Cool Cutlery

We were fortunate to review several knives this past season and we weren’t disappointed.  Here’s a look at the knives we field tested and their characteristics.

Primos Mountain Man Series Knives

I’ve always had a soft spot for the days of the Mountain Man.  My Father used to bring me along when he went to the re-enactments and I’d watch as all the guys would shoot their reproduction muzzleloaders.  Knives were a big deal at these events and each was unique to the owner.  In 2009, Primos and Taylor Brand Knives teamed up to create the Mountain Man Series with two offerings.  Here’s a look at the results:
The Frontier – With a 5.8 inch blade and a 10.4 inch overall length, this knife is smack out of a Jeremiah Johnson film.  It’s genuine Stag handle is comfortable to hold in the hand and provides a good balance point.  Probably the coolest thing about this knife might not even be the knife!  The leather sheath is tacked around the edges and has the primos logo burned into the leather.  It even attaches to the belt in Mountain Man style!

Retails for $129.95

The Badger – Here’s another take on the beefy stag handled knife with a 3.7 inch blade (9.8 inches overall) The sheath comes with the same grade leather but with stitching and a belt loop.   Also a well balanced knife, the Badger looks great on the belt and will get some attention in hunting camp! 

Retails for $129.95

We found both of the Primos knives cheaper online than the above suggested retail price so don’t let that deter you from looking at them.  Both of these knives give you a functional field knife in a cool looking package.

SOG Specialty Knives and Tools

Field Pup Knife – This all purpose knife has a 4 inch blade and an overall length of 8.5 inches.  It has more of a “survival” feel to it but we thought we’d test it out in hunting situations.  The tacky Kraton molded handle has comfortable finger grips and makes this knife easily maneuverable in the field (hence the name right?)  The sheath is nylon over plastic molded blade holder and can be mounted in a variety of different angles.  Two things about this knife: 1. The Field Pup is probably the sharpest (out of the box) knife we’ve ever seen and 2.  The look of this knife is fantastic!  You get the sense that this knife will withstand any sort of punishment imaginable.

Retails for $60

Columbia River Knife and Tool (CRKT)

Kommer “2 Shot” Knife – Made by Russ Kommer, this skinner has a full-tang fixed blade of 12C27 Sandvik stainless steel with stainless steel bolsters, both mirror polished for ease of cleaning. It comes with hand-finished orange G10 handle and is fitted with stainless steel pins. The orange handle is a nice touch should you be like us and have issues finding your knife after putting it down on the forest floor. The Skinner has a blade length of 3.15 inches.
This knife has an excellent feel to it and the short blade allowed us to work well inside the cavity of the animal.  It took some time to get used to the horizontal sheath but we found the 2 shot shell holders to be a reliable and convenient method.  The shells do not rattle and are at the perfect angle when you need them. We highly recommend this knife to anyone from Professional Guide to the average Weekend Warrior.

Retails for $99.99

Now usually we end our reviews with a “Our Marks on this Product” section but all four of these knives are high quality tools that will mostly likely exceed your demands in the field.  Much like bows, knives are all about preference and as usual we’re just trying to provide you with a variety of gear options.  If we did have to brand one of these with a “Best Buy” award, we’d give it to the Field Pup for it’s versatility and affordability ($60). Thanks for reading!

Irish Setter Coldwater Packable Jacket

Irish Setter is known primarily for their production of high quality footwear for avid outdoorsman but with what we experienced this past season in the Coldwater Jacket, they’ve done their homework in the apparel department as well!
The Coldwater Jacket is reversible with a windproof shell on one side and warm fleece on the other.  The pullover style ¼ zip has 2 lower body pockets on the fleece side with a packable mid chest pocket on the polyester side.  This means that you can stow the entire jacket in that mid chest pocket and keep it in your pack for an extra layer or use it for a pillow in camp.  The zip-up cowl collar and adjustable shock-cord hem allow you the ultimate protection from the elements.
We utilized this jacket in two ways this past season.  One as the layer beneath our StormKlothII  Jacket and also as an outer layer when the temps were more reasonable.  In both capacities, this jacket excelled.  The combination of fleece and polyester not only make this jacket comfortable and warm, it provides an extra layer of windproof protection.  Furthermore, this jacket is stylish enough to be worn out on the town (once the season was over of course……for scent purposes)
After field testing the Coldwater Packable Jacket, it was easy for us to see that Irish Setter upholds the same commitment to quality, fit and performance in their apparel.

