ESPN Outdoors

Staff picks: What's hot from SHOT, Part 4

Top new products from the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show

By Brian Lynn
ESPNOutdoors.com associate editor

Ten steps into the Las Vegas Convention Center I knew that I had forgotten something — tennis shoes. While covered with thick carpet, the concrete floors of the convention center will bruise your heels and wear you down nearly as fast as a hike into the backcountry.

With more than 529,000 square feet of exhibitor space and 1,610 exhibitors, the 2004 Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show and Conference set records for attendance, sales and more. A cornucopia of firearms, decoys, apparel, game calls, treestands and anything else an outdoor enthusiast could possibly dream about, the SHOT Show is easy to get sidetracked in, hard to cover thoroughly and a joy to get lost in while wandering from booth to booth.

Below you will find some of the top items I found in during my journey through the premier trade show aimed squarely at the outdoor consumer.

Wiley Flexblind

Wiley Outdoor Products, makers of Flextone game calls, has created an affordable blind that features two camouflage patterns and easy installation on virtually any boat from 12 to 20 feet.

The Flexblind is made of 600-denier polyester that is double-treated with a waterproof and windproof polyurethane coating. The blind has Mossy Oak's Shadow Grass on one side and Break up on the other for hunting in either flooded timber or lakeside reeds — brush loops also allow you to add local vegetation to the blind for increased concealment.

Rubber-coated quick-clamp brackets secure to the side of your boat with a 9/16-inch wrench while not damaging the finish of your boat. The brackets are completely adjustable to create a low- or high-profile blind using a push-pin button and height-adjustable support poles. Between pole points, the blind is supported by high-strength shock cord that simply flexes out of your way during shooting and can be tightened or loosened for personal preference.

MSRP: $399-$499

More info: http://www.wileyoutdoorproducts.com/

Rivers West apparel

Rivers West, a small Seattle-based company, makes some awesome apparel that is lightweight, warm and truly waterproof. I sat on stand last year for 16 hours in pouring rain wearing their Ranger ATJ jacket and stayed perfectly dry. For 2004 the company has several products worth mentioning, here are just two of them.

The Guide Series Ambush Jacket features a radial collar, two d-rings, two hand-warmer pockets, two cargo pockets, a weatherproof front zipper, detachable hood with drawstring, underarm pit-zips for ventilation, and a four-inch shirt-tail hem that gives your backside waterproof protection when you take a seat at the base of a tree. Available in medium to 3XL sizes and in Mossy Oak Break-Up, Mossy Oak Shadow Grass and Realtree Hardwoods Green patterns.

MSRP: $219

Rivers West's Upland Pant is made of the company's water- and snag-proof H2P heavy canvas along the legs to thwart brush and burrs. The upper section of the pant is made of soft H2P waterproof fleece for comfort and flexibility. The pants feature zip fly, seven belt loops, two utility pockets, an elasticized back waist, lycra crotch gusset, two extra-deep front pockets and a zippered back pocket. The best part is the ventilation the pants feature for when those chilly mornings turn into warm afternoons. Twelve-inch, weatherproof leg zippers with Cool-Max vents allow air to flow into and out of the pants while keeping brush and debris out. Available in medium to 2XL, and in tan or Moss/Tan patterns.

MSRP: $169

More info: http://www.riverswest.com/

Dokken Deadfowl Diver and Skimmer

Tom Dokken, a professional dog trainer and owner of Dokken's Deadfowl Trainer — makers of realistic retriever dummies — saw a need to mimic the actions of a crippled duck diving or skittering across the surface of the water in an attempt to escape a dog. His Deadfowl Diver and Skimmer dummy does just that.

And, because the success of the dog is everything when training, retriever owners and trainers can be sure they are building the confidence of their pup with every retrieve.

Using a fishing rod, the dummy is cast into the water and then the dog is sent for the retrieve. As the dog nears the dummy, simply begin reeling and the dummy will dive. As the dog circles looking for the duck, stop reeling and it will pop back to the surface. You can then make it dive again or let the dog catch the dummy. When you do let the dog complete the retrieve by grabbing the dummy, a pull on the rod will release the connection device from the dummy and allow the dog to return to hand with the dummy — tangle free.

MSRP: $29.99

More info: http://www.deadfowltrainer.com/

Flambeau dog training bag

Known for their decoys, Flambeau decided that in 2004 they would take care of the real hunter of the wetlands — the retriever. Their new dog-training bag is tan and blaze orange and features zippered pockets on the outside for accessories and a shoulder strap for comfortable transport, as well as large mesh pockets for wet training bumpers.

The inside of the bag is designed for maximum storage flexibility with a unique, adjustable, velcro divider system. Flambeau's training bag has a reinforced hard-plastic bottom and padded walls to protect from the inside out. Rounding out the features are a portable, collapsible water bowl for when your pooch needs to cool down with a drink, a mesh transport bag for additional bumpers and a blaze orange bumper to get started with retrieving.

MSRP: $49.99

More info: http://www.flambeau.com/

Eberlestock Just One Pack

As a hunter and member of U.S. National Biathlon Team for eight years, including a stint as a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team, Glen Eberle has been designing and redesigning the Just One Pack for the last 10 years.

The load-bearing, internal-frame backpack is made with the hunter in mind. Featuring a removable quick-draw scabbard for your rifle, you can hike hands-free but still have immediate access to it in case you stumble upon game. Next to the scabbard is a water bladder system for those long hikes into the backcountry. The pack has several compression straps that allow you to attach items such as a sleeping bag, tent or trophy elk rack!

The patent-pending expanding design allows the pack to be compact, yet expand to pack meat out of camp. With plenty of storage space and pockets, the Just One Pack is perfect for the rifleman, bowhunter or even fisherman.

MSRP: $200

More info: http://www.eberlestock.com/index.htm

Arctic Shield X-Scent base layer

Arctic Shield, makers of extreme cold-weather clothing, revealed their X-Scent apparel line at the 2004 SHOT Show. Powered by X-STATIC, the base layer is an advanced scent elimination system developed for the hunting industry to control body odor in any environment.

X-Scent apparel uses pure silver fibers to control body odor by binding silver ions to bacteria cells, denatured proteins and ammonia molecules. And unlike scent suppression garments that use activated carbon, X-Scent apparel doesn't fill up so it doesn't need to be reactivated in a dryer. And, the suppression effectiveness won't wash out like treated fabric.

More than ten years of testing and research by several major universities, the medical industry, and the U.S. Military have shown X-STATIC's scent-control technology to be effective.

Breathable and thermodynamic, the base layer — which includes shirt, pants, socks, head cover and gloves — will keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter while providing scent control.

MSRP: $119

More info: http://www.arcticshield.com/

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