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Written by By Don Mulligan
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Thursday, 17 December 2009 13:23 |
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Just in time for the holiday gift-giving season, here is my list of the best outdoor products from 2009. Unless otherwise noted, I have not received endorsements from any of the products or companies listed. I have, however, used all of these products in the field.
1. G5 Optix Bow Sights
Truly an engineering work of art, these sights are perfect. They are rugged, solid and very well made. The floating pin is a great idea and the universal light is the best light on the market.
Small fix: For the money, these sights should come with a plastic field cover to protect the pins while being carried in the field.
2. Cabela’s Alaskan Guide Frame Pack.
I live out of my pack frame every year when I spend a month in the Alaskan wilderness. The Cabela’s model outperforms models that cost twice as much.
I have hauled moose, caribou and bears with mine, and it still cinches to my body like a glove. It distributes weight correctly and has a freighter frame, shelf and compression strap better than any on the market
Small fix: I wish Cabela’s would make a frame out of titanium. No one does that I know of, so I guess I can’t blame Cabela’s.
3. Mepps Flying C Spinners
Few people know the “C” in the name of this lure stands for condom. It got its name because of the rubber sleeve that covers the weight on this heavy spinner.
I have used one Flying C to catch silver salmon, rainbow trout, grayling, char and dolly varden from the same hole in Alaska. The lure never fails and kills them all.
Small fix: Use a swivel with these since in current, they sometimes roll.
4. Ghost Blind
This is the first truly new idea in hunting blinds in years. I was asked and accepted inclusion on this product’s pro staff because I was so intrigued by it.
Its fold-out-panels are covered with a non-shiny mirror-like material that reflects the brush in front of it. Even when standing next to the blind, it’s hard to see.
Small fix: This blind won’t replace enclosed blinds, especially when it’s raining, but it’s a lot easier to carry and set up.
5. Mountain House Freeze-Dried Meals
Bad freeze-dried meals can ruin a wilderness-hunting trip, and there are some really bad ones. Mountain House makes meals so good, I’ve even eaten them at home a couple times.
Everyone has his or her favorite. Mine is the sweet and sour pork.
Small fix: Maybe I’m just a pig, but the meal made for two people is just enough for one adult, especially when hunting hard all day.
6. Badlands Day Packs
I use a pack frame to get to base camp and haul meat, and a daypack for short hunts from camp. Badlands packs were truly designed by wilderness hunters and they thought of everything.
Lots of small compartments make it easy to stay organized. The back and waist straps are as beefy as some on larger pack frames, and the entire pack is made of heavy material so it won’t tear in the field.
Small fix: I’m not a fan of the new magnet-sealed compartments on some models.
7. Petzl TacTikka XP Headlamp.
I am astounded at how long three AAA batteries last in these lights, and how bright its beam is. These are unbelievably durable, lightweight and provide the most reliable light of any headlamp made.
Small fix: Removing the top to replace the batteries is a bit tough, and though I’ve never broken one, the clip is a bit flimsy.
8. Shimano Stradic Spinning Reel
I can’t justify spending $600 on a Shimano Stella Spinning Reel, but the Stradic at $300 is well worth the money. It’s a beautifully engineered, balanced tool that has never failed on the water.
It’s loaded with options and opens, closes and spins smoother than any other reel I own.
9. Shakespeare Ugly Stik Rods
This $30 fishing rod will outlast every handmade $500 rod made. It may not be as sensitive, but it’s good enough to be the choice of nearly every fishing guide I know.
Don Mulligan can be reached at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. To read the entire column, go to theoutdoorpage.com.
Small fix: the line guides on the lite model are better quality than the guides on the entry model.
10. Tarter Disc Cultipacker
This scaled-down farm implement is made for food plotters. It tears through the toughest soil over and over without ever failing. It gets my vote for the best built outdoor product of 2009.
If something should go wrong, the simple design can be easily repaired with inexpensive parts that can be purchased at any farm store.
Small fix: I had to add a strap to the cultipacker when discing to keep it from bouncing around.
Don Mulligan can be reached at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. To read the entire column, go to theoutdoorpage.com.
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