Zeiss, Badlands,Core 4 Element, and More: Reviews Soon to Come

Hey guys!

Just wanted to let you know I'm busy beating some stuff up and will post some new reviews shortly!

Reviews to come include:

A sweet pair of Zeiss binos, compliments of my over trusting friend Dan Millard.

Badlands 2200 Pack

Badlands Binocular Case

Some sweet Core 4 Element camo

Beman MFX Bone Collector Arrows

Ripcord Code Red Fall Away Rest

Under Armour Speed Freak Gore Tex Boots

I'm not a big believer in guys taking a pack for a 15 minute leisurely stroll through their back yard and raving about how durable it is on their blog. That being said, I'm going to push everything I have to the limit and make sure it performs before I recommend it to you guys. I like to actually USE this stuff before I say anything about it; some reviews will come before others. In the meantime, I'm having a lot of fun using this stuff. 

Ok, ok, ok. . . here's a sneak preview.

A Crisp White Cross in the Charred Dust: A Memorial to Fallen Heroes

On June 3, 2012 two very brave men lost their lives when their Lockheed P2V-7 went down behind the fire line carrying 1,600 gallons of fuel and 2,000 gallons of fire retardant, bound to be dropped to suppress the White Rock Fire burning along the Southwest border of Nevada and Utah.

The story went National and there was much talk about these two men and the conditions surrounding the accident. The loss of a life is always sad but this one hit close to home with me as I have friends that are wild land fire fighters and I am very familiar with the area. In fact, that specific are of the state is where I spent many weekend with my family, killed my first elk, and have been making weekly trips to scout for my upcoming archery elk hunt.

Last weekend my father and I made a trip out to the area to look for elk and take a look at the damage that the fire had done. Having seen the aerial photos of the fire I knew which road we needed to take to get along the southern border and was interested to see how the fire had changed the familiar landscape.

After a couple hours of driving from my fathers house in Cedar City we were on a small winding dirt road entering the southwestern corner of the White Rock burn. The fire ultimately left a 6,270 acre scar on the land and a hole in the hearts of countless family members and fellow firefighters.

As we made our way through the scorched black earth and the remnants of pinion and juniper trees I couldn't help but think about the two men that I had never met as I saw a perfect line on the other side of the road that was still thick with trees and brush. . . . covered in orange fire retardant. As we drove deeper in to the burn, having seen the aerial photographs, I was aware that we were approaching where I thought the crash site might be. It was then that something up ahead caught my eye, amidst the charred trees and black ground there was something white, pristine, and untouched.

Capt. Todd Neal Topkins and First Officer Ronnie Edwin Chambless, both from Boise, Idaho, lost their lives on this hillside. This memorial is there to commemorate their service, dedication, hard work, and spirit.

The feeling of being in that spot was surreal. It was an overcast day but being early evening the sun was beginning to peak through the high clouds as it approached the horizon. As I bent down to take this picture the sun was shining through and creating a very bright contrast between the cross and the burned ground around it. It was quiet. . . . .beautiful. . . . . and intense. Behind the cross sits a piece of the plane and some small tools salvaged from the wreckage. I knelt in the charred dust and said a small prayer before I left; asking that Todd and Ronnie know that I appreciated their hard work, that I will always think about them and their families every time I make the trip out there, and that their comrades worldwide be protected. I dropped a tear in the dust for some souls that I had never met.

I'd like to say thank you to all those that have fought, or continue to fight, these fires. You don't get much attention but please know that you are absolutely appreciated and admired by many.

As my father and I got back in the truck and drove away I thought a lot less about all of the problems and worries that have been plaguing my mind. . . . . and simply enjoyed the beautiful place I was in and the company of the man I was sharing it with.

The rest of the day was incredible.

 

William Joseph Knows How to Make a GREAT Pair of Waders

For a couple years now I have taken more then my fair share of verbal abuse from friends, fellow fisherman, and elderly couples exercising their dogs along the banks of the Provo River for my skin tight, suffocating, sweat inducing neoprene waders during the months of June and July.

Being equal parts stubborn and poor I simply deflected their pointed and sometimes hurtful criticism by out fishing them.

A couple weeks ago, after proving that despite my full body sweats and leg enhancing  neoprene waders I could still catch fish in 90 degree weather, I broke down and purchased a pair of V2 breathable waders from my friends at William Joseph.

Below is the post that I made upon making that fine purchase:

"I splurged for a couple new pairs of William Joseph waders; V-2's for myself and Drynamic's for my fly fishing/tying guru mother.
  

The William Joseph V-2





First Impressions: Being that I've been fishing with my old school neoprene's, these things are light and will look a lot less like I'm wearing a skin tight unitard on the water. I tried them on in the store and I'll have plenty of room to throw on a pair of thermal bottoms underneath to keep me warm in the winter months.



The William Joseph Drynamic



Up Side: Light weight, breathable, stylish and backed up by a bomb proof warranty. Remember that Badlands warranty? Guess who makes William Joseph. Yup, you guessed it.

Down Side: Being that I do have some more leg room and less ass definition I'm going to miss all of the cat calls from ladies on the river.   God bless the inherited fictional privilege of a fisherman.





