Field Gear

If you saw me this past February at the SHOT Show, in Las Vegas, you might have seen a bit of a blur. With so many new products being unveiled, I was hard-pressed to see all of them during three fast-paced days. My goal, as always, was to uncover the brightest and best new offerings that would interest SSM readers. Here are some of the top prospects that the magazine’s other editors and I turned up.

GWR Handler’s Bag from Mud River

In May/June I reviewed the portable kennel cover by Mud River Dog Products. After seeing this new company’s full line at its first-ever SHOT Show, I came away wondering if stock options are available. The stuff is that good.
Space constraints don’t allow me to review everything, so I’ll stick to the new GWR Handler’s Bag. If you train or hunt behind several dogs, you can appreciate the need to sort, store and tote plenty of gear. Professional trainer Patricia Higgs, owner of Grand-Willin Retrievers (hence “GWR”), helped design the ideal equipment bag.
Made from 1,200-denier industrial-grade nylon, the chocolate-colored bag with light-brown trim is 16" (l) x 11" (w) x 14" (h). The non-slip rubber bottom is super-strong, and the bag’s interior is lined with orange nylon to assist in finding small items that find their way to the bottom. The top of the GWR Handler’s Bag contains a hinged wire rim that keeps it open and accessible.
Mud River overbuilds its products in the right way. For example, there are 8 pockets on this bag. Outside pockets on both left- and right-side zip-down panels reveal more storage compartments. An outside mesh pocket on the back is perfect for securing a wet training bumper; an inside pocket has a security zipper. The padded shoulder strap converts to a 2"-wide belt. Hook gear to it or use it as a backup if the belt on your waders breaks. Now that’s ingenuity. Price: $44.
Mud River Dog Products, 479-927-2447; www.mudriverdogproducts.com.

Wader Widgeon Parka from Columbia Sportswear

Columbia Sportswear returned to its waterfowling roots with the new Wader Widgeon Parka. “The piece was inspired by our heritage in the waterfowl business,” said Joe Boyle, head of the company’s hunting and fishing department. “We had been market leaders for many years in hunting, and we felt we needed to reestablish our base.” To do that, Boyle explained, technicians and designers gathered years of product knowledge—from the Titanium line of outerwear to the subsidiary Mountain Hardware—and applied it to make the most advanced waterfowl garment possible.
The result is the top-shelf Wader Widgeon Parka. Made with Columbia’s proprietary waterproof/breathable fabric, the coat is fully seam-sealed and comes with a removable ball-cap-style hood that permits a “panoramic” view (no obstructions when you turn your head). I’ve long approved of the way Columbia coats fit, a testament to the company’s radial-sleeve concept. But there’s more to like about this new parka: It has adjustable cuffs, underarm pit zips for ventilation, a “diamond plate” gun patch for minimizing gun slippage, and cargo pockets that self-drain and come with shell holders.
There are hand-warmer pockets and two quick-loader shell tubes, which hold three 31/2" 12-gauge shells each, in the breast area. The parka is compatible with Columbia’s interchange system and comes with a goose-down liner. Camo pattern is Columbia’s Timberwolf or Delta Hunter Marsh. Regular sizes are Small through 5XL; tall sizes are Large through 4X. Price: $550.
Columbia Sportswear, 800-547-8066; www.columbia.com

Filson’s Women’s Line

Clothing manufacturers offer solid evidence that more and more women are joining the hunting fraternity. This year, for example, Filson launched a wom-en’s line that includes a Shooting Jacket, North-ern Quilted Vest, Foot-hills Parka, Tin Cloth Chaps, Travel Vest, Alaskan Guide Shirt, Shelter Cloth Logger Jacket and Wool Cruiser Jacket. In particular, the new Shooting Jacket has a luxurious hand, thanks to its construction of 100-percent cotton moleskin. Available in sizes XS through XL, it is a handsome coat in solid camel color, but it also is highly functional, with a right-side shooting patch and extra fabric in the back panels—something designers call an “action back”—which helps minimize binding when swinging through with the shot.
Features include a full-front zipper, hand-warmer pockets and generous cargo pockets that expand and contain a second interior pocket. The cargo pockets, collar and cuffs have snap closures. Aptly named, the Shooting Jacket is designed for range clays and not bird hunting. Although it could double as a hunting coat for open-field conditions (the moleskin fabric would collect burs in thick cover), women might also want to don a lightweight orange vest with a game bag. Away from the range, it would look downright smart in a social setting. Price: $245.
Filson, 800-624-0201; www.filson.com.

