Day 3: Shapiro About Halfway.
 Buck Knives is certainly no stranger to the cutting biz. The newest addition to their Bravo line, the Bravo Rescue, adds a seatbelt cutter and glass breaker to the handle’s butt end, maintaining the same prying/wedging and puncturing capabilities as its Bravo predecessor. Hunters will want to consider either of the new BuckLite Maxes (fixed-blade models, which are designed as compact, lightweight yet durable products in two sizes, with an option for a gut hook on the spine near the tip). And there’s the Gamut, a folder that looks and feels like a fixed-blade model, with thermoplastic base and rubber overmold and lanyard, and includes a nylon sheath with drain holes. Collectors should also be interested in their new Boone & Crockett Series.
Sho’ ‘nuff; we all like our little gizmos, and Essential Gear had a couple that I can no longer live without. One, the Spotlight, sounds big and impressive, although it’s actually small and impressive, measuring at a diminutive two inches long and about 7/8 inch in diameter. Small and portable, but the thing that got me was its rechargeability: simply insert the butt end into your vehicle’s 12V power outlet and let ‘er rip. Comes in a variety of pleasing colors, and has some great add-ons like a Fit Clip Adaptor (in case your auto’s outlet is a bit deep), key chain, neck lanyard, A/C wall charger, and the Fender Friend (insert the light into this item, which is on a flexible neck and magnetic base).
Not small enough? Try the Pico Lite, at 1 5/16 inch length and half-inch diameter, with included carabiner-type clip. Whoa.
Lunchtime. Thanks to one of the PR firms, I am able to combine sustenance with new product info, and the displaying company that caused me to perform a double-take was Triple Eight Professional, with three very elegant items. All three are small and compact and feature a unique rotational closing mechanism. The S.O.L. Knife is simply an aggressive double-edged knife; the CopTool has a cutting edge, prying/scraping corner, and seatbelt cutter; and the WrightKnife’s more conventional blade design works for “most of your cutting chores.” Affordable elegance with a bit of a twist.
Y’know, there were a couple other interesting products there at that lunch as well, but it was set up such that it was virtually impossible to get through the mass of media people mobbing the displays, trying their hardest to get some free gimmes. Ah, well.
 Well, finally some more firearms to look at, and Thompson/Center delivered. The big news was the Triumph Bone Collector, from the TV show of the same name. It handles magnum charges, includes FlexTech stock with four Energy Burners (allows stock compression during recoil), and has the new Speed Breech XT breech plug, removable by hand for fast cleaning or unloading… plus plenty of other attractive features.
 Just ‘round the corner, Lyman Products had plenty of nifty stuff, including their Mustang Breakaway 209 Magnum, which company reps tell me has done very well since its recent introduction…. and with great features like hammerless design and ambidextrous safety operation, fiber optic sights, handling of up to 150 grains powder, “magnetized” primer retention system, and removable stainless breech plug, why shouldn’t it?
 Name branding is something that has been going on for years, and Thompson/Center has partnered with Outdoor Edge Cutlery to provide some great products sporting the T/C logo; these include the Butcher Master, an 8-piece set with roll pack and belt scabbard; and a variety of stand-alone knife products (Drop-Point Hunter, Gut Hook Hunter, Single Blade Folder, Double Blade Folder, Double Blade Knife-Saw Combo, and Folding Saw).
 Here’s one that will shed light on a whole lot; it’s the new X21R high performance flashlight from Coast. The company calls it “the brightest hand-held LED light ever produced,” and it produces 1400 lumens of focusable light, using an innovative design with seven bulbs in the head. It has a rechargeable battery but can also run on four D batteries.
The big firearms companies certainly have their names on tons of stuff besides guns, and the new F.A.S.T. knives from Remington illustrate this nicely; they’ve added Mossy Oak blaze orange handles to both the fixed and folding blade versions, each available in uncolored or black stainless steel. Plus new Heritage models (2-Blade Razor and Congress versions) and a bunch of Insignia Edition models.
