Contributing Editor
This summer I have not been able to play with many firearms as I have been at the Law Enforcement Training Center and trigger time is limited to that which you do with you duty weapon. I have had a chance to check out several other things that we shooters, hunters and outdoor people use. While they may not be as cool or as sexy as the latest custom pistol or new super magnum rifle, they are items we will use more often and chances are some of us will use them daily.It seems many of us in the outdoor industry get caught up in the big ticket items and overlook those mundane things like knives, boots, packs; etc. I know I sure like fondling the latest in things that go bang, but it seems that I am always in need of new footwear because boots and casual shoes just get used up on the range, in the woods or just for daily wear. So I decided to take a look at some options that would serve us outdoor types pretty much year round unless you live in the extreme climates of say Alaska.
Since it is summer I thought boots that were comfortable and lightweight would be good. One of the mail order catalogs I have dealt with for years showed up and they had the perfect boot: Bates Recon 4 (9341 Courtland Drive NE, Dept. GWK, Rockford, MI 49351; phone: 800-253-2184; online: batesfootwear.com). The boot was available in black and foliage green. These are great boots for duty and casual, I thought.
The Recon 4 is as the name implies four inches high, making it an ankle height boot. This is great for wearing to work on hot summer days and for wearing out on a casual date, and they are excellent boots for the range. They are supportive, offer great traction (I wore them down south at the academy and trekking around the lakes in the Little Rock area). While they are not waterproof, they are made with leather and mesh uppers and they kept the feet cool when the thermometer was well over 90 degrees out.
I can tell you that with a suggested retail of $109.95 the Recon 4 is an awesome purchase. They are cut on an athletic shoe last. I found they are approximately a half size larger than normal. For me this was great as I like to put an extra insole in boots for extra comfort, so this was just perfect. These boots are good for 10 and 12-hour wear. Your lower back will thank you for the support and comfort the Recon 4s offer.
Another shoe I have been test driving while in Arkansas is the Adidas Terrex Low GTX (5055 N Greeley Ave., Dept. GWK, Portland, OR 97217; phone: 800-448-1796; online: adidas.com or shopadidas.com). What’s a running shoe company got to do with the outdoors you may wonder? Well, if you shoot any action pistol or sporting clays events you’ll know you are on your feet all day, up and down hills, and you soon discover supportive all-round “running” shoes are good shoes.
The Terrex Low GTX is far more than just a running shoe. It has a Gore-Tex® liner to keep your feet dry when the grass is wet from morning dew or flat out soaked from rain. For added comfort, the shoe is lined with Adidas’ revolutionary new ClimaProof® . This layer also keeps the feet dry and cool. To cushion the blows the midsole is made of Adiprene®, which is a shock absorbent midsole material. Of particular interest to shooters is the aggressive Mountain Grip outsole and Push Through Protection Plate; both protect the feet from rocks and roots and give the wearer traction and stability in the nastiest terrain.
I found the Terrex to be a decent shoe for daily PT at the academy, but it wasn’t the greatest shoe I have worn on asphalt and concrete. It was comfy and looked good for casual wear with shorts, but it was kind of a let down compared to other Adidas shoes I have worn over the years. Then it dawned on me like the proverbial light bulb going on: hey, dummy, this shoe is built for trails; try it there. So I did and damn this shoe is awesome. It had been raining when I went out walking around Lake Maumelle and trekking up and down the hills which surround the lake which made for slick, red Arkansan mud. The Mountain Grip soles did just that and kept me from slipping and sliding down the hills; which would not have been a pretty sight. What was even more impressive was that the red mud did not stick to or dye the sharp bronze-colored uppers of the Terrex.So impressed was I from my trekking around the lake, I figured I’d give them a whirl at an IDPA pistol match being held at Central Arkansas Shooters Association (CASA). The match was the 1st Annual Armed Forces Shoot Off and it was held on Flag Day. The weather threatened the match the night before with biblical-proportion storms to the point that I wondered if CASA’s ranges would be under water and unfit to shoot. I figured what the hay and went off to shoot wearing the Terrexes. This would be a good test to see if they were shooter friendly shoes.
