Gear Notes: Spring/Summer 2011
New Stuff That Works John Markwell
The CRKT Eat’N Tool is a handy fi eld utensil. It weighs only an ounce or two and beats using your fi ngers or a pocket knife.
mint sojourn as I write this. Traveling west for varmint hunting is always en- joyable but having new gear to try out only enhances the experience. What follows are brief reviews of the new items we found useful and fun during our 39 days of varminting in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. THERON BINOCULAR
W With a distinctly European look,
this Chinese-manufactured binocular offers outdoorsmen a quality optic with a lifetime manufacturer defect warranty. I used the Theron 8x42mm Wapati ED-APO binocular, from Predator Optics LLC (pictured on next page) almost every day on my latest western varmint shooting trip. Edge to edge clarity of this glass
was excellent, as was color defi nition. I did not use the Wapatis in any low light conditions but I did spend a lot of time using them. Most important
e have just returned from our annual western var-
Bottom: The GOD’A Grip ammo grip attached to a fi berglass rifl e stock. This handy cartridge carrier leaves the comb of the stock uncluttered and requires no duct tape (as shown above) to keep it in place.
to me was the fact that my eyes didn’t feel “beat up” after a day of using this roof prism bino in the varmint fi elds. The three-position eye cups made use with glasses a breeze and focusing was quick and positive once the right dioptor was adjusted. I did not baby this glass a bit. Upon receiving it, I immediately took off the lens caps (as I consider these things a pain). Riding on the dash of the truck, or over my shoulder in the Mule, the Theron 8x42 took a good deal of abuse and sur- vived to go on an antelope hunt with the importer, after being returned. For around $400 I believe the Theron Wapati is a pretty good bargain in today’s optics market. RANGER EDGE SHOOTING GLASSES FROM RANDOLPH ENGINEERING Having had several blown case
heads erupt in my face when shooting my Kimber 17M2 1911 pistol, I value good shooting glasses. The Ranger Edge glasses (next
The Vanguard 1QS bipod mounted on the Colt 6720 Coyotes rifl e using the Quick Shoe Rail adaptor on the front sling swivel stud. The lower rifl e shows the Quick Shoe Rail in place. Since the WS rail occupies the rifl e’s swivel stud, it has a provision for sling attachment.
page) here have not saved my bacon yet, but are worn pretty religiously now when handgun shooting. The frames of the RE Ranger line of glasses carry a lifetime warranty on all sol- der joints and the clip lens mounting system is simple, yet secure. The nose bridge is adjustable for a custom fi t and the nose pads are made of a soft silicone and are truly nonslip. They even give you extra nose pads in the included repair kit. The lens material is NexPC which
is fi ve to six times more impact re- sistant than standard polycarbonate. The optical quality of these lenses is absolutely superb. They are 100% dis- tortion free and scratch resistant. There are lens colors available to meet all lighting conditions. The Edges come in a compartmented hard case designed for secure storage of the glasses, spare lenses, and accessories. The RE Ranger Edge shooting glasses retail for $159.00 and are worth every penny, in my
www.varminthunter.org Page 87
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