Field and Stream - Survival RSS

Gear Review: New Stanley Vacuum Bottles Carry On a Tradition

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:04:34 -0400

by Jay Cassell

Best known for the classic green vacuum bottles that our fathers and grandfathers used to take on hunting and fishing trips (many still do!) Stanley recently introduced a new Adventure series of bottles, cups, food storage and cooking containers, and coffee mugs.

Reasonably priced between $10 and $25, the containers retain the venerable green color, yet feature modern improvements.

One unit that I found particularly useful is the carbonated 32-ounce drink bottle, with a dome construction that the company claims will keep beverages carbonated for up to 8 hours. I tested it by pouring a beer into the bottle; 8 hours later, at the end of the day, I opened it up, heard a gratifying fizz, and happily had a sip of cold beer.

The insulated outer wrap keeps beverages cold for a little more than three hours, plus it’s dishwater safe. This unit is $20 and will be available in late June.

New Bear Grylls Survival Knife & Parang machete from Gerber

Dave_Maccar — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:47:05 -0400

Last month I gave you my take on Gerber’s Ultimate Knife, one of several new products resulting from a collaboration between the knife company and TV host and adventurer Bear Grylls, based on specs and photos.

The folks at Gerber were kind enough to send us an early sample of what they’re calling the pinnacle of the company's Bear Grylls Survival Series (the full line officially goes on sale in February, with the Ultimate Knife slotted for an early release on Nov. 15) along with another item in the series, the wicked-looking Parang machete.

So, what else was I to do but take them into Wharton State Forest in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens and beat the living crap out of them?

Here are the photos and my review of the Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife and Parang and all the bells and whistles (literally on that last one) that come with them.

Gear Review: DeLorme Earthmate PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator

JayCassell — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 12:18:22 -0400

Imagine having a GPS unit that can not only plot your route and help you navigate the wilderness, but can also send messages to family and friends around the globe – no matter how far back in the woods you might be. DeLorme’s new PN-60w with SPOT does just that. These two devices are sold together, and are designed to work exclusively with one another via wireless communication. Type text messages on the keyboard and the SPOT sends them to cell phones, email, and your Twitter and Facebook pages; your friends and family can also track your progress online. In case of emergency, send SOS messages with your GPS location embedded. Price is $550 plus SPOT subscription.

Hunting Gear of the Year: 2010 Best of the Best

Joe_Cermele — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:19:13 -0400

We spent the better part of the year finding the goods that will make your time in the field more successful and more fun. First up is a buyer’s guide to nine categories that sportsmen obsess over: shotguns, rifles, muzzleloaders, binoculars, riflescopes, ATVs, bows, ammo, and knives. We’ve picked winners in each, plus highlighted some contenders that didn’t come out on top but still excelled in our tests - The Editors

JUMP TO:

Shotguns
Rifles/Pistols
Muzzleloaders
Bows
Knives
Optics
Ammunition
ATVs/Trucks
Treestands
Clothing/Footwear
Accessories

Browning Full Curl Wool Base Layer

Joe_Cermele — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:52:34 -0400

2010 Best of the Best (Winner): Merino-wool base layers offer a comfortable (and warmer) alternative to spun polyester underwear, with the distinct advantage of not retaining odors. Full Curl Wool base layers are middleweights, ideal for still-hunting deer or layering under waders on crisp mornings when the mallards fly low. Next to the skin, the fabric has a luxurious feel, something I can’t say about some other wool underwear I’ve tested. - Keith McCafferty

Leatherman MUT

Joe_Cermele — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:24:37 -0400

2010 Best of the Best (Runner Up): The MUT (Military Utility Tool) is dedicated to the care of the M16, M4, AR-15, and their cousins. It has 17 tools that can do anything to a black rifle but change the barrel - David E. Petzal

Browning Backcountry Camp Knife

Joe_Cermele — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:11:20 -0400

2010 Best of the Best (Runner Up): This is either a big hunting knife or a small camp knife. It’s beautifully made with a 12C27 blade that has all sorts of admirable qualities. It has a Micarta handle and comes in an excellent leather sheath. - David E. Petzal

Ontario Ranger Bush Afghan

Joe_Cermele — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:07:56 -0400

2010 Best of the Best (Runner Up): With an easy-to-find orange handle, this survival knife features a 6-inch powder-coated blade made of 5160 steel, which is one of the old cutlery steels. It won’t hold an edge long, but it’s tough and sharpens with ease. The nylon sheath is of high quality but holds the knife too loosely. - David E. Petzal

SOG Pendulum

Joe_Cermele — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:05:16 -0400

2010 Best of the Best (Runner Up): The Pendulum employs a pivoting bolster as a blade lock, and while it’s an intriguing piece of machinery, I found that the bolster pivots into your hand and keeps the knife from opening. On the other hand, the VG10 blade holds on to its edge like grim death. I’ve seen few knives that will stay as sharp as long. Your choice. - David E. Petzal

