Darn Tough Socks Gear Review

By Darr Colburn

Last fall I came across a product that was a game changer for me and the people I share hunting camps with.  I have tried other wool socks in the past and have not liked the fit and feel of them.  Until last fall I was wearing another well know brand of socks.  These socks were fine but my feet tend to sweat a lot and at the end of the day my feet and boots smelled awful!  I tried all kinds of foot sprays and powders but nothing worked very well.  I was forced to keep my boots and dirty socks outside of the tent or trailer I was staying in.  Last fall I purchased my first pair of Darn Tough Socks.  I wore them on a few hikes and day hunts and really liked the fit and feel of them.  I also immediately noticed that my feet, boots and socks no longer smelled awful at the end of the day.  I even took this a step farther and wore the same pair of socks for three days straight on a coues deer hunt to see if they would start to smell.  After three straight days in the same pair of socks I had Jay smell them to prove how good the socks are and that there was no odor (This is what good hunting partners are for!) .  I was amazed that there was no odor to the socks, my feet or my boots after three straight days in the same pair of socks!  I was totally sold and spent over a hundred bucks loading up on socks.  You get what you pay for with Darn Tough Socks!  These socks are made is the USA and carry a Life Time Replacement Guarantee.  If the socks wear out just send them back and they will send you a new pair.  The Darn Tough Socks feature a padded heel and toe and are made of a merino wool blend.  The socks don't bunch or slip like other brands I have worn.  These are the only socks in my bag now days!  Here is a description of the socks from the Darn Tough web site.
 Darn Tough Scent-Lok^® socks are knit with odor inhibiting, fine gauge, shrink treated, Merino Wool. Our hunting socks help socks conceal human scent while delivering itch free and breathable all-weather comfort in the most extreme conditions. More stitches per inch ensure a foot hugging fit. Less bulk. More comfort. Our Zero Friction Heel eliminates blisters. Cushioning along the bottom of the foot provides comfort and support. No slipping, No bunching. Darn Tough construction and Scent-Lok^® technology create the ultimate hunting sock. See for yourself. Still made in Vermont. Guaranteed for life.

Cushioned heel and toes on the Darn Tough Socks

KUIU Ultra 6000 Pack

By Darr Colburn

 

I got my new KUIU Ultra 6000 pack in the mail the other day and ripped open the box like a kid at Christmas.  I put the pack on and was immediately impressed.  I can honestly say this is the first pack I have ever put on that I felt fit me perfectly.  The frame seems to be a little narrower and the shoulder straps and hip belt both fit and rode where they should.  The second thing that blew me away was the weight of the pack.  The Ultra 6000 weighs a mere 3 lbs 9 ounces.  I like the new clips they put on the straps.  I had the Ultra 6000 out the other day while scouting for sheep and it worked great.  I can tell you that this pack will be my go to pack for this season.  The size and weight of the Ultra 6000 make it feel like a small day pack.  KUIU hit a home run in my opinion with the new Ultra series of packs.  I ordered the bow holder, rifle holder and the hydration bag holder along with my pack.  This pack is priced right at $350. 

 

Small light frame along with padded shoulder and hip straps.

 

New KUIU Mountain Star Tent

Darr Colburn

Check out yet another great product from the guys at KUIU.  These guys keep adding to the line.  I am totally sold on this company, the people behind it and the products they put out.  You will not find better stuff in my opinion.  I can't wait to get one of these tents.  I think it will be perfect for a back country AZ coues deer hunt!

Gear Review: Havalon Knives

Gear Review: Havalon Knives keep getting better
Posted by Janis Putelis     
I was beyond pleased with the characteristics and capabilities of the Havalon Piranta and the Havalon Torch.  Lightweight, always sharp, with a great fit for efficient work.  Now the Havalon Bolt is out and with its bigger handle and bright hard to lose colors is an improvement on an already exceptional product.  It also accepts the new 60A blade which is 20% thicker (thus tougher) than the 60XT.  Most complaints I've heard about Havalons involved blades snapping.  I've snapped a few myself but it was always from too much wrenching on my part.  I've yet to snap a 60A blade.  Both of the elk I killed this year were gutted, skinned, and quartered using ONE blade a piece.  Usually I'm a stickler about replacing the blade halfway through to keep my pace and stay safe, but using the Bolt with 60A blades, I was hanging full game bags before I stopped to think that I hadn't changed a blade.
I would go so far as to say that the Havalon knives are the best new product added to my hunting gear in the last decade.  I just shake my head when I watch other hunters struggle with a standard fixed blade and then swap it out for their back up knife, whose blade is often duller than the first.  If you don't use a Havalon yet, you are truly missing out.

