This will be our last net for the year. The emphasis for our gift suggestions will be Made in USA. There is sufficient time between now and the 25th to order something for the outdoor guy or gal on your list.
1. TruArc™ 3 Compass By Brunton
Every one who hikes or travels into unfamiliar areas NEEDS a good compass as well as the skill to know how to use it. I have been using Brunton compasses since my Boy Scout days, many, many years ago, with nary a failure. Their current version includes a delineation tool, a very nice addition when using paper maps.
This is what they say:
For less than $25. you can have an invaluable tool that every adventurer should carry (and probably 2, just as a backup.)Our best-selling baseplate compass – a classic yet modern navigation tool. Brunton reliability, a TruArc™ Global Needle, & tool-free declination adjustment make this compass an essential on any trail. Made in the USA in Riverton, Wyoming.
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2. Wicked Knife Sharpener, Series 60
If you have an EDC knife, or even a favorite knife for outdoor adventures, like camping, hunting or hiking, regular use, whether for cutting cardboard boxes or for camp chores, will sooner or later (and probably sooner) necessitate touch-up to bring it back to a really sharp blade. For a quick and professional sharpening job every time, good sharpening tools should be on every outdoor adventurer's work bench. Wicked Edge makes high quality sharpeners.
They say this about their series 60 sharpeners ($235.)
The 60 Series Precision Knife Sharpeners provide a portable sharpening experience balanced with durability and versatility. With a range of options to build the perfect sharpener for you, the 60 Series is perfect for sharpening greenhorns and experts alike.
Features:
Premium 200/600 Grit Diamond Stones provide an excellent working edge for all of your pocket EDCs
It can be secured to any hard, flat surface with the included C-clamp, the optional Aluminum Base, or directly mounted to a work surface through the predrilled holes in the base
Lightweight and compact for easy home storage or travel
Customizable features allow you the freedom to build the sharpener that fits your needs
Designed, manufactured, and assembled in the USA
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My EDC after a Wicked edge sharpening:
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3. Fisher Cap-O-Matic Space Pens and Water Proof Notebooks
A pen that works in the most extreme environments, is reliable, durable and can write on almost any surface, is a perfect match for the type of remote country travels we enjoy. That is when coupled with a notebook filled with waterproof paper.
They say this about the cap-0-matic:
At Fisher Space Pen, we note several models of pens that we consider to be the “backbone” of our business. The classic Cap-O-Matic Space Pen
[is] truly the blue-collar, workhorse of [our pens]the. Single hand activation makes this model the pen of choice for construction crews, law enforcement, firefighters, military, first responders, medical professionals, outdoorsman and women and anyone who demands dependability in their writing instruments. The non-reflective matte black powder coat finish is durable, while aesthetically appealing to the eye. The creation of the Cap-O-Matic allowed Fisher Space Pen to offer the same technology used by astronauts, in a single hand activation but at a price that everyone can afford!
The Cap-O-Matic line utilizes cap activation to extend and retract the point, and each carries a pressurized PR style ink refill cartridge, which means that they offer all of the unique capabilities that are synonymous with Fisher products: they will write upside down - at any angle, under water, through grease, extreme temperatures (-30 to +250 degrees F), on almost any surface, three times longer than the average pen, and of course in the gravity free vacuum of space, and all of our pens are lifetime guaranteed for quality against all manufacturing defects.