Diamondblade Alpha I Folder

Joe_Cermele — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:03:21 -0400

2010 Best of the Best (Runner Up): The Alpha I is light, strong, and sharper than anything else. Its handle is G10, and the 3-inch drop-point blade is DiamondBlade’s specially forged D2 steel, which is like nothing else in the world of knifery. The Alpha I can be used for field dressing, but it’s a little scant for outdoor use. - David E. Petzal

TOPS/Buck CSAR-T Liner-Lock Folder

Joe_Cermele — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:59:38 -0400

2010 Best of the Best (Winner; Utility/Survival): Everyone has heard of Buck Knives, but probably not of TOPS, a small company that specializes in tactical and survival cutlery. This is a joint design, and it’s as high-speed, low-drag as you can get. The handle is made of G10, a fiberglass-epoxy compound that might be damaged by an atom bomb but not much else. The blade is a modified tanto shape, 31⁄2 inches long, made of ATS34 steel. Put in nontechnical terms, it is a large, strong, heavy sumbitch that comes razor sharp and stays that way. It has a pocket clip and a very good tactical nylon sheath, which is the only way to carry it. - David E. Petzal

Polaris Ranger EV

Joe_Cermele — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:26:17 -0400

2010 Best of the Best (Winner; Utility): The Ranger EV is hands down the most capable electric UTV on the market. With a 30-hp, 48-volt motor rigged to eight batteries, this green machine will traverse just about any obstacle in its way. The unit has a range of 50 miles on flat ground and a top speed of 25 mph. We tested it on mountainous, root-strewn terrain with mud, ruts, and rocks, and it didn’t flinch. It’s also so quiet that you can actually hear the melodious squishing of oil through the shock valves from the bench seat. With all-wheel-drive, a smooth-riding front and rear independent suspension, a dump box capable of hauling 500 pounds, and a tow capacity of 1,200 pounds, the Ranger EV isn’t a gimmick to keep tree huggers happy. This thing is absolutely the real deal. If you’re looking for a midsize UTV to sneak you silently into your hunting spot, this is the answer. Plus, it may be just what you need to land that Birkenstock-wearin’ chick you’ve been drooling over - Lance Schwartz

Cold Steel Pendleton Lite Hunter

Joe_Cermele — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:59:41 -0400

2010 Best of the Best (Winner; Hunting Knife): This is the latest, and least expensive, of a series of knives designed by custom smith Lloyd Pendleton for Cold Steel. It has a 35⁄8-inch semi-skinner blade made of 4116 Krupp stainless steel, a polypropylene handle, and an excellent Cordura nylon sheath. Just 2.7 ounces, it comes shaving sharp and resharpens easily. Unless you use it to pry the lids off old paint cans, it’s pretty much indestructible. And it costs $22. I’ll say that again in case you didn’t get it the first time. It costs $22. The Pendleton Lite Hunter is so good that the price is actually a distraction; you can become fixated on how little it costs rather than on how well it works. Unlike other inexpensive stainless-steel knives, this one takes and holds a terrific edge. I had not heard of 4116 Krupp before, but I’m told it’s used in high-grade kitchen cutlery. I find it vastly superior to the 440-series stainless of many knives. The only drawback is the handle, which is a tad short for my mitt, but then I have a larger-than-average hand. Buy a bunch of these knives and give them to all of your friends. You can afford to. - David E. Petzal

Brunton Restore Power Unit and Charger

Joe_Cermele — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:35:18 -0400

2010 Best of the Best (Winner): Because our lives off the grid do overlap with our lives on, the solar-powered Restore brings the two together. Regardless of how you feel about taking a cellphone into the field, being able to power up using the sun can be a matter of convenience, if not survival. The portable power storage unit can charge small electronics, from GPS units to digital cameras, and comes with a mini USB adapter that accommodates many types of cellphones. Using sunlight does take a considerable amount of time—our unit needed seven hours to charge completely on a partly cloudy day. Ideally you’ll be able to leave it in a sunny spot where you can forget about it for a while. And it’s best to charge the device via the USB cord before leaving home. The construction is solid and withstood a number of drops. It weighs 81⁄2 ounces. - Tom Tiberio

Ruger M77 MarK II Target

Joe_Cermele — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:57:47 -0400

2010 Best of the Best (Runner Up): *Tested in 6.5. Creedmoor. Ruger’s contribution is long-barreled and heavy, courtesy of a 28-inch target-weight barrel and laminated stock. It comes in conventional long-range calibers, but the Creedmoor was all Ruger had available for our tests, so that was what I shot. Right now, the 6.5 Creedmoor is loaded only by Hornady, but the ammo shot spectacularly well: .770 on average. The nicely fitted and finished M77 Target employs a trigger that uses a two-stage pull. My gun broke at a consistent 21⁄2 pounds but was mushy in its second stage (this can be adjusted). It’s a fine, light-kicking rifle made for precision shooting at long range - David E. Petzal

Winchester Super X3 Field

Joe_Cermele — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:38:56 -0400

2010 Best of the Best (Runner Up): Winchester has introduced the Super X3 in 20 gauge. At 6 pounds 10 ounces, it’s light to carry but substantial enough to shoot well. It has a soft-recoiling gas system and will handle all 23⁄4- and 3-inch 20-gauge ammo. It comes in a walnut-stocked version with a weather-resistant gray Perma-Cote UT finish on the metal. - Phil Bourjaily

Manitoba Torture Test: Gear Reviews from Field & Stream's Ice Out by ATV Adventure

Online Editors — Mon, 17 May 2010 11:01:08 -0400

Last spring four guys took three Yamaha Grizzly quads and one Rhino side-by-side up an ice road to fish for pike and walleye deep in the Manitoba backcountry. It took them two weeks to travel 130 miles, without resupply, through some of the most difficult terrain in North America. The gear they used was critical to the success of their trip. What follows is their impressions of selection of the stuff they brought.

