gear review

It is said a dry duck hunter is a happy duck hunter. For the many that hunt marshes, ponds, lakes, and rivers the need to enter the water is inevitable. Depending on the depth of the water you may opt for knee boots, waist waders, hip waders, or chest waders. 

Thermal optics have long been the domain of the, uh, not poor. While some people have a job that can justify the upfront cost, it has not been a realistic option for the masses. Granted, prices have gone down. But not down to the point of accessibility to the masses. Until now.

A relative newcomer to the body armor market, Predator Armor is based in Delta, Utah, where it makes and sells body armor plates, plate carriers, and other accessories. When I was asked if I might review some of the Predator product line, I thought to myself, “Body Armor? Me?” 

The Sparc Solar provides a very competent optic for a fair price. It’s tough to beat the Sparc Solar if you need to outfit a home defense, competitive, or hunting firearm with a red dot.

I had an opportunity to use the binoculars for a short time on a prairie dog shoot in Wyoming and came away impressed because the Fusion X binoculars pack a lot of functionality into an affordable package. The binoculars are backed by Bushnell’s transferable lifetime warranty, which translates into a defined life of 20 years for the binoculars and five years for the electronics.

Stabilized binoculars are pretty rare on the civilian market, but they have a huge following in military circles. The stabilized part comes from an internal gyroscopic stabilizer, a mechanical device that makes them self steading. It is a weird concept, for sure. But in practice, it is basically magic. It really does work and is a game-changer for binocular work.

Thermal optics have been gaining popularity amongst hunters and outdoor enthusiasts over the last decade. Advancements in thermal imaging technology have brought the costs down to a more affordable level.

Described as a “performance heritage” hunting boot, the Recurve features a traditional hunting boot design made with the latest high-tech materials. It has a full-grain leather and suede upper with Danner Dry 100% waterproof barrier, removable OrthoLite insoles, and Vibram mid/outsoles.

Over the years I have experienced a wild variety of waterfowl clothing.  Starting with those old cotton waffled long johns you can buy at the farm and home store.  Not sure those ever kept me warm or dry.