Field Gear

Now that winter is here, you may be planning, preparing and perhaps even packing for a trip. The following four new products will help you and your guns travel smoothly and return safely.

Americase Compact Sporting Clays Gun Case

You’re flying commercial with one of your good guns for that quail hunt in Texas. You’re concerned about theft or damage in transit by some baggage handler whose union just agreed to wage concessions. You also worry that the TSA inspector is an anti-hunter looking for a reason to impound or reject your gun. The best insurance to prevent such incidents is to buy one of the best gun cases available. That would be an Americase. The company makes hundreds of extremely durable, ruggedly handsome products, including a pair of new Compact Sporting Clays cases. Designed for small-frame guns in .410, 28 and 20 gauge, the Model 3006 accommodates guns with two sets of barrels, and the Model 3004 holds guns with one set.

The new cases are in Americase’s Premium line, which includes the best materials available, such as full-length piano-type hinges and frames of anodized aluminum extrusion. Company engineers built the sturdy side panels of compressed wood impregnated with resin and then glued to Duron, a Formica-type veneer that provides superior strength-to-weight protection. The Model 3006, which weighs 14 pounds empty, has outside dimensions of 31/2" (l) x 1/2" (w) x 1/2" (h). It will accept two sets of barrels up to 31/2" long and 1/2" high and wide. Maximum stock length is 23/8" with a height of 1/2" and a thickness of 2". A compartment for your gun’s forend is 11" (l) x 2" (w) x 2" (h). Extra sections include two small areas for storage. The right-side space measures 3" (l) x 5" (w), and the left side is 8" x 3". Both are 2" deep.

I offer these specifications as a reminder to measure your gun’s components before ordering, because the rigid dividers cannot be moved. You also can send a tracing of your firearm and Americase’s customer service department will either find the correct gun case in inventory or quote the price for a custom order.

The Model 3004 has the same outside dimensions as the M-3006 except for the width. At 8" wide, it shaves 11/2" and checks in a pound lighter at 13 pounds. The interior-compartment dimensions are the same, with this case being minus the space for a second set of 32-1/2" barrels. For 16- or 12-gauge guns, buy the Model 3021 (for two sets of barrels) or Model 3017 (for one set). They weigh 16 pounds and 14 pounds and again will accept barrels up to 32-1/2". All models come with luxurious velvet interiors in navy blue, green, burgundy or black. TSA-approved left- and right-side snap locks take an industry-standard key that inspectors carry. After inspection you can choose to set the three-digit combination lock that is centered under the carrying handle.

The price of the M-3006 is $387, with the 3004 costing $360. A black, 1,000-denier Cordura wrap-around cover with Velcro closures allows easy access, offers protection from scratches and dents to the black-and-silver case, and aids in traveling incognito. The optional cover costs $99. For another $17 the company will rivet an engraved, personalized name tag containing up to four lines of information to the outside of the case.
Americase, Inc., 800-972-2737; www.Americase.com.

Envelop Soft Gun Case

Several new products I’ve reviewed in the past trace their origins to military uses, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now come Envelop Protective Covers, new soft gun cases for hunters and shooters that the parent company, Shield Technologies, designed to keep naval guns, army artillery and other armaments dry and rust-free. With so many good soft cases now on the market, what’s different about these? Doug Evans, director of consumer products for Shield Technologies, explained the benefits this way: “The covers are waterproof from the outside but also breathable; they allow moisture vapor to evaporate from underneath, so they reduce rust.”

Three patents protect Envelop’s four-layer design. The outer material is Cordura bonded with Sympatex. Next comes a quilted material called Vizorb with a layer of mesh impregnated with corrosion-inhibitor next to an absorbing “diaper” material. This material retains any moisture before passing it to the Cordura/Sympatex outer skin. There is also a quarter-inch of closed-cell honeycomb foam to permit air movement while providing a cushion from bumps or shocks. Evans said the four layers work together to reduce corrosion by as much as 90 percent over common covers.

Envelop cases come in 35" breakdown and 48" and 52" full-length models and are available in Classic or Deluxe styles. Colors are Labrador black, red sumac or forest loden.

The 35" Deluxe St. Lawrence Breakdown Case I ordered weighs 3 pounds and costs $269. A full-length zipper provides easy access. When opened, the center has a sensible, slip-in padded pocket for the barrel and forearm. There is also a zippered accessory pouch on the outside. The reinforcement trim and a sling-style handle are leather. The hardware is nickel on Labrador black and red sumac models, and it is brass on the forest loden model. The Classic (standard) St. Lawrence Case uses Cordura for the sling/handle and has a larger zippered pouch on the outside. It costs $219.

The 48" James and 52" Mississippi cases cost $159 in the Classic model and $209 in Deluxe. All three Envelop models are well-built, high-quality cases that will offer maximum protection for your favorite guns. My only nitpick is that there should be a leather hanging tab secured to the case.
Shield Technologies Corp., 877-289-3067; www.envelopcases.com.

Pro-Hunter Belt from Coyote Leather

Since 1996 Coyote Company Leather, in Grand Prairie, Texas, has hand-made specialty hunting accessories from high-quality leather. Owner Don Otey, who has trained dogs and hunted birds for more than 50 years, first designed a slick lanyard to keep his duck calls from tangling. Over time Otey added a shotgun sling, bird-hanging straps, chaps, shell belts and dog-handling products such as collars, leashes and slip leads. His newest product is the Coyote Pro-Hunter Belt. Like tool belts worn by workers in the construction trades, it’s designed to tote what you need for the job while distributing weight on your hips rather than on your shoulders and neck.