The Cap-O Matic:
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Special Paper Notebooks
Several outfits make paper suitable for our uses, including waterproof, tear proof, and durable. Your research will help you decide. One such outfit is Field Notes. They say this about their Expedition notebook ($15.00):
The body pages feature our popular dot-graph paper printed in light gray. But the real innovation here is the paper. It’s maybe not even fair to call it paper. The whole book is printed on Yupo Synthetic paper, an amazing tearproof and waterproof paper extruded from polypropylene pellets in Chesapeake, Virginia. We could go on and on about our new notebooks’ durability and incredible properties (especially in concert with our Space Pen), and we will, in this series of 12 (reasonably) scientific tests:The body pages feature our popular dot-graph paper printed in light gray. But the real innovation here is the paper. It’s maybe not even fair to call it paper. The whole book is printed on Yupo Synthetic paper, an amazing tearproof and waterproof paper extruded from polypropylene pellets in Chesapeake, Virginia. We could go on and on about our new notebooks’ durability and incredible properties (especially in concert with our Space Pen), and we will, in this series of 12 (reasonably) scientific tests:
TEST 1: WATERPROOF
TEST 2: VISIBILITY
TEST 3: WIND RESISTANCE
TEST 4: BALLISTICS
TEST 5: VACUUM
TEST 6: TENSILE STRENGTH
TEST 7: COMPRESSION
TEST 8: ACID RESISTANCE
TEST 9: FLAME RESISTANCE
TEST 10: EXTREME TEMPERATURE
TEST 11: ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
TEST 12: ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE
TEST 1: WATERPROOF
TEST 2: VISIBILITY
TEST 3: WIND RESISTANCE
TEST 4: BALLISTICS
TEST 5: VACUUM
TEST 6: TENSILE STRENGTH
TEST 7: COMPRESSION
TEST 8: ACID RESISTANCE
TEST 9: FLAME RESISTANCE
TEST 10: EXTREME TEMPERATURE
TEST 11: ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
TEST 12: ELECTRICAL RESISTANCEhttps:/[/quote]
Source for quote and picture: https://fieldnotesbrand.com/products/expedition
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4. Husky Liners X-act Contour Vehicle Floor Liners
Until very recently, every vehicle I have owned, suffered from inadequate, cheap, almost worthless floor mats. Most were postage stamp sized little things that did little to protect the stock floor carpeting. Recently however, It seems that the popularity of 4WD vehicles included some improved quality floor mats that offer a greater level of protection. But not always. As is so often the case, the after market filled this void. Case in point is Husky floor liners. On a recently acquired vehicle, despite having the very best factory floor liners I have yet seen. I decided to replace them with the Husky Liners X-act Contour Floor Liners. Results on the net.
Husky says this about the X-liners(about $140.00 for front liners):
Their Warranty:Nothing fits your vehicle better or protects longer than Husky X-act Contour®. These liners combine laser-scanned, exact fit with a no-slip, DuraGrip™ surface and a softer feel. Plus, the rock-solid stability delivered by your vehicle’s factory retention posts and our Stay-Put Nibs™ means a no-slip, no-slide, surface with absolutely zero compromise in protection. They’re built to stand up to whatever you’re laying down, from muddy cleats to leaking groceries, with our FormFit Edge™ to keep whatever spills contained for easy cleanup. Built for a lifetime of high performance, warrantied the same. Proudly made in the USA
Husky Liners® guarantees to the original purchaser of Husky Liners® products that they will not break or tear under normal usage during the life of the motor vehicle in/on which they are installed.
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5. Duckworth Merino Wool Clothing Company
Some of my favorite American companies, are the ones that take great pride in making all their products right here in the USA, - not with globally sourced components, not just designed in the USA, and not just assembled in the USA, but really ALL made in the USA, from start to finish. Duckworth is wildly enthusiastic about the origin of their products and they say this:
We don’t source wool, we grow it on our very own ranch in Montana, forging excellence in the face of hostile terrain and climate. We carefully manage every step of the process, from fiber to finished garment. From Sheep to Shelf, Montana born, USA made.
Their clothing is made with Merino wool that has "an incredibly soft, durable fiber with exceptional loft and breathability thanks to an unparalleled degree of "crimp" within the fleece. With knit clothing, you want a lot of stretch and comfort, and that fiber gives it a unique natural stretch."
My favorites are their shirts and jackets. Made to perform, last a long time, and naturally water, snow and wind resistant.
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Even their supply and distribution chain is focused on local USA businesses.
