Classic Gear

Frost River “Isle Royal Jr.” Bushcraft Pack

Smithhammer — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 05:00:19 +0000

I was ideally looking for a pack that would be a once-in-a-lifetime purchase, and I can’t remember the last time I deliberated and researched this much before buying a piece of gear. But that’s exactly what I did before making the leap and giving the folks at Frost River a call to order their “Isle Royal Jr.” Bushcraft Pack. I had explored a number of similar, ultimately less worthy, alternatives, before finally reaching the conclusion that nothing else so perfectly embodied what I was looking for. Thankfully, all this deliberation paid off, and my hunch about the excellent quality and usefulness of a Frost River pack was dead-on. In fact, if anything, I had underestimated.

Late season grouse chasing with my Frost River pack.

My FR pack has seen a fair bit of use in the past month – everything from hiking to ski touring to hunting to travel, and I can’t say enough about how well built this pack is. Every single attachment point, buckle and seam has been executed with amazing attention to detail that is very rare to find anymore. The pockets are well thought out and useful, while the overall pack remains purpose-built and uncomplicated.

A few details:

Side view showing lashing, side pocket and leather side strap. Great place to lash a machete, poles, folding saw, etc:

Top view with the pack open, showing the pocket under the top flap and the size of the external pockets – each pocket offering ample room to accommodate a water bottle:

In this view you can see the hatchet/’hawk sleeve between the two external pockets. Also, behind each of the external pockets, there is another deep pocket, each with a brass grommet drain hole in the bottom:

Sturdy leather lash points on the bottom of the pack:

The attachment points for the shoulder strap yoke has to be seen to be believed. I’m pretty confident that I will wear out long before they ever do. View from the outside the pack:

And the view of the shoulder yoke attachment from inside the pack:

There is ample room for an overnight, or several night, trip with this pack, depending on how much you carry. The “Jr” version of this pack does not have a waist strap, which personally I like in a pack this size, because it won’t interfere with things I might have on my belt, such as a knife. However, if you’d prefer one, I’m sure you could ask the folks at Frost River to put one on for you.

As I hope is evident from these pics, this is an absolutely tremendous piece of gear that embodies the whole reason why we first started this blog - gear that you will have to spend time wearing in, rather than wondering how soon it will wear out.

At $280, the Isle Royal Jr. is not a cheap pack. But frankly, if you want cheap, go buy any one of a number of vastly inferior packs from the Big Box Temple of Outsourced Crap of your choice and cross your fingers that you get a few seasons out of it before the stitching implodes or the zipper blows. Or, you can invest in something that you will likely have for the rest of your life – maybe even pass down to someone else. An item that is made in the USA, by people who truly care about the goods they produce. Top it off with an honest lifetime guarantee. In the long run, which approach will cost more?

As an aside, when I called Frost River to order this pack, I was told that it wasn’t in stock. After taking so long to make a decision, my heart sank as I imagined several months of waiting. “No problem,” I was told on the phone. “We’ll start building it today, and it should go out by early next week at the latest.” The pack was built, shipped, and in my hands, in less than two weeks. I am thoroughly impressed with every aspect of this great company.

Click here to learn more about Frost River and the excellent line of goods that they offer.

Asbell Wool Pullover

Smithhammer — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:02:44 +0000

We’ve been covering a number of tried and true items so far, but they’ve mostly been from bigger-name manufacturers. We’re now going to switch gears a bit, and over the next several posts, focus on lesser-known producers of excellent outdoor goods.

It’s hard to imagine something that reflects the “cottage industry” approach more than the products offered by the Asbells. All of their fantastic wool items are sewn by one woman, out of her home. Her name is Teresa Asbell, and she’s been producing high quality wool garments for over 30 years. Her husband is G. Fred Asbell, well-known in traditional archery circles as the author of several books on instinctive shooting and hunting. Together, the Asbells run a small online store, selling a handful of items that they have personally developed and use.

I have really come to love their hooded wool pullovers, and now own several. They are well-made, warm, and great for everything from hunting to hanging out. Handwarmer pockets and a roomy hood make this a layer one can truly “hunker down” in, if needed. Despite all the hi-tec fabrics available today, you still can’t beat good wool for warmth, breathability and durability, coupled with performance when wet.

The versatile, handmade, Asbell hooded pullover.

Variations include a sleeveless, hooded version for milder weather, and a heavier weight, “Macinaw” that consists of two pieces – the pullover, and a separate shoulder/hood combo. A variety of plaid patterns, and a few solids colors, are available. For the quality – both of the wool itself, and of Theresa’s workmanship, these items are very reasonably priced ($50-$80), and may be the best deal in a versatile outdoor wool garment that can be found anywhere.

The wool that is used in the Asbell pullovers all comes from sheep raised in the US, and all labor involved is domestic (as an aside, I would recommend avoiding garments made of “recycled wool” – the process strips the wool of much of its natural lanolin coating, resulting in a product that is far less water and wind resistant).