L.L. Bean Upland Field Vest

L.L. Bean outerwear experts continue to produce inventive and improved clothing at good values. The new version of the Upland Field Vest is a good example of a truly functional garment well worth the money. The cotton-canvas, three-button vest is khaki-colored with more high-visibility orange in the breast area and backside than the original. The new vest is a tad lighter and comes pre-washed for a more comfortable fit. Other improvements include cargo pockets that are a bit roomier and a left- and right-side-entry game bag that is 20 percent larger, has a zipper closure and comes with a bloodproof nylon liner.
You can carry a box of loose shells in the pockets or, if you like to travel light, secure a handful of shells in the ammo loops within the cargo pockets. Besides delivering quality and value, Bean’s has a reputation for practical touches that often go unnoticed until needed. The new vest has a zippered inside security pocket that nicely fits a wallet. A locker loop on the back will accommodate a hunting license or let you hang the vest on a peg. Instead of attaching the buttons with thread, designers chose button tape, which is nearly impossible to tear away. And the really good news? Sizes are Small through XXL and the price is only $39.50.
L.L. Bean; 800-221-4221; www.llbean .com.

Tuscan Hills Coat from Fleming & Clark

Waxed-cotton coats are not going out of style; in fact, they are growing in popularity. Some excellent offerings are coming from Fleming & Clark, Ltd., a new Tennessee-based importer and exclusive USA distributor of fieldwear and classic accessories from Hand Made Marem-mano, in Italy. The nearly 100 products F&C unveiled in Las Vegas included hats, boots, trousers, jackets, belts, luggage and other traditional, high-end offerings made from leather, wool and other natural materials. From this impressive lineup, the new Tuscan Hills Coat really caught my eye.
This rugged, heavy coat is made from 10-oz waxed British cotton, which renders it waterproof. The brown four-button garment is lined with wool tweed and sports moleskin trim on the collar and inside the cuffs. The honey-brown trim is a handsome touch and, with the wool liner, offers the feel of a fine sport coat. I also like the handwarmer pockets and the flap protectors on the side cargo pockets. On the left breast an outside pocket secures with a brass snap; on the inside designers cleverly added a second pocket that fastens with a button. Cuffs open and close with brass snaps. Another neat touch (too often missing from waxed-cotton coats) is a nylon-lined rear game bag. Accessible from the left and right side, it, too, secures with brass snaps.
Except for the British cotton, all materials originate from Italy, where the Tuscan Hills Coat is made by hand. It’s available in sizes M through XXL and is not only field functional but also doubles as a good-looking travel garment. As such, the game bag is handy for toting maps, documents and the daily newspaper to read on the subway. Price: $499.
Fleming & Clark, Ltd., 800-373-6710; www.flemingandclark.com.

Danner Sharptail II GTX boot

I love it when a company introduces a product and then improves on it. Such is the case with Danner’s Sharptail upland boot line, which I first reviewed in July/ August 2006. Available this July is Danner’s Sharptail II Series—a four-boot lineup for traditional bird-hunting situations where walking all day is the norm. Averaging only around 3 pounds per pair, the Sharptail II relies on a lightweight performance platform called TFX Lite (Terra Force X Lite) and an athletic-inspired outsole. In simple English, the new boot offers good fit and function and solid performance as the miles pile up.
According to a company spokesman, “We wanted the boot to feel like a tennis shoe without sacrificing features we know are important to bird hunters.” Those features include full-grain leather uppers, Gore-Tex liners and a low-lug outsole to handle all but mountainous or similarly rugged terrain. I like the 8" model ($169.95). Chocolate in color, it’s a no-frills boot with six eyelets to aid in getting that cinched-tight fit (the upper three fasteners are studs for speed lacing) and a foam collar for added comfort. Other models are the 6" Chukka ($149.95), the buckle-design Covey (179.95), and the 17" Covey Snake boot with Cordura upper in Mossy Oak Break-Up ($199.95). Men’s sizes in all choices are 7D through 14D and 8EE through 13EE (with half-sizes to 12).
Danner, 800-323-BOOT (2668); www .danner.com.

Double Gun Sleeve from Texas Hunt Co.

If you carry good guns on hunts abroad, you know the fears: What if the bird boy drops my guns? How do I prevent dings and scratches even when the guns are cased? And you probably have asked yourself, For God’s sake, why can’t someone make a soft gun case that is smash-proof? Well, now someone has. It’s called the Double Gun Sleeve, and the manufacturer is Texas Hunt Co., which has made top-shelf military accessories since 2000 and expanded to hunting gear in the fall of 2005.
The American-made Double Gun Sleeve, fashioned from 1,000-denier Cordura, will safely carry two of your favorite side-by-sides or over/unders into the field. There are no buckles, snaps or zippers to scratch your guns, which are separated by 3/8" of dense, hydrophobic closed-cell foam—the same kind used in military backpacks. Simply slip the guns into the open end of the sleeve, close the protective flap and stop worrying. Jeff Wemmer, company founder and president, has come up with what he calls an exclusive “shark bite” flap closer that he touts as “fail-safe.” In other words it will never come open without you wanting it to. Made from high-tensile thermoplastic, the closure system has locking teeth that are far superior to Velcro.
“I own some really nice guns for the sporting clays range and for shooting doves in Bolivia,” Wemmer said, “and I wanted to produce a zero-maintenance gun case of the highest possible quality.” To get a tough-yet-safe, mar-free lining that is also slick and soft, Wemmer chose a 430-denier filament nylon, known in military jargon as “pack cloth.” The muzzle end of the case contains hard-plastic cones that are 4" long to protect barrel ends and choke tubes. The final inch is short-stitched and packed with foam in the event the case is dropped barrels first. The case, which comes with an adjustable, full-length shoulder strap, will accept guns with barrels to 32". The strap has a quick-release feature that permits attaching it to roll bars and ATVs. I’m waiting for the company to unveil a one-gun case; Wemmer says it won’t be long. Colors include coyote brown, American walnut, Bushlan Classic Green and the camo patterns Mossy Oak Break-Up and Advantage Max-1, each with contrasting trim. Price: $129.95.
Texas Hunt Co., 888-TXHUNTCO (894-8682); www.texashuntco.com.