And more knives… and lights… from names like Leatherman, Gerber, and United. Leatherman showed me their new Monarch series flashlights (four models ranging from 5 to 100 lumens), Damascus Wave multi-tool, and new Red, White, and Blue Micra multi-tool. Those who wish to go beyond the usual fixed and folding blade utility knives can feast their eyes on the new handsome United Black katana and samurai swords from United. And leave us not forget Benchmade. Only (and I use that word with a smile and a wink) a dozen or more new ones for the coming year, but people there were especially proud of the Barrage and Mini-Barrage (“strongest assist locking mechanism on the market” they say, and sporting ambidextrous function, safety for open and closed positions, and reversible carry clip). Day 3: Fletcher The advent of “tactical” has hit the apparel industry hard, with manufacturers turning out head-to-toe quality products that meet the demand from consumers to not only shoot tactical but to look tactical, as well. Venerable Woolrich broke into the tactical market a couple of years ago and continue to delve ever deeper into that opportunity.
Still, hunting has not become a mere whisper in the rag trade at all. Plenty of everything for every body part is available, but mostly in camo. One of these may have just become the most innovative product we personally spotted at a show largely devoted to new guns, new ammo and new shooting gear: the electric vest about to be marketed by Ardica, a company probably better known in the ski and mountain climbing industries than in the shooting industry.
Ardica’s theme is Heat, Power, Charge, meaning that its line of apparel is not just heated by a unique 10-watt lithium-ion battery power source, but while you’re in the field will charge your cell phone, your iPod, iPhone, Blackberry, razor, GPS device, light, SAT phone, or “Margarita blender…well, maybe not the blender.” Wearable technology at its best.
Integrated into the vest, for example, is a flexible, lightweight battery pack that runs on high power for three and a half hours and for eight hours on high heat, alone. A USB port is integrated into the vest for charging your electronic devices (iPhones can be charged up to 11 times, iPods for 20 times, for example). The battery pack sits in a pocket on the user’s back and is barely noticeable. Heating elements are woven into the vest’s fabric, never to be seen.
Like most knife manufacturers, each brand has its fans, many of whom are collectors more than users. Not to say knife guys don’t use every knife they own; they just want to own more of them. Buck Knives have held sway in the cutlery market for literal generations and, each year, Buck designers come up with new wrinkles on old cutting chores. We found such a wrinkle at the Buck booth where company spokesman Tom Ables corralled us for a glimpse at the Buck Gamut (probably named because it will run the gamut of chores to be done with a blade). One of those chores I mentioned is beyond field dressing big game. Actually, it’s field dressing hay bales and I remarked to Tom that the Gamut should serve that purpose admirably. With its combination straight edge and serrated blade, it doesn’t take much imagination to envision the results.
Day 3: Sapp Where is Leupold? I forget, it is Leupold & Stevens.
Their Golden Ring binoculars with “Switch/Power Technology” always blow me away. By moving a selector on the focusing ring, I switch from 7x to 12x. Water- and fog-proof with a purging of argon/krypton gas; tripod-ready without a special attachment; and guaranteed for life. And there are new models in the line…the open bridge Mojaves and more affordable Acadias. Still, that switch/power thingy is uber-cool.
At Brunton, Ryan Cade – “our binocular guy” – has a store background and is category manager for optics. Retailers need to look at our monocular line, he says: “We cover all the price points.” He points to the $192 Eterna 6x32s which are fully multi-coated, water- and fog-proof, and then to $28 waterproof 8x22s.
Mike Venaski, customer service manager at Meopta, has only worked with the Hauppauge, Long Island company for four months. “It was named after an Indian tribe – the town, not the company,” he laughs. Nitrogen-filled Meopta Meostar binoculars are found with 32mm, 42mm, 50mm and even 56mm objective lenses. Water- and fog-proof, of course.