I put a fresh blade on for de-boning the quarters. 

 This makes for...

very quick work!

KUIU Super Down Jacket

Janis has already weighed in on the Super Down Gear from KUIU but I thought I would throw in my two cents as well.  I have been wearing the KUIU Super Down Jacket since just before the January 2013 Coues deer hunts in Sonora, Mexico.  This jacket has amazed me over the last 12 months.  It has an incredible warmth to weight ratio and is one of my most reliable pieces of gear.  I have worn this jacket on turkey, coues, sheep, elk and mule deer hunts and even gone fly fishing with me on some of the colder mornings.  This incredible little jacket only weighs 10 ounces!  It goes in my backpack virtually every time I go into the hills.  It is not made to be worn as an outer layer but I do it all of the time.  I usually wear it while glassing once I have cooled down from the hike up to my point.

 This handy little jacket has a hood which I use a lot and has a left chest pocket that is great for a camera, gps or radio.  The chest pocket actually turns into a stuff sack and it turns into the size of a softball.  I have gotten a ton of use out of this jacket in many applications over the last year.

This jacket has 2.5 ounces of 850+ Toray Quix Down.  The Toray Stunner®Stretch fabric is treated at the individual fiber level with Toray’s Industry Leading Kudos DWR treatment.  I love this jacket so much I will be quickly be adding the Super Down Vest and Super Down Zip T to my KUIU arsenal for those extremely cold quad rides while hunting deer in this winter.  I also have to make a disclaimer:  Being a desert rat I have often been known to wear an extra layer when the temps get below 60!  I can't recommend the Super Down Jacket from KUIU enough.

Gear Review: KUIU's Super Down Jacket and Pants

This really can't be called a gear review as much as a "Gear Praise."  After stuffing the hooded Super Down jacket in and out of packs since April and just about living in the  Super Down pants while spending time in camp this fall I can't think of a single bad thing to say about this set up.  It's certainly not the most durable outer fabric out there (I patched my pants twice in the butt) but it's not supposed to be.  It's supposed to be light, water resistant, and most importantly, warm.  Even if I have to baby these two pieces a bit, it is well worth the never ending cozy feeling I get when, as darkness settles in and the first shiver crosses my mind, I'm slipping in to my Super Down.  It's akin to putting on a warm hoody just plucked from a hot dryer.

   I first wore the jacket on a POW island black bear hunt.  It performed as expected under my shell; a great insulating mid layer.  But I decided to see what this waterproof down was all about.  So on a drizzly 30 minute run out to some fishing grounds, I left the Super Down jacket uncovered.  Almost amazing: the DWR kept the water droplets rolling off the entire run, but eventually from messing around in the boat and rubbing against wet stuff, the fabric on my forearms soaked through and the jacket looked a bit sad.  So no, you can't wear it alone in a driving rain storm and stay dry.  But what happened next shows how this gear and the ingredients in it really shine.  I put my rain shell back on, rode out the storm and when the sun poked out, took off my rain shell to discover that my forearms were darn near dry and puffy again.  The Quix down and the outer fabric had nearly dried just from the heat inside my own rain shell.  With the sun now beaming, it was just ten minutes and my DOWN jacket was completely dry and puffy again.  I was sold.

The jacket being so light and so small when compressed, it should never be left behind on any outing.  It sure came in handy on my turkey hunt in Nebraska this past spring as we chased gobblers through 6 inches of fresh snow.  As a last minute thought I stuffed my Super Down jacket into the cargo pocket of my Guide pants.  At sun up, the temperature was 6 deg.  Not ideal for hunting toms, but hunting none the less.  Adding the Super Down between two layers of wool and my Guide jacket kept me in the game, and I followed a trail of three-toed tracks right to a nice two year old gobbler.   

The real testing of the whole Super Down jacket/pant combo came when I traveled to interior British Columbia for work with the MeatEater crew.  Over a span of 14 days, wet conditions were guaranteed.  We spent a total of 9 days in the alpine, two on the river and the rest at the main camp.  Of 9 alpine days, two were complete tent days due to weather, two others should have been, but the will to hunt forced us out into the crap.  We did enjoy a couple magnificent blue bird days and the rest were tweeners. 