Stormy Kromer Hunter Orange Cap

In the late 19th Century George “Stormy” Kromer was a semi-pro baseball player who eventually became a railroad engineer. The story goes that he lost so many caps and hats to icy winds whipping through his locomotive that in 1903 he asked his wife, Ida, to sew earflaps to one of his old baseball caps.
What sounds like an Elmer Fudd cartoon or one of those Finnish “Ole and Lena” jokes is actually a business success tale. Other railroaders began asking for Stormy Kromer caps. Loggers, ice fishermen and hunters followed, and the one-of-a-kind cap became a household word. Today Stormy Kromer caps—and a selection of coats, jackets, vests and shirts—are made in the UP town of Ironwood, Michigan, on the Wisconsin border.
The original woolen cap with six panels sewn together is still available, with its flexible brim and tie-down earflaps for complete warmth in frigid conditions. But the line has expanded to include four models and 12 colors. The Rancher Cap, introduced in black last year, is also available in hunter orange this fall. Bird hunters after pheasants in those frozen Iowa cornfields or chasing chukar among mountain passes in winter should give this heavy-duty headwarmer serious consideration.
Remember the old adage about how up to 70 percent of body heat is lost through a person’s head? That won’t happen with a Stormy Kromer cap. The Rancher Cap’s outer is 22-oz pre-shrunk wool, and the six-panel crown contains 200 grams of Thinsulate. Also, the fleece-lined earflaps, which flip and slide down (but don’t tie under the chin), are 2" longer than the original’s. Sizes are 6-7/8 through 7-7/8. Price: $39.95.
Stormy Kromer Mercantile, 888-455-2253; www.stormykromer.com.

Gerber Bone Crusher Game Shears

A serious job like dressing waterfowl and upland birds demands a serious tool—and frankly, most of the pruners, clippers and game shears I’ve used through the years to cut pheasant legs and sever duck and goose wing joints haven’t measured up. Now Gerber has stepped way in front of the competition by introducing the Bone Crusher.
Resembling a pruning shears, the 8"-long tool is hefty, at 91/2 oz. Hold one and you’ll immediately appreciate that most of the weight is in the head, where it belongs. The hook-style cutting blades bypass each other to grab the bone and pull it toward the axle for the greatest leverage. The blades are thick, at .115" (about 1/8") of precision-ground stainless steel.
According to company engineer Ed Wallace, the design prevents bones to 3/4" in diameter from slipping while you cut through them like a knife passes through butter. The handle relies on barrel-style spring steel to open and close easily. Simply release the locking lever with your thumb and you’re ready for work. The handle is secure even when wet, thanks to a non-slip rubber coating, and its ergonomic shape should permit long use without tiring. If the blades ever need adjusting, a Phillips screwdriver will do the trick.
The Bone Crusher, which is dishwasher-safe, is a bargain at $27 and comes with a Cordura sheath with a Velcro fastener and belt loop. Color is stainless steel and black with a gray handle. (I’d prefer a hunter-orange handle to prevent loss).
Gerber Legendary Blades, 800-950-6161; www.gerbergear.com.

Wenger Swiss Army Knife 1893 Model

In Las Vegas Leatherman, Rocky Boots, L.L. Bean and Wenger Swiss Army Knives were among companies rolling out limited-edition specialty products. If you’re into collecting and want to own something very cool, consider the Swiss Army Knife 1893 Model. To commemorate the famed knife’s debut in 1893, the company is offering a numbered edition of 1,893 knives, only 500 of which will be available in the US, starting in September. Price: $500.
The two-blade knife with hand-finished walnut handle comes in a commemorative box with green felt lining. Besides the knife, the box contains a copy of the original blueprint (printed in both German and French) and a certificate of authenticity. Some dealers already have purchased the knives. To ask about reserving a knife of a particular number or for more information, contact the company directly.
Wenger N.A., 800-431-2996; www .wengerna.com.