You can see the variety of Asbell pullovers, and the rest of their great products – including some very interesting knives, at this link.

(p.s. – we hope you like this shift in focus, and please – since many of these types of items tend to “fly under the radar,” feel free to give us a heads-up if you know of a product that you think would qualify.)

Buck Ranger Skinner (#113)

Smithhammer — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:00:50 +0000

I have a great deal of admiration for custom knife builders, and truly hope to have enough disposable income to own one, or several, of my own some day. But in the meantime, I seek out affordable production knives that I feel offer great quality for the price (I’d probably also be paranoid about using a knife that costs several hundred dollars…).

For these and many other reasons, I have a deep affection for classic Buck knives. The best examples are made in the USA, and are some of the best all-around, serviceable field knives you can find for the money, in my opinion. I recently discovered the model #113, introduced last year, and it perfectly embodies everything that made so many of us fall in love with the venerable #110 Folding Hunter years ago.

The Buck #113 Ranger Skinner

While this is a newer Buck model, it has that classic Buck “look” that would lead you to believe they’ve been producing this knife for the last 50 years. You could lay it right next to your old #110 (or #112) and they would instantly be recognized as having come from the same mother. For anyone who has wished for a fixed blade version of their classic Buck folding knife, this is it.

The #113 comes with a 3-1/8″ hollow-ground, heat-tempered 420HC blade and a full tang. 420HC can vary in terms of quality and edge retention – much of the final result comes down to the method of heat treating. But Buck has been at it for a long time and knows how to do it right – their proprietary heat treating process produces a 420HC that is great at holding an edge, easy to sharpen, and offers good corrosion resistance.

While the thick leather belt sheath doesn’t have a strap, the knife fits into it deeply and securely, with no movement. I wouldn’t worry about it falling out of the sheath at all. Brass bolster and pins, and a lanyard hole in the comfortable Macassar ebony handle. Backed by Buck’s “Forever” warranty. If you want an all-around, practical camp/hunting knife that is built to last, with classic looks, that won’t break the bank, it’s hard to imagine something that fits the bill better than the Buck #113.

Bear Kodiak Magnum

Smithhammer — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:00:45 +0000

Traditional archery is seeing a bit of a resurgence these days, as some folks consciously decide to take a step back from the over-abundance of technology that has come to define so much of modern hunting. Whether simply for target practice or for serious game chasing, being able to accurately shoot a bow without range-finders, sight pins, stabilizers, mechanical triggers and all the other accoutrements of a modern compound arrow machine, is a great skill to have, and just a heckuva lot of fun. One could also argue that while your effective range might be slightly less with a trad bow (which is where good stalking skills come into play), you are also choosing to shoot something with far fewer things to malfunction or break, and therefore an implement that is significantly more reliable – always a plus in the backcountry.

From the 1962 Bear Archery Catalog

It’s hard to imagine traditional archery, or archery in our day and age at all, without talking about the iconic Fred Bear. Along with other archery advocates of the mid-20th century, such as Damon Howatt, Ben Pearson, Art Laha and others, Fred Bear continues to personify the qualities of classic traditional woodsmanship. While there are many talented bowmakers working today, and more excellent choices in recurves and longbows than ever before, there will always be something special, and historically significant, about the traditional Bear bows that were built during Fred’s heyday.

My favorite Bear design would have to be the classic Kodiak Magnum, particularly those produced between the early ’60′s and early 70′s. A great bow for shorter draw lengths, and for use in a blind or tree stand, this snappy, hard-hitting 52″ recurve is one of the best-selling Bear models of all time, and the classic versions are still highly sought after and collected. Yet one can still find vintage K-Mags on various online auction sites occasionally.

My beloved 1970 K-Mag

In my opinion, the quality of materials, and the craftsmanship, of Bear bows from that era represent the pinnacle of what Bear Archery has produced throughout its long history. If you are lucky enough to find one of these bows that has been well-cared for, it will shoot every bit as well, and be just as effective of a hunting bow, as it was when it was made (I was lucky enough to find a pristine, 1970 K-Mag from the original owner for half of what a new one sells for).

You can find more information about the history of Bear Archery, and about collecting historical Bear products, at this link.

Irish Setter #838 & 894

Smithhammer — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 02:06:19 +0000

Close your eyes and picture the quintessential, traditional hunting boot. Chances are you picture the Irish Setter shown below, whether you know it or not. This was the hunting boot that first put Irish Setter on the map, and has been often imitated (though in my mind, no one has improved on it).

Irish Setter #894 boots, just starting to get broken in.

The Wingshooter pictured above is available in several different models. The “Prarie Outsole” is the one pictured above, and is available in a 6″ model (the #838) and a 9″ (the #894).

In my experience, the Prarie sole provides great traction and doesn’t get clogged with mud the way a lot of heavier, lug-sole type boots will. I’ve tried a number of similar upland boots from other, well-known and highly-regarded manufacturers over the years, and none have surpassed this boot for immediate comfort right out of the box, combined with excellent dryness and durability over the long haul.