An Ounce of Prevention
Treat your tools and yourself right with this great gear.
Sure, it can be a hassle running around looking for gifts during this special time of year when everybody else is doing the same thing, but for every person who swears this is the year they’re putting their foot down — saying “no” to conspicuous consumption, shouting “NO MORE!” from the reindeer-infested rooftop to the madding crowd below — there are exactly the same number of people climbing down from the rooftop and heading to the mall. (They’re the same people.) You’re going to do the same thing, trust us, but have no fear: We do not, and will not, judge. Instead, we’ll supply this Gear Guide so that you can find the middle ground, i.e., picking the perfect gift for someone from whom you can borrow that very same gift.
Get fired up. Find that sweet spot between “early adopter” and “basically a Luddite” with the Biolite Campstove 2+, a compact stove that burns organic material (i.e., twigs and leaves and such) to not only do normal campfire things — boil water, cook food, etc, — but also charge electronic devices like your precious cellular phone. Further complicate your triangular relationship with the Stone and Space ages with the Biolite Solar Panel 100, a compact and portable solar apparatus that harnesses the power of the very Sun in order to keep you Wordle streak alive. A host of Biolite’s paleo-modern wonders can be found locally at Ozark Outdoor Supply, or you can see a preview at bioliteenergy.com.
Stay charged up. Take advantage of that sweet, sweet modern technology without the extra step of building a fire with a portable battery. Central Arkansas outdoor emporium Fish ‘N Stuff has a complete line of Dark Energy Poseidon Pro Power Banks. They’re built to withstand an Arkansas-grade beating and be good to go for three full phone charges (500 recharge cycles). Check it and other outdoor accessories out at Fish ‘N-Stuff’s Sheridan location (7473 Warden Road) or in the ether at fishnstuff.com.
Pack it up. Lots of different outdoors activities require lots of different and very specific kinds of gear, but a backpack is something that just about every outdoor enthusiast is going to need at some point. And while even a backpack can get to be awful specific to this or that activity, a backpack is way more likely to be useful across way more activities than just about any other part of an outdoor kit. And in our humble opinion, a hunting backpack is the most versatile type of this most versatile piece of gear, with one of the thickest intersections of this particular Venn diagram nicely accommodating the Trophyline C.A.Y.S. 2.0. While tailored to the needs of saddle hunters, the C.A.Y.S. 2.0 utilizes space, pockets, tie-down sites, durability and weather resistance in such a way to make it handy for any hunter, hiker, trekker, geocacher, student, or anyone else that might need to get out for the afternoon, or even a day or three. It’s also a moderately priced rig available locally at Fish ‘N-Stuff. Hit them up and grab your newest, most versatile possession at 7473 Warden Road in Sheridan, or fishnstuff.com.
Bow up. If you’ve got a young Robin Hood or Katniss Evergreen on your list this year, think about placing an Easton Beginner Recurve Bow Archery Kit under the tree. This ambidextrous recurve bow is a lightweight 1.3 pounds and, more importantly, can be set at a 10-pound draw weight (maximum 20 ponds) suitable for the mighty-yet-tiny arrow-slinger on your gift list. The kit comes with three arrows and a quiver, finger protector and armguard, and a sight to go along with the bow; or, you can leave off the frills and get the bow by itself. No matter the setup, you’ll find it, and the expertise to get you started, at Fish ‘N-Stuff, located in Sheridan and also at fishnstuff.com.
Get clean. There are three times when you should be prepared to clean, adjust, or otherwise maintain any firearm: just before you store it for the off-season, the second you retrieve it to prepare for the upcoming season, and every other time, ever. That’s pretty much all of the time(s), so it’s best to be prepared. Get yourself or someone on your list ready for responsible action with the Sportsmans’s Range Box Universal Gun Cleaning Kit from Otis Technology. A universal cleaning kit suitable for rifles, pistols, shotguns, and inline muzzleloaders, the Otis Range Box provides a portable go-to cleaning kit for any firearm enthusiast who is past the “3-in-1 and a rag” stage but well within the “they ain’t got that” stage. Check out this and other firearm accessories at otistec.com.
You’re all Whet! The dark winter months are a good time for making sure your gear is up to snuff, and the holiday season is a good time for gadgetry. Get a dose of both by boxing up a proper sharpening setup, such as the Work Sharp Precision Adjust knife sharpening system available at Bass Pro Shops (1 Bass Pro Drive, Little Rock, or basspro.com)
Or or a more traditional (and local!) take on knife sharpening, pick up a genuine Arkansas whetstone. Novaculite (whetstone) from what is now known as Garland and Hot Spring counties has been traded amongst native tribes since before recorded history and European settlers since their arrival. Pick up a piece of very useful history today at Historical Arkansas Museum Gift Shop in Little Rock, or any one of several Arkansas State Park gift shops (find parks and check for availability at arkansasstateparks.com).
Listen up! Protect your hearing and get the drop on your quarry at with Axil TRACKR ear muffs. Axil ear muffs (or buds) amplify quiet sounds in the woods but block loud (82 decibels) sounds, and are also bluetooth-enabled. Survey the extent of this brave new world at goaxil.com and check local availability at Bass Pro Shops.
All images courtesy of vendors