 The Burris booth, it is busy. Len Zemaitis says nothing is new in the binocular line. “We have the high end Euro Diamonds and the value-oriented Landmarks,” he replied to my “Hey, what’s new?” and all have superb features for their price. It is amazing what we pack into optics now.
 Tracy Cruz... Kowa... Genesis 33... Prominar Technology... C3 prism coating... Ergonomic housing... What does that mean? According to Cruz, it means a lightweight instrument with accurate color presentation and bright images from edge to edge. The Genesis 33 will be released in March with 8x and 10x sizes.
Twice I go to the Konus booth; each time they are busy. Like many booths, business is brisk. Konus has camera/binoculars, and titanium and compact models, but I fiddle with the Titanium 8x42 (waterproof, fog-proof, multi-coated, nitrogen filled, rubber armored) and hope someone will notice me – “You want those? No problem, they’re yours!” – but they don’t.
Day 3: Murdoc Saturday morning arrives, and I’ve got the choice of the beach or the show. You know what I chose.
One of the coolest gadgets at SHOT this year has got to be Samson’s Field Survivor multi-tool. This amazing accessory mounts inside an AR’s pistol grip and features an incredible 14 (count ‘em!) tools for AR maintenance in the field. Among them are: a broken shell extractor, wire bore brush with cable, carbon scraper, front sight adjuster, feed lip adjuster, gas key cleaner, feed lip gauge, and more. They’re available today and the rep said he’d already sold over a hundred of them at the show. MSRP is $119. This little device, always at your fingertips in the weapon grip, could save a life in a tight spot. It doesn’t get any cooler than that.
I find the new AR caliber of the day at the Alexander Arms booth. Already with a reputation for building black rifles in 6.5mm Grendel and .50 Beowulf, the new offering this year from Alexander is the Valkyrie .17 HMR AR Upper Receiver. It mounts onto standard AR lower receivers, and after changing out a couple of parts you’ve got yourself a high-velocity shooter that will make your friends with .22 ARs green with envy. The stainless steel 18” barrel means prairie dogs everywhere had better keep their heads down.
Another Smith & Wesson gun catches my eye as I pass by their booth again, and I see that they’re offering an M&P 15 MOE carbine. MOE, as you may recall from my day 2 coverage, stands for Magpul Original Equipment. This 5.56mm semi-auto gun comes with a 16” barrel, standard front sight post, and a bunch of Magpul accessories, including the rear sight, forward hand guard, adjustable shoulder stock, and pistol grip from the MOE line. Available with black or Flat Dark Earth accessories, this looks like a winner.
 The Countdown Magazine by Command Arms Accessories features an innovative and easy to see method of keeping a shooter aware of how many rounds remain in the mag. A color-coded indicator in the rear of the magazine shows green for 20 rounds or more, yellow for 10-19, and red if you’re under ten shots left. The exact number is shown in the window, but the color allows you tell with a quick glance where you stand. Another window in the floor plate of the mag shows color (but not number) so a quick look at your mag pouch tells which mags are full and which have been switched out. Like most great ideas, this one seems so simple once you see it in use.
A second new AR caliber of the day appears unexpectedly in the DPMS trailer. Right there hanging on the wall is the .30 Remington AR Barrel Assembly. This upper, chambered for the new .30 Remington AR round, features a free-float tube forearm, a fluted 20” stainless steel barrel, and a flat top receiver rail for optics. I took a few shots with Remington’s (built by DPMS) new R-15 chambered in .30 Rem AR at Media Day, and found it a pleasure to shoot. The guns at the range were prototypes and stamped 5.56mm, and I’ve got to admit that if I hadn’t known I was shooting the new round I might not have noticed right away that it wasn’t .223. The numbers say the .30 Rem AR should be able to take deer out to 350 yards or so. The DPMS upper will be black rather than the R-15’s camo, and should be available in the third quarter of the year.
