rigged for nymphs and the other is for dries or dry droppers.  

Dry Rig

Let me start with my dry or dry dropper rig because it is very simple, very standard. 9’ 5 weight fly rod. 5 weight reel. Double tapered 5 weight fly line. Most of the time it’s got a 9’ 5x leader with a 18 inch fluorocarbon tippet. That part changes if it’s hopper season or if I’m fishing tricos. It might be 3x fluorocarbon or it might be 6x monofilament depending on the bugs but typically its a 9′ leader with tippet. We will get into mono and fluoro later. 

Nymphing

Now to my nymphing setup. This is a bastardized nymph setup that I’ve taken parts of other setups I’ve seen and liked. This is function over form at its finest. I think I would like a 10’ rod in the future but for now my 9’ 5wt works just fine. 

Top Section

  1. I take an old tapered leader and cut it off from the loop about 12-15 inches. I then make another loop. I just double it over a few inches and tie an overhand knot. Now I have a 12-15” butt section of a leader with two loops. One loop attaches to my fly line and the other loop is for my tippet. This serves 3 purposes. 1) This is now a quick connection if I need to cut off my nymph set up and put on a tapered leader for dries, which I never do because I have a dry fly rod rigged. 2) It also serves to protect my fly line because I nymph with only a long strand of tippet. Using a thin diameter tippet will cut into your fly line and ruin it. To prevent damage I attach my tippet to my mono leader and not a fly line. 3) The butt section attachment provides enough surface area for an indicator. Again, our thin diameter tippet does not hold an indicator in place very well without slipping. The butt section allows you to put an indicator on without it falling down to you flies in a few casts.

  1. Now, I typically run a few feet of 4x fluorocarbon tippet or run a sighter line. I again do an overhand knot and make a loop so I can do a loop to loop connection. Here is a unique feature of my nymph setup… I only use tippet. A tapered leader is made to transfer the energy from your cast to a tiny weightless fly. It’s also designed to displace water so your leader and fly can float. WE DO NOT WANT OUR NYMPHS TO FLOAT. Stop using a tapered leader to nymph with, use a thin diameter tippet. By using 3x – 4x – 5x tippet, it allows the line to cut through the water better and allows your nymphs to sink faster. Thin diameter tippet is also less affected by currents. The current you see on the surface is not ubiquitous through the water column to the bottom. Having a thin diameter tippet can positively affect your flies presentation. Additionally, a thin fluorocarbon tippet versus a thick nylon or monofilament leader is harder for the fish to see. Fluorocarbon has great durability and abrasion resistance. Fluoro also is nearly invisible in water. Finally, I use fluorocarbon because it is more dense and sinks, kinda. Water has a density of 1.0 g/mL. Anything more than 1.0 g/mL should sink and anything less than 1.0 g/mL should float; unless the object is designed to displace water and float, think a navy aircraft carrier or a tapered leader. Monofilament  is 1.15 g/mL so it is slightly denser than water. Fluorocarbon is 1.78g/mL and is slightly denser than mono and water. For reference the density of lead is 11.29 g/mL. Fluorocarbon does sink but it’s not lead. Fluoro is not going to sink most of your big dry flies. In conclusion, using tippet and not a tapered leader is far better for nymphing. 
2 tone sighter line for tight line nymphing. Between my fly line and swivel.