To Purchase the Coldwater Packable Jacket–> Click Here

Our Marks on the Coldwater Packable Jacket

Fit:  5 out of 5: The Coldwater Packable Jacket is true to size and we found it to fit just as well as one of our base layers as it did an outer layer.

Comfort: 5 out of 5: Both sides of this jacket are comfortable and the windproof polyester side is not noisy like some jackets on the market.

Quality: 5 out of 5: We put this jacket to the test and it held up very well.  No busted stitching or problems with zippers or shock-cords.

Range of Use: 5 out of 5: From an inner to an outer layer all the way to a camp pillow

Overall Value: 5 out of 5: At $89.99, the quality and warmth of this jacket will be a staple in your hunting closet when the weather turns nasty.

Review of Bow Jaws Universal Bow Holder

We’ve tried several bow hanger/holder combos over the years and a few have worked very well.  None however have the versatility of the Bow Jaws Universal Bow Holder.  Bow Jaws is a chameleon type product that can adapt to a variety of hunting situations.  Whether you are hunting from your favorite treestand, a climber or a ground blind, Bow Jaws has provided a method of holding your bow in a safe and secure manner.  You essentially purchase one holder and the base (or bases) to suit your needs.  That means you can keep the holder section in your pack and interchange it with all 3 base options (ground blind, screw-in, or platform).  

Screw-in Option

Ground Blind Option

Platform Option

The holder section has rubber coated “Jaws” that adjust to fit any bow and the bows we tried (both parallel and traditional limb) had zero slippage when placed in the tongs.  The powder coated finish does well at minimizing the noise associated with securing the pieces together by a button spring.

Enter Heritage Hunters: We tried all three mounting options and found this product to be made of high quality material and ultra simple to use.  The ground blind model in particular was excellent and was by far the best bow holder in that situation that we’ve come across.  The stakes that push into the ground are long enough to secure the holder in an upright fashion and the beefy construction is such that you won’t have to worry about you bow tipping over.  Of course, the ground blind adapter can be used to hold your bow when shooting in your back yard or at your local 3D course as well.

Options: Not only do you get a variety of mounting options with Bow Jaws, they offer “combo packs” to suit your individual needs.  You can purchase a “2 pack” of mounting bases in case you want to leave multiple mounts in more than one treestand.  You can also purchase virtually any combination of ground blind / platform or screw-in base with the universal holder.  Bow Jaws gets a big thumbs up for offering several combinations of their product to suit our needs. 

Price: At $14.99 for the universal holder, $24.99 for the holder / base combo or $34.99 for a combination 2 base / holder option, this product has an excellent overall value.  Long lasting, multiple options, and excellent functionality finds us putting this product on our short list for the 2010 hunting season!

Video: To see the Bow Jaws Universal Bow Holder in action, check out the video on the right side of their homepage

Our Marks on the Bow Jaws Universal Bow Holder

Quality: 5 out of 5: This product is made from high quality material that won’t rust or break and is powder coated to minimize any noise in the woods.

Function: 5 out of 5: All of the Bow Jaws mounting bases work well, as do the holder section.  Our favorite option has to be the ground blind adapter which has multiple uses.

Overall Value: 5 out of 5: Because of the variety of options and the fact that you only need to buy one holder, this product has great “Bang for the Buck”!  Free shipping on orders over $34.99 doesn’t hurt either!