Day 3: Kendy
 Back to the apparel section I realized that when someone mentions the name Filson, I automatically conjure up images of wool clothing, North woods, Gold Rush prospectors and hunters. It goes without saying that their product line has expanded beyond the original mackinaw coat and for 2009 they are offering a new upland wing shooting jacket.
According to marketing whiz Amy Terai, the Filson 2009 Wing shooting jacket and pant combination is just the ticket for upland hunting, especially if you get caught out in the rain. “The jacket and pants are constructed of a three layer 100% nylon twill that is totally waterproof, breathable and wind and abrasion resistant which is ideal for extreme downpour situations,” says Terai. “It’s not only a waterproof combination is also very lightweight and easy to pack.” Additional jacket features include two-way “pit zips” for ventilation, adjustable cuffs, hand-warmer pockets, interior shoulder pockets on both sides for recoil pads two cargo pockets with “one hand” snap tabs, an inside storm flap with fold over chin guard and adjustable zip-off or tuck under oversize hood. The pants feature the same construction with removable suspenders, 1 ½ inch double belt loops, side bellow pockets and 12 inch leg zippers. It’s Not Just About Jeans Anymore…That’s the slogan for Wrangler Rugged Wear.“For 2009 we’ve added the Ripstop fabric to our ProGear line of clothing,” says Joanna Bragdon of Wrangler. “The fabric is manufactured with small reinforced squares and, if it’s punctured, those reinforced squares prevent the fabric from tearing. We’ve incorporated it in our shooter shirts and our water repellent upland pants.”
 Wrangler also introduced a ProGear Camo Fleece Jacket for 2009. The jacket features an abrasion resistant nylon shell exterior combining black and Realtree AP camo. It features a Therma Block heavyweight fleece interior.
“Hunters can wear it in the field but it’s also a great fashion piece that a person can wear when they’re out and about around town,” adds Bragdon. For $35 bucks, that’s a steal.
“The newest thing that we have going at Browning and the cutting edge of our technology is our ‘Transition Series’ which is all about layers and doing more with less,” says Mark Francis, Apparel & Accessories Department Manager.
“We have a three layer system. Layer one is the next to the skin layer to wick away moisture. Layer two is the insulation layer and the third is the protective layer that keeps the elements from coming through.” Browning has icons imprinted on each layer option so customers know what to purchase and retailers know what to sell. The Transition Series is really our top end hunting clothing product system,” continued Francis. “In our protection layer we offer GoreTex, Winstopper and other soft shell products. In our insulation layer we feature 700 fill-power goose down and 4x micro-fleece.”
 Rivers West goes East. “Being a Western-based company, this is the first time we surveyed Midwestern and Eastern whitetail deer bow hunters to find out what they wanted in a hunting jacket,” says Matt Ryan, Executive Vice President.
According to Ryan the SE Whitetail is completely waterproof, windproof and virtually unbreakable. It doesn’t become brittle in low temperatures, stretches with the hunters movements and has antil-microbial silver ions imbedded in the membrane to kill the germs that cause scent. The Whitetail SE jacket comes with a snap off hood, high collar, no split waterproof zipper, magnetized cargo pocket, longer shirt-tail hem and is available in Mossy Oak Treestand® or Realtree AP®. It’s also comes with a 10 year waterproof guarantee.