Fortunately the monsoons had ended sometime well before dawn and the ranges were in pretty good shape. However, there was plenty of mud and muck to be found. The Terrexes again proved up for the task and kept me from sliding on the hills and through the slick spots on a couple of stages. Again the poor shoes had that cast of red ooze; and once again they cleaned up with warm water and a soft brush. These shoes get two thumbs up and will continue to see range and trail time. Check out Adidas’ website and order yourself a pair. They will make you look good on and off the range.
When it comes to hard use footwear, Timberland has been a name to trust for many years. The tan Timberland waterproof boot has been a mainstay for hunters for as many years I as can recall. Today, Timberland is introducing the Mountain Force Series of boots designed for and with the input of our soldiers in the field.
The tech sheet for the Mountain Force Boot sounds more like the details of a shark bite suit and not those of a boot. The sheet talks about the boots being ASTM F puncture resistant and having an “Endoskeleton™ Internal Suspension and Precise Fit™, etc. etc. After reading all this techy and overly protective sounding stuff I had to know more—like are these shoes built for mortal man or just a super soldier?
Well turns out the Mountain Force Boot is built for our super soldiers—Marines and airmen—but the same features that the troops need to survive the harsh conditions of Afghanistan and Iraq make for one helluva a hunting and hard use outdoors boot. This boot is waterproof and fire resistant, has an anti-microbial lining, adjustable fit insoles, and an aggressive Vibram® “mountain tuned outsole” with cantilever lugs. If that’s not enough, the sole is Crampon compatible for use with snow shoes for those who use them in the winter.
Since it has been a bit warm, I haven’t given the Mountain Forces much of a real test drive. Something about having sweaty feet from boots when out hiking the hills. I have worn them for short walks up and down the valleys of Pennsylvania back home and they feel good. The run-off across from the house is a mix of shale rock waste, various dirts, weeds, trees, vines and such. When it’s wet this mix can be muddy, greasy underfoot, or just plain nasty to get traction in. I know for I have ridden my butt down the hillside in archery season. The Mountain Force didn’t seem to mind; the outsole is aggressive and very self cleaning, which gives you traction in less than ideal conditions.
The six-inch height of the boot will make it ideal for hunting and hiking. This height helps reduce weight without sacrificing lower leg and ankle support. This height also allows for easy use of gaiters to break heavy snow and very wet conditions in the woods.
My overall impression of the Mountain Force is it should be an excellent boot. When I take to the woods, my initial impressions tell me I will be wearing this boot come archery season in Western Pennsylvania. You can find the Mountain Force in Brigade Quartermaster (PO BOX 100001, Dept GWK, Kennesaw, GA 30156; phone: 770-428-1234; online: brigadequartermaster.com).
One thing it seems that always catches the eyes of shooters and hunters is back packs. No matter how many we have, another one is always good; and to think I despised my ALICE pack when I was in the Army and USAF Reserve. When I look in my “storage” space, I have more hydration packs than I can count and in all the latest fashionable GI patterns/colors. And when I think about it I use them all over the year—be it for hunting, shooting, travel, or general storage.This year Gerber Legendary Blades (PO Box 23088, Dept GWK, Portland, OR 97281; phone: 503-639-6161; online: gerbergear.com) seriously jumped into the hydration pack market. Gerber’s offering is the GRASP—Assault Modular Pack System. This is another of those products built to meet the needs of the user in the harshest environments: soldiers and cops.
Hydration bladders take a beating because they are soft and pliable to make them conform to the user. This means you have to add a semi-rigid frame which adds weight and can still be readily punctured with a pen or any other semi-sharp object. So Gerber developed a more rigid and tougher liquid bladder—the Gerber 150 ounce GRASP external fill bladder. I watched the company rep hit the bladder with a standard Bic pen several times and all it did was leave a blue line on it. During testing Gerber ran over a bladder with a pickup truck and it survived to carry liquids another day.