Besides his gun, what “tools” does a walking bird hunter need? Certainly shells, hopefully a game bag, and probably a whistle and an e-collar for his dog. The weight-conscious hunter then must consider a host of options: water bottle, snacks, compass, cleaning knife, camera, hearing protection, multi-purpose tool, choke tubes, cell phone and more.

The belt I tested came with five attachments and weighed three pounds empty. It’s not the lightest product of its type on the market, but it might be the best because of its superior design and best-grade materials. The oil-tanned English bridle leather is thick, heavy and luxurious. The belt itself is 2-1/4" wide. The optional shell pouch and gun caddy are also premium leather. Many other accessories, some of which are leather-trimmed, contain dark-green Otter Cloth—a 600-denier polyduck fabric similar to Cordura except that Otter Cloth boasts a rubber layer to render it bloodproof and waterproof.

Overall, this cool tool is ideal for warm-weather hunting when you don’t want to wear a jacket or vest stuffed with, well, stuff. It’s handy on the sporting clays course, and I found it comfortable and useful on an Indiana dove hunt when the temperature was 80°. In fact, I never took it off, even when I was perched on a shooting stool or retrieving downed birds.

The $85 basic belt accommodates more than 20 snap-on/snap-off accessories, allowing hunters, shooters and dog trainers to custom order for their needs. The test model costs $249 complete and came with a leather Shell Bag ($69 if purchased separately), which holds two boxes of 12-gauge shells. The Game Bag ($39.95), which has a mesh face for ventilation, rides high on the belt to prevent bouncing when full. The Utility Bag ($37) comes with two pockets—one that zippers shut and a smaller one with a Velcro closure. Acting as a holster for your gun butt, the leather Gun Caddy ($36) prevents tennis elbow from carrying your gun at port arms all day and promotes safe gun handling in a crowd because the barrels naturally point up. Holsters for one-quart water bottles are $12 each. Consider, too, the tough and durable Empties Shell Bag ($42), which I appreciated on that dove hunt.

Uses of the Coyote Pro-Hunter Belt are limited only by the imagination. For example, dog trainers will like the leather loop straps with O-ring attachments for clipping leads and leashes. A live-bird bag is available, and the game bag neatly doubles as a carrier for wet bumpers. Shooters who enjoy skeet, trap and/or sporting clays can order the belt, shooting towel, extra-large shell bag and empties pouch for $229. The Website lists all of the accessories, or call Otey for a quote. He’ll answer the phone himself.
Coyote Company Leather, 972-262-2050; www.coyotecoleather.com.

SPOT Satellite Messenger

Got SPOT? If so, you’ll never be lost for long. The handheld SPOT Satellite Messenger uses GPS satellites to do more than tell others where you are. A GPS chip within the device can be used to send your exact coordinates and any pre-written text message to SPOT’s commercial satellite system. The system then routes the information to supporting equipment and appropriate networks around the world. Because the system operates independently of cellular coverage, SPOT works where cell phones don’t.

For hunters traveling to remote areas of the globe, SPOT permits one-way communications in several ways. First, whenever you wish you can check in with family or friends—those people you have predetermined and programmed online—to let them know where you are and that you are OK. Simply push the “OK (check mark)” button, and your pre-written message of up to 100 characters will be delivered. Second, you can request help at your exact location from these same contacts by pushing the “Help” button, or from 9-1-1 emergency responders by pushing the “911” button.

The Messenger itself costs $169.99, and the annual subscription for the two basic satellite services is $99.99. A $49.99 annual premium upgrade to the basic service plan allows you to track and send your progress every 10 minutes or less often. This lets your contacts follow your trail using Google Maps in real time. It also permits review of the full trip later.

For several weeks last summer I tested a SPOT unit by setting up a dummy contact team and sending it messages. For maximum reliability the SPOT messenger delivers a message three separate times; however, to avoid redundancy the network forwards only the first message it gets and tosses the others. In addition to receiving the news that you are OK, your contacts get detailed information about your location. This information is in the form of latitude and longitude with an immediate link to Google Maps. In a manner of speaking, I found the maps and info to be “spot on”—accurate, interesting and informative with street names, live-traffic conditions and detailed directions. Contacts also can view your whereabouts through satellite imaging and terrain maps.

Although the company designed its network to send virtually every message, obstructions such as hills, buildings and trees can block the satellite signal. In my tests I found that messages sometimes took several hours to be delivered, but—as far as I know—that was a problem with Internet service providers and individual browsers rather than with the SPOT system. I did not test the 9-1-1 mode for obvious reasons.

With two lithium batteries installed, the SPOT Messenger weighs 8 oz. The batteries are supposed to last a full year with the power on but the unit unused. Continuous use of the SPOTcasting tracking mode will last for two weeks or up to one week in 9-1-1 mode. You can send and receive up to 1,900 messages in SPOTcheck/OK mode. The unit floats, is shock resistant and is waterproof for 30 minutes in depths to one meter. At the time of initial activation you can buy a GEOS search-and-rescue benefit for only $7.95 (it costs $150 after activation). This service provides up to $100,000 of added search-and-rescue resources, including helicopter extraction around the globe and reimbursement benefits.
SPOT, 866-651-7768; www.findmespot.com.