Overall, it was wet and my Super Down kit was dry.  Enough said.  Daily, both my jacket and pants were donned first thing, right out of the sleeping bag.  Taken off for the mornings ascent, back on again for any glassing session over an hour (usually on some windy, rocky ledge).  Off for more hiking and back on for the evening ritual of Jetboil stoves and Mountain House.  Oh, and they make a great pillow stuffed inside one of KUIU's wool base layers.  The ease with which the pants are put on and removed (without removing your boots) is one of their greatest features, making for quick transitions from stationary hunting/glassing to mobile hunting/hiking.

Once cloaked in the hood of the Super Down jacket, one can glass comfortably in all kinds of wind and cold.

Couple the Super Down jacket and pants with KUIU's Chugach rain gear and merino base layers, and you've got the finest, lightest backcountry hunting gear in the world.  I've at least tested it across a little bit of North America.

Gear Review Vortex Razor HD Binoculars

By Darr Colburn

The new Vortex Razor HD line of binoculars has really caught my eye since they first came out. I have been most impressed with the edge to edge clarity of the Razor HDs.  In my opinion they stack up against many of the binoculars that are twice the money. I have not seen any other binoculars that compare to the Razors in the $800 to $1200 price range. The light weight and ergonomic design make the Razors easy to hand hold. The Razors are also easily mounted on a tripod with an Outdoorsmans stud and bino adapter. I don’t understand why some optics manufactures refuse to make their binoculars easily tripod mountable. The Outdoorsmans sells the 10x42 Razor HD for $1199.

Key Features Include:
• Premium HD extra low dispersion glass

• XR fully multi coated lenses for increased light transmission and maximum brightness

• Argon gas purged for superior waterproof and fog proof performance

The Razor HD stands up nicely against my older pair of Swarovski 10x42 ELs.  The Ocular lens on the Razor HD is 25% larger than the Swarovski.

The Vortex Razor HD binoculars are available in four models

• 8x42
• 10x42
• 10x50
• 12x50

Like all Vortex optics the Razors are backed by a no fault lifetime warranty. Here is the warranty right from the Vortex website:

Our warranty is about you, not us. It's about taking care of you after the sale.

The VIP stands for a Very Important Promise to you, our customers. We will repair or replace your Vortex product in the event it becomes damaged or defective—at no charge to you. It doesn't matter how it happened, whose fault it was, or where you purchased it. You can count on the VIP Warranty for all riflescopes, red dots, rangefinders, binoculars, spotting scopes and monoculars.

• Unlimited Lifetime Warranty

• Fully transferable

• No warranty card to fill out

• No receipt needed to hang on to

If you ever have a problem, no matter the cause, we promise to take care of you.

Gear Review: TAG Bags

I finally got a chance to try out the T.A.G. bags.  No more cotton bags for me.  Lighter, stronger, more breathable.  It all makes for better care of your precious wild game.  T.A.G. Bags impressed!  I feel like having breathable bags helps build the crust on the meat which protects it as well as prevents soggy areas in the bag during the hanging period.  The bags were easily hung by the drawstring which withstood the strain of  these 75+ lb. hams.  Most impressive was how clean the bags came out after one wash and the 15 minute hang-drying time.  T.A.G. Bags are a no-brainer for the meat hunter.

These 24"x44" bags could easily handle two quarters for the ultralight guy.

I Phone Digi Scope Adapter

By Darrr Colburn

I was down at the Outdoorsmans yesterday and picked up a great new gadget if you have an I Phone 4/4S.  Kowa is making an I Phone adapter that comes with rings that fit my Swarowski Spotting Scope and Swarovski 15X binoculars.  They are also coming out with a ring that will fit on the Kowa Big Eye 32X binoculars.  The Outdoorsmans has these adapters in stock and they are $82.99.  I will post some pics and video over the next few weeks as I get the setup out in the field.  Thank you to the Outdoorsmans for staying on top of the latest and greatest gear and providing amazing customer service.

Hunting Gear Review: Leki Micro Sticks

     I took my new trekking poles out for a hike recently and took a minute to share with you how the new Leki Micro Sticks work.  I'm looking forward to having these in my pack at all times, ready to aid my descent off a mountain with a heavy pack.  Thanks to Ptarmigan Sports in Edwards, CO for setting me up with the latest and greatest in backcountry adventure gear.