Click here to read the full story of their adventures.

Platypus CleanStream Gravity Filter

Online Editors — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:49:04 -0400

Editor’s Note: This product was tested during a 2-week Ice-Out by ATV Adventure in Manitoba, spring 2009. Look for the story in print in May 2010.

This is my new favorite water filter. To use one, simply fill up a plastic bladder full of water from a nearby lake or stream, then hang the bladder from a tree (or the rollbar of a Rhino). A tube attached to a valve at the bottom of the bladder runs first to a microfilter that removes most nasty bugs (it does not filter out viruses or chemical toxins), then through another tube into a second plastic bladder, which fills up with clean water after it passes through the filter. The while thing is powered by gravity, which means you can spend more time enjoying your camp site and less time fending off mosquitoes while pumping by the water's edge. The only drawback to this system is that the bladders are vulnerable to puncturing. Bring a spare along -- the system is so compact that doing so will barely take up any room in your pack.

Gerber E-Tool Folding Spade with Serrated Blade

Online Editors — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:36:41 -0400

Editor’s Note: This product was tested during a 2-week Ice-Out by ATV Adventure in Manitoba, spring 2009. Look for the story in print in May 2010.

This is my new favorite gadget. A rugged, sharp shovel witha serrated edge to help you chop through roots, it folds flat to about the size of a sandwich. It weighs a little more than two pounds. We used ours when digging our quads out of the muck, and for digging fire pits, and I've not got one stashed in the back of my truck at home in case I get stuck while fishing the beaches of Long Island's South Shore.

Adventure Medical Kits Expedition

Online Editors — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:14:51 -0400

Editor’s Note: This product was tested during a 2-week Ice-Out by ATV Adventure in Manitoba, spring 2009. Look for the story in print in May 2010.

According to the manufacturer, this five-pound, compact medical kit contains all essential items necessary for keeping large groups healthy in the backcountry for extended periods of time, including oral rehydration salts, diarrhea medication, water disinfection tablets, a SAM splint, and a variety of other components. We never needed these items on our trip, fortunately, but we sure felt safer having the kit along.

Folding Knife Buyers Guide

JayCassell — Tue, 11 May 2010 10:58:42 -0400

Folding knives make it easy to carry a blade brawny enough for tough outdoor chores. Hundreds of general-utility folding knives are on the market; we chose these five because they push the boundaries of production design with innovative locking and assisted-opening mechanisms, steels previously seen on custom knives, and high-tech handle materials. Borrowing cutting-edge ideas from top craftsmen doesn’t come cheap, but there’s a blade here for any budget.

Folding Knife Buyers Guide

JayCassell — Tue, 11 May 2010 10:58:42 -0400

Gear Review: Ka-Bar Dozier Folding Hunter knife

JayCassell — Mon, 10 May 2010 16:06:02 -0400

THE LOWDOWN This sweet slip of AUS8 steel has clean lines, an elegant blade, and a textured Zytel handle impervious to weather. There’s nothing superfluous, nothing out of place with this knife. Choose a knurled thumb stud or a thumbhole; the former has jimping on the blade spine.

HITS The orange handle is easy to find if you drop it in the dark.

MISSES The 3-inch blade is a bit short.

WHO SHOULD BUY Anyone looking for a great backup blade.

Gear Review: CRKT M4-02 folding knife

JayCassell — Mon, 10 May 2010 15:54:41 -0400

THE LOWDOWN For assisted-opening fans, the OutBurst mechanism springs the blade open after it reaches 30 degrees. There’s a backup locking system, and the 8Cr13MoV stainless will stand up to moisture. For all its bells and whistles, this is a visually understated knife. Sharp.

HITS A hollow-grind blade makes this a perfect slicer, great for camp kitchen chores.

MISSES There’s no lock for the closed position.

WHO SHOULD BUY Anyone who puts a knife through hard use and can sharpen a blade.

Gear Review: Spyderco Gayle Bradley Carbon Fiber folding knife

JayCassell — Mon, 10 May 2010 15:49:43 -0400

THE LOWDOWN Designed by a former BladeSports World Cutting Competition winner, this pocket saber is all about the edge. Beefy and carbon-fiber beautiful, it sports a blade of racy M4 steel, a fine-grained powdered steel that’s out-of-this-galaxy sharp.

HITS At 37⁄16 inches, the blade is large enough for serious tasks but short enough to carry.

MISSES It could use a bit more grip at the juncture between blade and handle.

WHO SHOULD BUY Serious knife buffs.