Middle Section

  1. I attach a small barrel swivel to the tippet with an improved clinch knot. I always use an improved clinch knot. I tried the regular clinch for a while and I feel like it fails more, but that is not a proven scientific experiment, just my observations. The barrel swivel allows us to nymph properly and not twist up our fly line. If you nymph properly you are not overhand casting with 3 false casts. You are flipping your flies from downstream to upstream followed by a few mends then repeat a hundred times. After a long day of nymphing sometimes your fly line will twist up. The swivel prevents twisting. It also adds a little weight to keep your line straight and tight
  2. This section is challenging. Stay with me. From the barrel swivel I attach 2 to 3 feet of tippet and attach my first fly. I usually run 2 feet or so if I’m running three flies and 3 feet if I’m running 2 flies. From the indicator to my first fly, it is about 4-5 feet. I typically tie an improved clinch knot and then another section of tippet to the hook eye. So, two pieces of tippet on the hook eye. I feel like it catches more fish. This is completely anecdotal again. I think that if a fish wants to eat a nymph and it feels string touch on its nose it isn’t going to eat it. Sometimes, if I’m really gungho I will attach two pieces of tippet via blood knot and use the tag end to tie on the fly. That is probably the best option. I have seen, and have myself, put a little 6 inch dropper. I will do this after I change my fly and can’t tie in another fly off the blood knot tag end. I like doing this but it is sometimes a little messy when walking and having hooks dangling everywhere. Each fly is attached either by the hook eye, blood knot tag end, or the loop tippet dropper.
blood knot tag end to tie nymph on
Dropper knot tied in above blood knot
knot above the blood knot allows the fly to move freely
  1. Flies: My top fly is almost always an emerger. It is usually small, size 16 or less. I pretty much never use a jig hook with this setup. If I do, jig hooks are my “point of fly” (bottom fly) if that’s how I’m fishing that day or moment. Like I said, I will fish with 2 or three flies. Depends on the legality of your state but also water depth and time of year and if I’m prospecting or if I’m fishing a known hatch I change things up. For example, in March I like to put a Blue Wing Olive (BWO) or Baetis emerger as my top fly. There can be really good BWO hatches in my neck of the woods in March. Then I tie on a Zebra midge or egg pattern or hot spot nymph or San Juan as my second fly. I like something a little flashy and bright, usually to get their attention and then have them look up or down and see the other two flies that they might key in on. Finally, I like to have a big nymph. Usually a Green Pat’s Rubber legs in size 8 or 10 to match the skwala nymphs. That 3 fly setup changes seasonally but it’s usually an emerger, nymph, and stonefly. The bottom fly is usually a stonefly. It’s the fly that I catch the most fish with. I sometimes will only use two flies but the bottom is still  usually a stonefly. 10% of the time I use something other than a stonefly. It’s usually a big jig nymph or if it’s a shallow water spot it’s just two small tungsten nymphs.

Bottom Section

  1. Changes happen and need to happen to catch fish. If I’m fishing from land, not a boat, and it’s a deep run then I usually add a split shot to it. I do not put it on the tippet between flies. I add the split shot as a dropshot. The benefits to the dropshot are immense. I run another piece of tippet off my bottom fly. If you’re following this nymph setup I have 6 sections. Like I said, I fish with two rods because this is not an easy set up to switch back and forth between nymphs and dries. The dropshot is another unique feature. I change the length based on the depth, but it’s usually 12-18” long. I always run the tippet 1 size smaller than my setup. If all my top sections are 4x (6lb) then my dropshot section is 5x (5lb). If I snag my non-toxic, non-lead, split shot then I can yank it hard and that section breaks and not my other 5 top sections. I just tie on another drop shot section. The round weight is on the bottom of the river bed and my nymphs are all floating through the water column at various depths. The round weight will get caught or wedged  on rocks and all you have to do is walk up stream and pull. It will come out 95% of the time with one pull because the hook is not stuck on something. The drop shot also allows you to keep your line in a straight line as much as possible. As with all nymphing methods you feel or detect strikes much better and faster when your line is tight. Have you ever been nymphing and saw a flash or ha a trout jump; then your indicator moves, only to realize the trout was eating your nymph and took off? That happens more than you probably think.  
  2. Lastly, I put an overhand knot on the bottom section below the bottom nymph and below the shot. This does two things: 1) I can put it on my reel handle for storage while walking and 2) it stops the split shot from falling off. I can put the split shot on lightly allowing me to quickly add or subtract split shot based on water depth.