Swarovski Optik 10X42 EL Range Binocular Video

I tried to shoot a little video to show how good the new Swarovski 10X42 EL Range Binocular measures distances.  The aiming dot/circle is in the right eye and the distance is read in the left eye.  The video is being shot through the left barrel so that you could see how quick the distance is measured,  So far I find the EL Range easy to use.  I am impressed with the weight at only 32.1 ounces.  Another nice feature that I like is the LED readout can be adjusted to five different levels of brightness.  On this day the furthest distance I was able to capture was 1702 yards.  I will try to capture another video showing the angle compensation and how it is displayed.  So far I am thinking that the Swarovski 10X42 EL Range will replace my Swarovski 10X42 EL's for my all the time around the neck binoculars when I am guiding and hunting this fall. 
  

The new Outdoorsmans Binocular Extended Post works great with the EL Range as well

Vortex Ranger 1000 Rangefinder

By Darr Colburn
I just received one of the new Vortex Ranger 1000 rangefinders.  I had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this little gem.  The size and angle compensation of this rangefinder are the main reasons I wanted to try it out.  My oldest son Parker and I used the Ranger 1000 while shooting our bows yesterday afternoon.  So far I am very impressed.  I will be putting this rangefinder to the test over the next couple of weeks and will post the results soon. Thanks to the guys at the Outdoorsmans

Parker testing the new Vortex Ranger 1000 Rangefinder

I really love the size of the Vortex Ranger 1000 rangefinder. 

Swarovski 10X42 EL Range-Rangefinding Binocular

Posted by Jay Scott
Gear review of Swarovski 10X42 EL Range

I have recently picked up my Swarovski EL Range 10X42 binoculars hoping that they would be my replacement binoculars for my everyday user which is currently the Swarovski 10X42 EL's.  The 10's are the ones that are around my neck 90% of the time.  The other 10% of the time, I have my 8.5X42 EL's in play.  My first impressions of the 10X42 EL Range is nothing short of spectacular.  They feel good in my hands and are very bright to look through.  The EL Range only weighs 32 ounces and the field of view is 330 ft at 1000 yards.  Here is the kicker for me and the reason I wanted the Swarovski EL range; it has a laser rangefinder and an angle compensator.  The Swaro-aim laser rangefinder shoots from 33-1500 yards.  I have personally shot 1479 yards with my new little gem on the first morning testing it in the Arizona desert while looking for Desert Bighorn sheep.  The on-board angle compensator will give you the angle or the adjusted distance to shoot for.  I am a simple person who wants to know the yardage but even more importantly I want to know the adjusted yardage so I can just point and shoot.  I have seen way to many times in the moment of truth things go sideways therefore for me having the already adjusted distance is of utmost importance.  The button is on the left side of the binocular but I found no problem holding the binocular in my bow free right hand and reaching over to hit the button and achieve my distance.  I will be playing with the 10X42 EL Range over the summer and will update my findings as they come.  As for now I think they will be in the starting lineup come September 1st for archery elk season.  Thanks to the guys at the Outdoorsmans

Here is a picture of the actual distance through the 10x42 EL Range, I should have taken a picture of the adjusted range but I did not do so.  When shooting in the adjusted mode it shows the actual distance and the adjusted distance.

12X50 Swarovski EL Binoculars Review

Posted by Jay Scott
The Swarovski 12X50 EL Binoculars have been a piece of gear that I have been pondering over for some time.  Once I got them in my hand the excitement grew exponentially.  I used them over the weekend while scouting for Arizona Desert bighorn sheep and was very impressed with the clarity around the edges and the crisp bright image that I have grown to love with Swarovski Optik.  I have been using Swarovski Optiks for years so it wasn't like I was shocked with how good they were but they seemed impressive for my initial testing.  The images through the 12's definitely seemed brighter, the field of view was great and the shortest focal point on the 12's is about 10 feet.  A couple of important comparisons to point out between the 15X SLC (which I love) and the new 12X50 EL; First, field of view on the 12's is 300 feet at 1000 yards compared to the 15's at 231 feet at 1000 yards.  Second, weight on the 12's is 35.5 ounces compared to the 15's at 45.5 ounces. Third, length of binoculars, 12's are 6.8 inches compared to the 15's at 8.47 inches.  One of the most important things that I look for in a binocular is low light performance.  I have not been able to test that out yet but will in the very near future.  I did not get a chance to hand hold the 12's enough to make an accurate assessment as to how practical that will be.  For now I have to say the 12X50's might be bumped up into the starting rotation.  I will keep you informed as I do more testing.  Thanks to the guys at the Outdoorsmans in PHX for all of their help on these binoculars.