By Philip Bourjaily

First of all, there’s this: to test the safety of using tasers on meth-heads, Taser International conducted a study in which researchers gave meth to sixteen sheep, then tased them to see if their hearts would fail. All 16 lived to bleat the tale. The story is datelined April 12, not April 1, and it’s on the Internet so it must be true.

Honestly, I have nothing to say about this, although the possibilities for commentary are endless. I’m just going to post the link as a Gun Nut Public Service, leave the responses to you, and move on to a cool cheap flashlight.

I like keeping a flashlight in my car. Problem is, it can be months between uses, and with regular battery-powered flashlights you have to remember to change the batteries, or, if you live up North, bring it in at night during the winter. The light you see pictured here in the dash of my Jeep is the Great-Lite rechargeable flashlight. It charges in your car outlet in 20 minutes. It will then throw a respectably bright LED beam for over an hour and a half before the juice runs out. With regular LED lights... [ Read Full Post ]

By Dave Hurteau

From the AZ Capitol Times:
Cities, counties and other governmental entities would be forbidden from restricting people’s use of knives under a bill winding its way through the legislative process.

The bill, S1153, would give the state sole power to impose regulation on knives. It was approved March 16 by the House Government Committee.

“We believe that knives are essential tools, tools that are used daily by millions of honest Americans,” said Doug Ritter, chairman of Knife Rights, an advocacy group that is pushing the bill.…

Ritter’s group is using Arizona as a launching pad for a national knife-law-preemption campaign.

“It’s a matter of fairness, a matter of civil rights,” he said.

[ Read Full Post ]

By Jay Cassell

Gear Review: Lowa Renegades:

I’ve been a fan of Lowa boots ever since I took a pair of their Tibet boots on a bowhunt for elk in the Colorado Rockies. Those boots had incredible ankle support and a tread design that let me scramble up scree slopes with the best of them.

Recently, I tested a pair of Lowa Renegades. Easy to put on and lace up, and fitting my feet perfectly, these low-cut boots are great for day hikes in practically any terrain, from flatlands to moderate hills and mountains. According to Lowa, the boots have a “Monowrap” construction, which means that the polyurethane frame is wrapped around your foot for protection, cushioning, and comfort. With a Nubuck upper, Gore-Tex lining, and Vibram outsole, these boots are also waterproof and breathable.

Complaints? I usually try to find something to grouse about when I do these reviews, but I’m having a tough time.  I mean, they’re good-looking boots that work. The msrp is $185, which I suppose is a tad steep; but these things will last forever, so I can live with that. – Jay Cassell [ Read Full Post ]

By Jay Cassell

I’ve been testing out the new Wenger Swiss Raid Commando watch, and I have to tell you, this is one cool timepiece. It’s big and bright, as you can see, but that’s not even the half of it. Among its features: a solid stainless casing treated with a film of ionized ceramic and metal that creates a slick, impervious surface; quartz movement with a 12-hour chronograph function; date display; tachometer (it can measure speed over a known distance) and really bright luminous hands and numerals. It’s also water-resistant down to 100 meters, according to the company, but I can vouch for that. What I can vouch for, after wearing this last deer season in woods from Saskatchewan to New York, is that the chronograph works, the date display works, the tachometer works, and the thing keeps time as only a Swiss watch can. It can also take a bit of a beating, as I’m not exactly easy on watches.

My only beef is that I found the instructions confusing. Maybe an IT guy could figure out the watch’s functions the first time reading the manual, but it took me... [ Read Full Post ]

By Joe Cermele

Thanksgiving is over. I know this because every commercial on TV is now Christmas-related. I don’t generally pay attention to these rants about sales and holiday cheer, but I noticed something interesting this year. Bass Pro Shops is running loads of commercials, and I’m not talking about just on Versus and the Outdoor Channel. I’m talking Bravo and Lifetime. Why? Because these commercials are targeted at wives who don't fish. Here’s why they’re genius.

[ Read Full Post ]

By Chad Love

So say you're stuck in the woods, the temperature's dropping fast and you need shelter and fire, quickly. There are trees all around but you have neither saw nor axe. All you have is your knife. It's not even a big Rambo-inspired, serrated-edge survival sword with a picatinny rail, but a twelve-dollar plastic-handled mora with a little four-inch blade. Hey, no problem.

I admit, I'm a knife junkie just like the rest of you. Customs, semi-customs, high-end production models, even plain-jane knives speak to us with their seductive blend of form and function and we respond by purchasing them without regard to reason or budget.

But in terms of absolute bang-for-buck, is there anything out there to compare to the lowly mora? These simple, inexpensive wonders aren't made of the latest super steel, they aren't a quarter-inch thick and there's nary a tactical, special ops-inspired doodad on them anywhere. They just work when you need them to. If you shop around you can find them for about the same price as a super-sized extra-value meal. And if you want to make your... [ Read Full Post ]