Please try this. Use this as a guide and edit how you see fit based on your experience or waters. Use all of it or none of it. I think some of the points are very valid and some might not matter much. 

Categories
Karmik Blogs

March Mania Fly Bracket

Background

I freaking love fly fishing. I love fly tying. I am a fan of basketball. I love the high energy and excitement of the unknown living up to, or, letting us down. Every year my optimism for the upcoming fishing season gets me all giddy. The idea of bugs dancing on the water and trout eagerly eating gets me all excited. All the while my wife is unamused and although she is excited to fish, she is more reserved with her emotions. The idea of a fly bracket hit me in the winter. I thought, “why not marry the two things I like about March”. We’re all tying or fishing or dreaming of fishing.

I wanted to do something to lift our spirits and possibly give a little moral boost to us anglers. Feel free to use this as a guide for flies to tie this winter/spring. Or as a good list of flies you need to stock up on for the year. These are by no means the best flies in the world (though the argument could be made for some). These are by no means the best flies for your local waters (though the argument could be made for some). It’s just for fun. Check back weekly to see if what you think are the best flies are what others think are the best flies. FILL OUT YOUR BRACKET HERE March Mania

I came up with a list of 64 flies. 95% of these came from the depths of my brain. A few I looked up, mostly the old classic patterns. I thought it would be fun to put a classic and modern together. Each fly has a little history of the fly (as best we could find) including who tied it, when, what it’s for etc. If we are wrong about something, please tell us at ([email protected]) ([email protected]). Feel free to reach out if you have a great story for a podcast or if you are the originator one of the flies in the competition. We want to accurately record the history of the fly. I randomized the order so there might be a tiny dry versus a huge streamer. There are classics versus new. There are traditional flies versus modern flies. I did not pair them, I let the computer do it and just went it.


The Tournament

This is a predictive 1v1 fly tournament, single elimination, most votes wins and moves onto the next round. Which of the two flies do you have more confidence in? Rounds are weekly in March and End Thursday nights at 11:59. Mark from the Fly Fishing 97 Podcast and I will be doing a recap of the matchups and preview of the new matchups of the winners. Listen weekly to hear what we got going on and what flies will move on. Check your brackets often!

The first question that popped into your head, like mine, was: How the hell are you going to compare a Comparadun and a Prince nymph? The short of it is, I’m not. It’s 100% subjective to the voter. The fly with the most votes moves on to the next round. So, it’s actually a democratic vote of confidence per fly match up. The essential question is: Which of the two flies do you have more confidence in? I am not picking winners nor am I saying that fly A is better than fly B, you are, along with 5000 other voters. The second question is: Which of the two flies does the fly fishing community have more confidence in? Votes will be tallied and whichever fly gets the most votes moves on to the next round until we crown a champion, “The Best Fly in the World” as voted on by random possibly highly unqualified people. 

Prizes awarded for perfect brackets! 


Guidelines

The scenario I paint for the matchup is simple… It’s a midsummer day (morning, afternoon, evening, night). You are on a western trout river. Your standing near the bank in ankle deep water while looking out at the river. You open your fly box. On the left side there is one fly, and on the right, there is the other fly. Which one are you more likely to grab and tie on first?

I know, I know, I know… But what about the temperature of the air? What about the temperature of the water? What about a hatch? Are there bugs in the water or in the air? What about the weather that day? Is it sunny or overcast? Is it pocket water or flats like the Henry’s Fork Ranch? I get it. I’ve been fly fishing for 25 years and I understand the variables and nuances. I simply can’t answer those questions because it would bias the results. The long and short of it is, it’s whatever you want it to be. Same with the flies. If I say a Pheasant Tail versus a Elk Hair Caddis, I’m really pairing up 100 possible combinations. Again, it’s whatever you want it to be. The Pheasant tail could have a beadhead or not. It could have a CDC collar or not. It could be size 10 or 20. It could be a jig head or non-weighted. It could be traditional or have a hotspot. If you open your fly box on the left and right side there are your favorite variations of those two flies: favorite color, size, style, shape whatever.


