VESTED INTERESTS, DUCK SOUP, GREEN JEANS AND HOT PANTS
--by Bob Whitaker
For me, day one at the SHOT Show is always focused on what I’m going to wear during oncoming hunting seasons. I get as excited wandering the Clothing Apparel section as watching a 2008 lingerie preview at Victoria’s Secret (well, almost as excited).I’ve long been a fan of Barbour jackets and hunting pants that are comfortable, yet shed water like the back of a gallinule.
So what did I find at Beretta’swww.berettausa.com spacious booth, but Waxwear that gives buyers a nifty new option to rival the Brit’s classic.The military played a role in its development, using the treated fabric as a poncho and groundcloth. I tried to tear a sample patch under the watchful eye of Silvain Gantt. No dice. Basically, it is 80 percent cotton/20 percent wax-finished nylon. Kinda an upgrade of British oiled cotton, but lacking the oily feel and aroma.Beretta showcasers are so glowingly optimistic over Waxwear and its appeal to hunters that the material also is slated for use on other gear. Look out Brits; we’ve invaded your realm. Ambling along, I spot the huge Browningwww.browning.com booth with firearms galore and, most important to me, racks of clothing items imprinted with that gold deer logo.I’m a strong believer in woolen hunting clothing and now Browning has entered the field with a line of Highlands Wool garments. The product combines all the insulating and wet weather advantages of wool combined with the added warmth and itch-free comfort of fleece. A neat combo I’d say. Available in hooded jacket, vest, bib overall, pants and shirt. All decked out in AllTerrain camo. Finally, it’s not a dog’s life anymore at Browning. Knowing what a hunting-dog lover I am, Paul Thompson showed me a pair of nifty dog vests that will be available this year. One is a neoprene model that combines warmth and durability. The other a blaze orange upland vest that I was especially drawn to, considering some of the half-blind, near-sighted buddies I hunt with. Next stop was on a long aisle displaying most of the phenomenal patterns of camouflage clothing available for 2008 sportsmen. Ghillie Suitswww.ghilliesuits.com has incorporated about everything a ghillie guy/gal could wish for in their brand new jacket and pants. Here’s what their leafy package includes: the outer polyester liner is of camouflage No-See-Um fabric; elastic cuffs on both jacket and pants for added bug-proofing; double zipper on jacket; sewn-in webbing belt on pants elastic waistband and pre-treated fire retardant treatment in case the wearer falls asleep and drops a cigarette in his lap. Bill Jordan’s Realtree booth www.realtree.com features yet another new camo pattern that Jordan claims is “so real it’s unreal.” Called Realtree APG-HD, the name means All-Purpose-Green. The material is photo-realistic olive green that works, as Jordan boasts, “wherever there is even a hint of green.” I’ve got a problem, one of many say my hunting buddies. Ignoring their comments I’ve got high arches that prevent me and, I’m sure other kindred souls, from slipping into certain tight-fitting boots.I first became aware of it after moving to the Southwest and trying to dress cowboyish. No problem with my 3X Stetson, but no way could I pull a pair of cowboy boots on over my high arches.The problem is further exasperated when it came to hunting soggy terrain in knee-high rubber boots. Solving the problem are those ingenious bootmakers who invented side zippers. Rangerwww.rangerboots.com led the way back in 2003. The one I stumbled across at the Show was the Pro Linewww.prolineboots.comSide Zip Knee 18-inch rubber boot, with fleece lining and studded sole. Trying on the boot, I crossed my fingers and toes hoping they would solve my arch problem. They did! Skipping along, I met Chris Haffly beaming in front of the Gerbing’s Heated Clothingwww.gerbing.com booth. “Come in and let me warm you up,” came his invitation. Visions of World War II B-17 crews in heated outfits formed in my mind. Now, founder Gordon Gerbing has developed a whole hunter’s wardrobe of heated clothing. The built-in circuitry is powered by small batteries. The smallest for gloves and socks weighs only three ounces. “As opposed to the B-17 flying suit which operated on 24 volts, all of our hunting clothing is powered by 12 volt batteries,” he explained.Haffly explained that the company also is fulfilling military contracts, most notably a suit for pilots jumping out of planes at 30,000 feet. Quote this article on your site | Views: 166
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