Day 3: Hausman On the show’s third day, I visited the booth of SBR, a smaller ammunition producer in Brunswick, Georgia. SBR produces its GreenMatch line of total lead/heavy metal-free cartridges using heavy metal-free primers and SinterFire lead-free frangible bullets. SinterFire bullets use an exclusive blend of copper/tin composite materials containing no traces of lead and have no jacket, plating or surface treatment yet yield performance characteristics comparable to conventional projectiles. Performance features include: controlled frangibility; reduced hazard, no ricochet; inherent accuracy; increased velocity; reduced chamber pressures and decreased bore wear. Unlike traditional lead bullets, particularly full metal jacketed ball loads which tend to ricochet or fragment into large pieces, SinterFire frangible, lead-free bullets literally crumble to dust upon impact. SBR’s GreenMatch line is available in .357 SIG, 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and .223 Rem. SBR also produces a Reduced hazard line utilizing SinterFire frangible, lead-free bullets, loaded with standard primers. Calibers in this offering include .357 SIG, .38 Spl., 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, .223 Rem. and .458 SOCOM. Day 3: Hollis The third day of the show is the one where sore feet and lack of energy manifest themselves at the first step. Nevertheless, I pushed on looking for the newest in eyewear and hearing protection. Any optical lens can get smudged and covered with fine dust and grime. I discovered the solution to this problem in the International Supplies booth. A new lens clearer called “Purosol,” uses organic plant extracts as a cleaning agent and is free of alcohol, ammonia and detergents. Once an optical surface is cleaned an anti-static barrier is left behind to repeal dust. I used an application on my glasses and it really works. My feet and knees were starting to feel the strain of walking the hard floor, but that’s just the price one pays when attending such a massive show. A stop at the Peltor booth offered a brief respite from the journey. The new Peltor Tactical Sport hearing protector provide the user with normal sound reproduction and an abrupt sound cut-off when subjected to unpleasant and disruptive noise. The electronics inside of the ear muffs responds so quickly that the user never hears them activate. And the Tactical Sport protector actually amplifies your hearing more than without it. Does it get any better? My last stop of the day was at the Pyramex Safety booth. This firm offers protective glasses, in every lens color and frame configuration imaginable, for work or sport applications. Among their varied product line, I really like the ONIX series with ratcheting temple pieces and an adjustable nose piece. Since I have a hard time finding glasses that fit comfortably, trying on a pair of ONIX glasses was heaven sent. Day 3: KaplanAfter a night of watching that distinctively Floridian sport of Jai Alai (No, I did not gamble on any of the players as it took me all night to figure out the whole thing), I was ready to hit the floor again in search of unique items to write about. While I am limited in my focus, I must comment on a couple of exhibitors that caught my attention. Boy, did they catch my attention UnderArmour, widely recognized for its line of men’s workout wear among other things, and the brawny athletes it hires to peddle the skin-tight clothing didn’t disappoint me. Yes, the models sporting camo undergarments and outerwear were as sinewy as ever, but they were of the plastic variety and with no distinctive faces. Darn! From manly men to girly girls, I followed the carpet to Wilderness Dreams, the shooting sports industry equivalent of Victoria’s Secret. I think the Minnesota-based company’s motto says it all: Find out what happens when you get your girl some camo! Sexy, eye catching undergarments, I must admit, but if I came home wearing any of these outfits my husband would think I lost my mind in the swampland of Florida.As if to corroborate my point, a man passing by commented aloud that his wife “wouldn’t wear any of this stuff.” Then, pointing to a nearby mannequin with a men’s t-shirt on it, he added, “She’d wear this.”By the way, if any of you are interested, Naked North Camo Pink lingerie is the latest addition to the Wilderness Dreams line this year.Speaking of naked, it was 37 degrees last night when we left Jai Alai in nearby Fern Park. Is it supposed to be this cold in Florida? Oh, I forgot: Global warming. Anyway, the folks at the South Milwaukee-based Stallion Leather booth thought 37 degrees was a real blessing, since their hometown was in minus territory when they left, according to Customer Relations Specialist, Karl WallichI liked the Snap-on Holster S117 that Wallich showed me, which easily slides through a belt as well as the S123 holster, which can be utilized for a mini gun either inside the pant or inside the jacket. The leather is fashioned inside-out, so that the smooth part of the leather is to the gun.Sister company Helios, in the adjoining booth, had on display the Vulcan Aerosol Chemical Holder, a tension controlled, universal holder that accepts most canisters of OC and mounts on most belts. It also sports an 8-poisiton swivel system, allowing the wearer to position at angles, or upside down, which is ideal when jogging. |