Future

This is meant to be fun. I am really interested in seeing the breakdown of votes for flies. I hope you are too. I have plans in the future to qualify voters before the voting begins. I think people who fish for a living (guides) should get more credit with their fly choices than myself who fishes often but not as much as a guide. Lastly, the guy who goes fishing with a guide or only gets out 8 days a year gets the least valued vote. Let me know what you think about that. I was thinking of implementing 3 choices – Fishes 50+ days a yearFishes between 50-10 days a yearfishes less than 10 days a year. Subsequently, there is a grade to the qualifying voter. “50+ day” people get a multiple of 2. “Fish 50-10” days get a single vote. “Fishes less than 10 days” get a .5 multiple on their vote. I think this will also help with achieving reliable data (best flies).  

Once you vote, don’t be afraid to post on social media and tell people what you got going into the next round. I think the bracket matchups will get more and more interesting round after round, week after week. Get your friends together and see who has a better selection. 

Big Thanks to Mark at The Fly Fishing 97 Podcast. Without his expertise in recording and producing podcasts this would not be possible. Also, the winner will get flies mentioned in this bracket tied by Mark himself. Checkout his other podcasts because he has some of the best fly fishermen in the world on there. Also, big thanks to the wives for allowing us to stay up late and talk about flies, fishing and for tying flies for you guys. Finally, if you tie these flies you know how long it takes to tie one. It only takes a second to lose your entire fly box. Protect your fly box, nets, fly rods and other valuable gear with Karmik Outdoors. Here is a little video about the value of our decals.

– Robert, Founder of Karmik outdoors, terrible fly tyer, only slightly better fishermen but still not great.

Categories
Karmik Blogs

5 ways to Protect your Gear

Lost and found is a major problem in our lives! We think it isn’t going to happen to us until it does. The cost to replace items and the time it takes to replace lost items is incredible. If you go to your local Craigslist page you will see hundreds and hundreds of items. What’s really amazing is the amount of FOUND posts. Think about that for a second… Someone found something cool, valuable, or expensive and could have kept it but they didn’t want to. They wanted to get it back to the owner. Look at the amount of effort they are putting forth to get these items home. The old adage “Finders Keepers” doesn’t really have the traction most people might think. PLEASE, make it easy for  finders to get your gear returned. We are Karmik Outdoors and we are the most trusted name in outdoor gear recovery. We make it easy for the finder to return gear so your items are returned fast. If you don’t use our simple – efficient – reward included service, please use these 5 tips to ensure your gear can get back to you.

 

Here are 5 ways to ensure your gear finds its way back to your loving arms:

 

1) Phone Number. This is the fastest and easiest way to get your stuff back. Check it often to make sure it’s still legible, hasn’t rubbed off and for goodness sakes, put your area code on there. Make sure the number is active. Know that sharpie fades over time and your contact info written on your stuff makes your gear more difficult to sell.

 

2) Offer a Reward. Even if someone wants to get your gear back to you they might forget. It also acts as motivation for a faster return. Offering a reward incentivizes someone who might want to keep your gear to get it back to you. 

3) Nail Polish. How many times have you been rafting/fishing/climbing/skiing and noticed someone has the exact same piece of gear as you? Clearly they have good style. Using nail polish to mark your gear is a great way to ensure you get your skis from the rack or your climbing gear. Someone who has mistakenly taken your gear still won’t know who it is though. At least they will know it is not theirs and if they take it to a lost and found counter you can identify it.

 

4) Address… Although it seems like a good idea, and it can be, you should not put your address on your gear. I have moved more times than I’ve changed my phone number, I bet you’re the same. Plus, do you really want someone to drop off your gear at your front porch? Put the address of a business or place you frequent very often.

