Our 2022 Gear & Gift Guide II completes a fine year of testing the best and brightest outdoor gear. We tried, tested, abused and loved them all. We hope you feel the same way and there are lots of links to click on to purchase and support these companies, large and small.
LaCrosse Alphaburly Pro 18″ Forest Green boots
A few seasons ago, I purchased a pair of Lacrosse boots, loved, used and cared for them and one day they leaked. It happens. Outdoors folk live in real worlds where those tools we need are more than TV commercials; we need tough gear because we fish and hunt and love life to extremes so gear is expected to perform. We don’t wear boots to be seen with a fancy drink looking like we just went somewhere muddy, we wear them because we get after it and don’t care to waste time reading about some limited this or that warranty. And sometimes gear gives in. I called, LaCrosse answered. I returned, they honored. LaCrosse customer service proved themselves remarkable and precisely how customer service should be.
Now I wear LaCrosse Alphaburly Pro 18″ Forest Green boots with 800 grams of Thinsulate Ultra insulation. They keep me warm and dry for hours in a winter kayak with little foot motion to provide heat.
That’s critically important and just as much as if you are in a tree stand or cold, wet duck blind. That’s not when gear should fail. Already they have proven themselves solid, dry, warm and supremely comfortable with minimal break in time. You can haul fish to shore, drag deer from stand to tailgate and carry groceries from trunk to scupway without concern because LaCrosse made these boots right. LaCrosse designed then constructed a rugged, handsome, tough pair of boots for people who rip labels off and get to it. Cinch up a topside strap, go deep and don’t worry about your boots. If you need the right pair of warm, waterproof boots, Alphaburly Pros are the ones. $230.00 www.lacrossefootwear.com
Lucas Oil Gun Cleaner and Gun Oil
Our 2022 Gear & Gift Guide II needed a product we need and love. We have long had a fine relationship with Lucas Oil products and these additions did not disappoint. When you spend hard-earned dollars on a firearm, it deserves elemental protection. Lucas Oil, a family Missouri company has developed a balanced system to clean and protect your important possessions. Marketing majors will horse trade supposed elixirs for your firearm but honestly, what we need is quality, logical recipes to clean away carbon and powder residue then add layer of protectant to keep moisture at bay. One of the Lucas Oil company values is “We are problem solvers.” Their gun cleaner and oil are a simple solution to an annual problem.
Even in climate controlled safes, firearms need a coating. Forget the gimmicks. Forget what’s on sale. I trust Lucas Oil to protect everything in my safe, from a light 22 pistol to a large, shadow casting home invasion deterrent. Lucas Oil built their family reputation by designing high quality products for specific needs and for the shooting sports enthusiasts or high-end firearm collectors, these two combine to clean and preserve.
Gear and Gift Guide For The Holidays
Go Sun Sport E
“Really?” “No way.” “You have to be kidding me.” “There’s just no way.” I said all of that as my Go Sun Sport E cooked pizza strips on a cloudy tailgate. With a damp south wind, laundry stayed wet all day but the Go Sun gathered heat and cooked lunch. This clever invention, which is the most creative and somehow logical addition to our 2022 Gear & Gift Guide II, harnesses reflected sun rays to cook food and heat water. It will change our outdoor cooking options in places with little or no power or honestly, it’s fun to cook in the backyard, or driveway as it were, without plugging in. It was easy to set up, has only a few essential parts and basic how-to’s. It sits on a sturdy metal frame, should be turned to follow the sun (yes, they provide a guide for that) and packs into a travel case.
As we consumers demand more of the grid then complain about alternative energy technologies bothering our views, the Go Sun is a simple, smart, practical alternative that heats to 550°. Tailgating? No need to carry charcoal or tuck a hot grill under your car at game time. Backyard lounging? Load in bread, veggies and some sauce and relax while the sun takes care of the cooking. Apps, tenders and dips will be ready in short order. And you can even boil water for coffee or tea. Truth be told, on that cloudy damp day, with almost no sunshine and thick overhead clouds, I was getting hot pepperoni grease on my keyboard in less than 15 minutes. That’s real world right there. If you get way, pack a Go Sun Sport E; it weighs just seven pounds, hold 40 ounces of food and is available in three models. $279 www.gosun.com.
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