The Gear Hound

The Ardent XS Baitcasting Reel: It’s Entirely American-Made

As far as I know, the only freshwater baitcasting reel totally produced in the U.S. is the Ardent XS. Built in Macon, Missouri, this fine reel may have the smoothest drag I’ve used in recent years. It has a total of ten bearings and rests comfortably in your hand. This puppy weighs just 8.7 ounces, has a thumb-bar free-spool function, plus an instant, continuous anti-reverse. Translation: It allows meticulous control for flipping and casting.

If that’s not enough, the reel is almost impossible to backlash once properly set, and you get the industry’s only three-year warranty.  Plus, the owner’s manual is well written and has information that’s actually useful. $250; ardentreels.com

If you know of any other baitcasting reels made in the U.S., hit the comment bar and let me know about it. And if your favorite baitcasting reel matches up with the Ardent, let me hear about that too.

Camo Makeup Expert: If you’re going to paint your face, follow Hollywood’s lead

Wearing camo makeup is a pretty practical way to stay cool and have an unobstructed view of your target.But until now, the only kit for this I had ever seen was made by Hunter Specialties and hey, what does Hunter Specialties know about makeup anyway? If you’re into face painting for deer or turkey hunting, maybe it’s time you sought the advice of a professional. Known as “Bloody Mary,” Bobbie Weiner is a Hollywood makeup artist whose resume includes the dead corpses bobbing in the water in the movie Titanic. With that kind of experience, even the military entrusts her to make their camo. So for about $7, you can have a 5-color waterproof compact that comes with a little mirror and sponge. http://www.bobbieweiner.com/camo.htm

Fenwick World Class Reels: If You Find One That Was Made in the U.S., Buy It

Every once in a while, a legendary piece of equipment graces the shelves of fly shops and a few lucky and smart anglers get to experience a small piece of perfection. Although today’s market offers some pretty impressive big-game reels with great drags for great prices, I still long for my old Fenwick World Class Steelhead and Salmon Reel, which was stolen from my bag in the Seattle airport back in 1994. I mourn its loss every steelhead season. In 1985—one of the two years the reel was made in the U.S.—it cost me $400. In the reel’s third year, Fenwick moved production overseas, cut its price in half, and the quality of the product diminished immediately.

If you ever find a Fenwick World Class with a gold back, and a black and gold front that says “Made in the USA,” buy it. Or at least tell me about it.  The single actions sell for around $175 and the double actions approach $300. These reels are comparable to the Pates and Finors of their day, and at these prices, they’re a mega-bargain. Check eBay for the reels periodically by clicking here. (This page is automatically updated each time a new item is posted.)

New Hitch Cover: This medallion will tell the world that you love shotguns

You might be a redneck if … you publicize your sport on your trailer hitch.

Some people adorn theirs with propellers, largemouth bass, mallards; but what about shotgunners?  They need representation too, don’t they?

Fear not, 12-gaugers, because you can buy a 4.5-inch brass (actually steel) shell bottom to mount on the back of your trailer hitch. That’s right, you can announce to the world that you just might have some exceptionally expensive shotguns locked in your truck that are waiting to be liberated by surly individuals who could care less that they belonged to your grandfather, and who will probably saw the barrels off and—I can’t bear this sentence any longer. Of course, if you happen to back-up and imprint your new 12-gauge manhood into a Toyota Prius you’ll really make a new friend with its owner, and your insurance company. 

If all this ranting isn’t enough to prevent you from buying one of these things, I can assure you that if you stroll into the 12-gauge medallion, you will endure sufficient pain to make you pass out and bear a scar on your shin for the rest of your life.

But hey, for $25, why not? shotgifts.com

Columbia: Customer Service Gets an A

Even the best companies make the occasional product that sneaks through quality control. That is why they have customer service—to escort us through the disappointment and restore our confidence in their brand.   

Last year, Columbia sent me a Horn Mesa wool jacket for possible review, but the first time I put it on, the zipper jammed.  What good is a winter hunting coat if you can’t zip it up? During a recent closet cleaning, I found the defective coat and decided to call Columbia to see if customer service truly was their priority. I dialed the 800 number and spoke to a gentleman about my zipper issue without mentioning that I was a writer and had received the garment for my testing and evaluation In fact, to hide my identity, I even gave him a different name and address. He told me to send it back with a short note and they would see what they could do.

Ten days later my jacket was returned with a new zipper in excellent working order. A hand-written note thanked me for bringing the problem to their attention. On the customer service scorecard, Columbia receives an A.

It’s a little early in the season to wear wool, but not to shop for it on ebay.  Hit this link to find the latest deals.

Turkey Lesson: How to Miss with $1,300 Worth of Gear

Last week I hunted on a ranch outside of Abilene, Texas, on one of those media junket trips with Federal Cartridge and Benelli.(I know, it’s a hard life). My host handed me a camo Benelli M2 with a Bushnell red dot already mounted. “We sighted it in for you, “ he said. “Have a great hunt.”
The next morning, around  10A.M., I had called in a tom from nearly a mile away. After 20 minutes of highly sexual turkey babble, he stepped out from behind a bush at 27 yards. Centering on his head, I took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger.