 

5) Make it noticeable. If you have a cooler with 100 rad fishing stickers put your information where someone will see it. Maybe inside the lid. Same with your favorite coffee mug or fly box or snowboard. Put your info where someone is going to see it. Make it stand out.

 

6) Extra. Avoid putting your name on your gear. I was rafting with a guy and he wrote his name in sharpie on everything he owned. I said “what is someone going to do if they find your gear?” He replied “look me up.” Really dude!? I’m supposed to walk around town and ask, “are you John?” “Are you John?” “Hey, are you John?” It also makes your gear unsellable. Your name is of no use to someone trying to get your gear back.

 

Our lost and found decals help with all of the above. They are extremely durable and won’t ever rub off or fade. We offer a lifetime guarantee. We offer various shapes and styles but all of them are designed to be visible and stand out on your gear. Your personal information is not visible, rather it is stored in a secure database. If you move or change your phone number, login and update your information, instantly, all of your registered items are updated. Plus our decals help with resale value instead of hurting it with personalization. You can login to your account, deregister your gear, sell your gear, then the new owner can register for free. In fact, it’s now a selling feature rather than a hindrance. And finally, we offer a multi-point return incentive on your behalf. It’s a $250 reward program built into the service for you.

 

If you use our decals or not, please ensure the items you value the most are returnable. People want to do the right thing, give them the opportunity and make it easy for them. 

 

Categories
Karmik Blogs

The most common lost and found items in the great outdoors

People think if they lose something they cant get it back. All hope is lost, that’s it. It’s gone. That is just simply not the case. Go to any outdoor forum (mountainbuzz, Duck Hunting chat, Moab gear, Go4awalk.com, MountianProject.com etc) there are literally thousands of people posting trying to get gear returned.

Have some faith in humanity and know that most people who find something want to get it back to the owner. Wouldn’t you? Even a wallet full of cash can find its way home without a single missing dollar if you give people a chance. Don’t believe me, watch this youtube video. The key to getting your stuff back is providing people with the opportunity to return your stuff.

After doing a search of lost and found items we compiled a list of the most frequently lost items. Use this list as an idea of what you should protect with Karmik Outdoors decals.

Parameters of the search! I looked at Craigslist in a variety of outdoorsy cities In the Northwest including (Boise, Yakima, Spokane, Bozeman, Denver, Bend, Salt Lake, Reno). I avoided niche forums because those will bias the types of finds. I feel like Craigslist is an unbiased lost and found forum whereas mountianbuzz.com will be heavily biased in rafting and whitewater sports thus skewing the data. Also, No pets. Even though you could put Karmik Decals on a dog collar, and we do have them, I decided to not include pets. Please, please, please protect your pets. ON TO THE LIST!

The top three are overwhelmingly the highest frequency lost items. Also, Maybe overwhelmingly, the most expensive and inconvenient things to lose. And as outdoor folks we all have these. Karmik Outdoors is your lost and found outdoor gear solution, but we can also be your solution to other necessary items in your life.  If you lose your skis, oh well that sucks, but life goes on. If you lose the top 3 items you’re in for a world of hurt.

1. Phones Sure, you can track your phone. What if it’s dead? Wouldn’t it be easier and faster for the finder to just scan and contact you as soon as it’s found? We’re talking about seconds after finding your phone you can get an email from someone. Your phone or phone case is perfect real estate for one Karmik Decal.

2. Keys If you have a key FOB you should put a Karmik decal on there. Period. You can get your car, house, storage, bike lock, gun lock and any other keys back within minutes. If you lost your keys right now, could anyone get them back to you? How long would you look for them, how far would you retrace your steps? How long would it take you to make another set of keys? These modern car keys are expensive to replace! Karmik has an Anywhere Tag that fits on most key fobs or our Bag Tag works well on key chains.