The pack for this Assault Modular Pack System (AMPS) is made from 1000D nylon Cordura® and will survive the harshest environments. The pack has ports to run communication wires, MOLLE webbing, ergonomic back pads, lumbar support, and padded adjustable shoulder straps. Overall this pack has a lot going for it; plus features not found on other packs on the market; mainly that it is fully modular and items can be used as one complete system or as individual units; whatever you need that day.
Overall I found the AMPS pack and bladder to be a very user friendly and tough piece of equipment. This pack system allows you to carry the most liquid, has pockets to store all that little and big stuff and keep it all within arms reach. This pack could serve as your duty gear bag or a roll-out bag, or an escape for the weekend bag; whatever you choose. Gerber has paid attention to what the troops want and are asking for; the AMPS is a good pack and can be used in many ways. Give this system a look see; it will serve you hunting and outdoor needs.
The last things I have used while I have been down in central Arkansas are a couple of nifty knives from Benchmade. What use would I have for a knife at a school? Let’s see; how about opening those pesky super sealed packages that nearly everything electronic or semi-valuable from your favorite retailer. Seems we have to package things so you can only look and never test it, feel it, etc.; Benchmade’s knives made short work of these clear polymer nightmares. I also put them to use slicing fruits and veggies for snacks and lunch or, more importantly, making sure my super sub was sliced all the way and not just partially, resulting in my wearing half the toppings and condiments.
Anyhow, Benchmade (300 Beavercreek Rd., Dept GWK, Oregon City, OR 97045; phone: 800-800-7427; online: benchmade.com) has come out with a couple of really cool knives this year. For 2008 Benchmade introduced the Nitrous Stryker (913D2) in an assisted-opening model. I have found that assisted-open knives are pretty slick and since they are not “switch” blades are generally legal in most all jurisdictions. Not that many of us would run up to a cop and check to see if our knife were legal.
The Stryker series has been around for quite a few years so it is a tried and true knife. Adding the assisted opening feature makes it all the more useful. The spear point is an all around useful blade design. It is good use as a bow opener, for cutting fruits and sandwiches to field dressing your favorite big/small game in hunting season. The G10 textured handles give the Stryker a catchy visual appeal. This knife is perfectly sized with a closed length of just over 4˘ inches. It carries well in a hip pocket. The titanium liner locks reduce the knife’s weight and the D2 tool steel blade gives the blade a sharp edge that is easy to sharpen and will hold the edge.
The other knife I was impressed with because it looks good (and we have to have toys that look good) is the Rift 950. This Warren Osborne-designed knife defines good looks and functionality.
The Rift uses Benchmade’s patented Axis lock. This lock rolls into a groove in the blade and locks the blade at three points (both sides of the frame and the blade) instead of just one; this makes for a very strong blade meant for the hardest use. Another great feature of an Axis knife is it is ambidextrous and truly is one hand operable.
This knife uses a reverse tanto style blade with a large knife belly. These two features make this blade tough enough to throw if you so desire. Me? I stick to having it close at hand to cut things. Besides the G10 scales could get damaged if you miss your target and that would just be wrong; the Rift is one fine looking knife. So why damage it through abuse.
The Rift has traveled and been used for all my mundane chores; sorry I haven’t been in any great knife fights and really don’t plan to be. Knife fights mean blood, generally both parties, and I am partial to not spilling mine. If you are looking for a good gift for yourself or someone who is graduating from any of those fun summer camps such as Paris Island or Ft. Benning Boy’s School this summer this would be a fine knife to give to one of America’s finest.
Well, gang, its time to get back to work; only one more week here in class as this is written. By the time you read this I’ll be back home and back to work. Be careful out there this summer and enjoy it.