After the bird had flown away, I expounded a few striking epithets, and then became determined to check my gun before continuing with my hunt. I took off my shirtand sweaty camo t-shirt, hung the t-shirt on a tree, and fired upon it at 27 yards--twice.The pattern revealed I was 6 inches low and to the left, a clean miss with $1,300 worth of shotgun. 

Two tips:
1.Always check your gun, no matter what anyone says. (Can’t you just hear Petzel laughing?)
2. In a pinch, your t-shirt will do to pattern your turkey gun.

Baitcasting Pack Rod: Albright’s Four-Piece Feels Like a Single Piece

Baitcasting pack rods are not a common sight in tackle shops, but there are a few around. The four- piece Albright EC704 is meticulously well finished and weighs an ultralight 4.3 ounces. It’s a snappy, fast-action rod. The ferrules fit perfectly, affording the rod an evil hook set. It will cast a 3/8-ounce crankbait with precision, even at great distances. This 7-foot stick compares favorably with single-piece rods in the same or higher price range. (I actually completely forgot it was a four-piece.) As it should in this price category, the rod comes with a nice protective case. My only complaint was the less-than-premium quality reel seat. $199; 866-359-7335; albrighttackle.com

Classic Boot: The Filson Uplander Won’t Let You Down

Since I have trashed failed footwear (April 14th), it’s time to pay homage to boots that embrace your feet with loving support and kindness.

The Filson Uplander is one of my favorite summer boots. Filson designers must have taken a cue from Shaker furniture makers; these thick leather, no-frills boots are a paragon of design simplicity and durable function. Perfect for upland hunting in both rough terrain and level quail fields, the Uplander features a removable cork insole and a Vibram TCI Mini-Bob sole. The outside is a wonderfully supple oil-tanned leather, and they’re great for everyday wear. Just beware of the stout sole; these boots will require break-in time.  The price is a tough pill to swallow ($327), but they will last a decade or more. If they don’t, Filson will rebuild them for a nominal fee.  800-624-0201; filson.com

Want a deal? See what Filson boots are selling for on ebay:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&satitle=filson+boots

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By the way, when I last wrote about Filson (April 7th), I mentioned that the company had ended major U.S. production and a reader named Tom commented that many Filson items are still made here. I called the company’s CFO, Doug Williams, and this is what he told me:

“Although Filson has moved a percentage of its goods to Asia, most of the larger and heavier garments are still made in the Pacific Northwest. Our facility in the U.S. has very old machines that do an excellent job on heavy wool coats and bags, however they are not the best machines for light hunting shirts. We have only moved the goods overseas that can be made to a higher standard than is possible in our U.S. facility. That said, our U.S. plant is operating to capacity and we expect to remain that way for some time.”

Filson is an American treasure in the soft goods business and I hope their bags, and wool coats stay in the Pacific Northwest for a very long time.

What it Means to be Hard Core

With reader test panel applications invading my office (thanks for your interest, by the way), I’m always considering what makes a serious outdoorsman. We all love to think of ourselves as “serious outdoorsmen.” Some of us keep diaries, measure our deer antlers, register our animals with Pope & Young or Boone & Crocket.  Who doesn’t want to set a state largemouth or trout record?

I have news for you. It’s not about the amount of gear you own (did I really say that?) or hunting every day of duck season. The serious outdoorsman is someone who needs no approval.  He’s the type of person who will go hunting and fishing because he wants to, and is completely content do it by himself.  He doesn’t need a forward observer to see what he caught or killed.  He’s the kind of guy who goes when his friends can’t, or won’t. Being a true sportsman has nothing to do with skill. A willingness to be alone in the outdoors is the consummate qualifier.  If you know someone with this lifestyle, he deserves respect—not envy.

GPS of the Future: Why the French Should Let Us Use Their Satellites

GPS is on the verge of a turbo performance upgrade.  Those cranky Frenchmen are in the process of deploying 30 new satellites  by 2008. Galileo (leave it to the French to name their system after an Italian) will locate you anywhere on the planet, even indoors, marking you in increments of an astounding 3 feet.  Your current GPS unit, serviced by U.S. Air Force satellites, marks you at around 15 feet. Our satellite system won’t be upgraded until 2013.

The government’s priority is servicing our military, not you and me.  In fact, the Air Force can and will block us out in a potential national emergency.  While Galileo will operate in a national emergency, it won’t be free. You must pay to find yourself in this new global community’s smaller circle.

Can you believe that we may have to depend on the French to find our way through the deer woods or float wilderness streams?  I think it would be grand if they just gave us free GPS in the next decade. After all, we’ve given them free sky maps and my father did help liberate them from Germany almost 60 years ago.  It’s the least they can do.