  1. 3. Wallets  Forget the money, you can make more money, you will never get the time you waste back! If you lose your wallet you have to call all your banks, all your credit cards, and the Department of Motor Vehicles to cancel and get new ones. What a pain in the A$$. Save your time, stress, anxiety and maybe money and just put a Karmik decal on, or in, your wallet.

You need at least 3 Karmik Decals for these items.

And now- onto our beloved outdoor gear.

4. Backpacks (Motorcycle gear, Fishing, Hunting, Computer, Mountain biking, Camlebak, Hiking, Photography, Disk Golf). I know I’m cheating here and putting lots of  items into one category but hey, they get lost VERY often. Whatever your poison, you probably have a pack for it of some kind. And fortunately/unfortunately we fill these packs with all kinds of gear and gadgets. So if it gets lost, you just lost tons of stuff. Put one Karmik Bag Tag on your packs and protect everything in it.

Bag Tag5. Drones. These things fly! When the wind blows or a less than professional person is flying one, they tend to fall out of the sky in places where they can’t be found. Some have built in GPS, some don’t. You shouldn’t rely on a battery powered thing in the out-of-doors. That’s like rule #1. Put a non-battery powered, no bluetooth needed, weatherproof Karmik decal on your gear. Two is one, one is none as the military saying goes. If you have a drone, you need one Karmik decal.

6. Cameras. Of all the groups of hobbyists in the world the most passionate and expensive can be photography. It’s also a popular crossover hobby. I know tons of avid fly fishermen who also love photography. Same with skiing. Same with hunting. Same with climbing. Rarely do people only engage in one outdoor recreation activity and photography seems to be the activity that lots of various groups all engage in. You need one Karmik decal (skinny decals) on your camera and your lenses; also, see #4 above.

Anywhere Decal7. Sun glasses. These things pop up a lot on Craigslist lost and found. Some shades are spendy. When you get a set of name brand high quality sunglasses that have polarized lenses or interchangeable lenses or prescription lenses these can be really expensive. Our decals will absolutely fit in, or on, sunglass cases. Maybe also, our skinny Anywhere Tag  can fit on the glasses if they are at least 8mm wide.

8. Skis/Snowboards. Ya, did it again with two things in one category, so what. Chances are you ski or snowboard but probably not both unless you’re really cool. You might have a mixed family of ski and snowboarding folk. Either way skis and snowboards are “lost” a lot. I think a majority of the time there is a mistake in identity and your stuff gets taken by accident. If you check with your local ski hill they have a huge pile of lost and found items. Some are skis and snowboards that have been returned. Here is an additional benefit to Karmik decals… when you or your kids outgrow their gear and you sell it, your Karmik decals are now a selling feature. Our QR codes can be deregistered in your account and the new owner can register them! Your resale value is much higher with our decal vs your name and phone number carved or written all over. You should have one Karmik decal on per ski or board.

9. Gloves. In the same breath as skis and snowboards the frequency of lost gloves is really high. Probably higher than skis and snowboards. Under every ski lift across the land lay a lonely missing glove. Of all things on the planet these should be the one thing everyone wants to give back. What good is one glove to anyone? Our service can be used in so many different ways but our decals probably won’t work with gloves. We do however have options to incorporate our service into your favorite gloves. Do us a solid and tell your favorite ski or hunting glove manufacturer to work with us so we can protect gloves too!

10. Poles. I know. Now it’s getting annoying grouping so many things into the same category. Skiing poles, Trekking Poles, bi-pods, whatever kind of pole you’re using, we can help. These poles are not to be confused with #11 poles. You need one Karmik decal per pole, so usually 2.

11. Fishing Poles. Karmik was actually started because the founder was fly fishing and found a lost fly rod. He had the idea to start a company so people can return found fly rods and other outdoor paraphernalia. Both fresh and saltwater and conventional and fly fishing should have a Karmik decal. Karmik’s Anywhere Tag goes perfect on a fishing rod. Some fly rods cost over $1000. Could you imagine losing that? Give someone the opportunity to return it by making sure it’s identifiable. You need one Karmik decal per rod. If I was going to Belize/Alaska/Bahamas/Jackson Hole and my rods got lost somewhere…. my trip is “ruined”. With Karmik’s decals, communication happens immediately and you can have the finder send your gear to your destination.

Anywhere Decal12. Optics. Both spotting scopes and binoculars. I don’t know how people lose these, don’t ask me that. I have mine strapped to my chest ALWAYS. But if I did have a momentary lapse in judgement, maybe during a high stress – high excitement moment – like when an elk walks up on you at 20 yards and you arrow the beast. During your excitement you forget your binos were sitting next to you. Hey, it can happen, and clearly it does happen enough that people post about losing and finding optics regularly. I can’t imagine trying to tell my wife I lost a four figure piece of gear that I need to replace. You need one Karmik decal per optic you run.

13. Waterfowl decoys. More decoys are probably lost every year than ducks are harvested! Not really, but some days I feel like I see more lost decoys than I see ducks. We hunt rivers a lot. Sometimes the anchor isn’t long enough, or a big clump of weeds or a big chunk of ice floats down and takes your decoys with it. Another reason why you might need Karmik decals is if you hunt with a big group of hunters. If you’re setting up a big mallard spread in a corn field you might want to keep track of whos is whos. A Karmik decal is perfect for that. Our decals are too expensive to protect your entire flock. Maybe just put one Karmik decal on the bottom of your fully flocked full body mallard or goose decoys.

14. Fishing nets. Having lost and found more nets than I feel comfortable admitting, to say a net NEEDS a Karmik decal is an understatement. Almost guaranteed if you lost a net someone found it. It might have even been me. With no identification on it there is absolutely no chance it will return to you. Now you need to go buy another net. Now you’re out $360 and for only $9.98 you could have gotten yours back. Our decals would have saved you $170. But you don’t need one right, you don’t lose anything. FALSE. You need one Karmik decal per net.

15. Fishing lure boxes. As a fly tier myself I intimately know the value of hooks with feathers and string wrapped around them. I know the time investment behind a vice that is required to fill a fly box. I also know the passion of bass anglers who will paint their own crankbaits. Or those who take the time to attach upgraded hooks or attach trailer hooks. Literally, for the price of one fly or one lure you could protect the hundreds of dollars in lures or flies in the box. You need one Karmik decal per box. Now, if we could only make our decals small enough to attach to your flies and lures, hmmmm.

Anywhere Decal16. Watersports. For the sake of brevity I just threw all water items in the same category. This list could literally be 15 watersports items. Anything used near water will probably get lost. Lifejackets, SUP boards, kayak paddles, rafting oars, anchors, dry bags, boat bags and other paraphernalia that we need as water-loving-outdoor-folk. You could buy a 25 pack of Karmik decals for everything needed in a boat or raft.

17. Bikes. My first two vehicles cost less than some modern bikes. Honestly. The chances of you losing your road bike or mountain bike are admittedly very small. But not zero. Stuff happens and bikes fall out of trucks, or the carriers fail. I have seen a few bikes on Craigslist. Why not buy a decal for a few bucks to protect your thousands of dollars two wheeler.

Other items that are lost way too often:

Ear pods Power tools – Laptops – Luggage – Guns

Some items might not be reported as lost or found because of perceived value. Some water bottles like Yeti or Hydroflask are expensive, but the finder might not know that. Same with Disk Golf disks and Flies. The finder might not know what those cost. It is also impossible to represent the sentimental value of items.

If you own anything on this list. If you value your items, your money, your time, your mental health, and you want some semblance of sanity and assurance, you need a Karmik decal on your gear. Please protect the things that bring you joy.

Robert Gillingham, Founder and Owner of Karmik Outdoors. Also, frequent loser of things.