I'm very much looking forward to the review on these: a day on the river is tough to beat. A day on the river with your mom, fishing with the flies that she ties herself. . . . .nearly impossible to beat. Plus, being the superstitious guy that I am if I do happen to get skunked for the fist time in my entire life (fisherman's   fictional privilege), I can blame it on the new waders being unlucky."

I did in fact get a chance to take my mother fishing on the Duchesne River that weekend and we had a great time. How did the waders perform? Flawlessly.

In the past all of my gear has been packed into a duffel bag, lugged out to my truck, and heaved over the side rail with both hands into the back. I fell in love with these waders before I could even sniff the water because due to the fact that they can be rolled up into the size of a shoe box I was able to fit everything I needed into my trusty for mentioned Black Ridge pack. Impressed as I was at this point, the best was yet to come.

The day we picked to fish was particularly hot and temperatures were in the high 80's by the time we hit the parking lot. No, friends, it's not hot in Hannah, Utah early in the morning; we got somewhat of a late start.  I would like to take this opportunity to point out that taking women fishing indeed requires a "little" extra preparation time. For example; if you would like to be fishing by 8 A.M. and you have an hour of drive time, it would be wise to set a small fire under your fire alarms at 3 A.M. so you can be on the water by 10 A.M. Enough education Messerly, on with the review.

I pulled the waders from my pack, slipped (not pulled and pried) them on, rigged up my outfit and was good to go. My mother did the same and then we both assisted my girlfriend Crystal with her neoprenes. Crystal is very good at putting up with my crap but the heat and her waders were soon to deny me of my ever recurring "one last cast and then we can go"; followed by a quick exit from the river and an awkward first ten minutes of the ride home.

The cool built in gravel guards
and my not so cool worn out boots.

The built in gravel guards are very handy and I liked that they were not only going to keep the sand and gravel out of my old wore out boots but that they also partially covered them up. New boots will be purchased and reviewed soon.

The neoprenes and an unfomfortable
Crystal.

Three hours into our afternoon I had yet to catch a fish but I was more comfortable than I had ever been not only standing in the river but working my way up the banks climbing fences, ducking limbs, and squatting down to sneak my Kings River Caddis into tight spots from the bank. I laughed at myself thinking how long I had waited to move to a breathable. Fortunately for me, I felt like I had picked up the best of the best in the process. There was no a cloud in a sky, the sun was pounding down on us and we were comfortable. . . . . well, two out of three of us were comfortable. Crystal, whom was excited and full of energy for hours 1 and 2 was looking annoyed. Her smile was gone, her waders were rolled down to her waist in an effort to stay cool, and she certainly was not impressed when I pretended to be a television news caster and asked her to speak into the branch I had extended toward her regarding her thoughts about fishing for a couple more hours. "I want to go home. There is a swamp inside my waders. Said swamp is not from an outside water source. I am done."

Being perfectly comfortable and dry I wanted to keep fishing. On the walk back to the car my pleas to make one more cast were denied, repeatedly, and not very politely.

Guys; want to fish longer and keep the significant other happier? Buy the waders.

At the end of the day my socks were as dry as they were when I put my waders on: no sweat and no leaks. Although I've definitely caught more fish I have never been more comfortable. There are velcro pockets inside the waders that provide quick and easy access to your camera or cell phone to snap a quick pick or skip a lame song on your Pandora too. These guys thought of everything.

Since that trip I have been four different times and my opinion has only become more and more positive. Just last night I crossed a barbed wire fence and make a pretty awkward dismount from the top wire; as I hit the ground my first thought as to reach for the huge hole that I was sure to find in the shin of my new waders. Much to my surprise, there was no hole. Granted, I'm sure you won't find it advertised anywhere by William Joseph that any of their waders are "barbed wire" and or "idiot" proof, I was yet again impressed.




First fish with the new waders.
Happy and comfortable fisherman.

Again, an over all and resounding, A+ for the William Joseph V2 waders. If you are in the market, take it from a guy that was VERY reluctant to spend the money and make the purchase; I promise you definitely won't regret it.

Target Panic, Words from the Nuge, and A Peak Into My Soul.

Sighting in my new bow for yet another hunt of a lifetime over the last couple weeks has been a great learning experience for me. I didn't realize how "out of the game" I had become shooting the same bow that I killed my first elk with back in 2001. Eleven years is an eternity in compound bow technology.



My first bull in 2001.

 My new set up is sweet but I feel like I'm learning to shoot all over again. Although the technology is what most people would call "better", I'm having somewhat of a mental block moving forward because I haven't really developed a trust and feel for my new stuff.

I was shooting last Sunday and felt my heart racing every time I lowered my pin onto my target. I caught myself flinching horribly when I went to squeeze my release. After flinging two of my new $10 arrows into the woods, amidst some very good shots, I decided I was going to research the weird phenomenon I was experiencing for the first time. It's hard to explain, and it sounds completely insane to anyone that has never fired a bow, but it felt like every time the pin reached my desired target my entire would tense up and the anxiety of either hitting or missing my target seized me in the moment where I needed to be the most calm.

Turns out it's pretty common; target panic. From Olympic archers to hunting legends like Fred Bear and Ted Nugent, many of the world's top archers have experienced it.

Near as I can tell I could write a book on the subject after doing one Google search but I'm simply going to throw up some interesting words from Ted Nugent that I found to be pretty helpful.

1. Be certain your bow is properly set up for your exact draw length and VERY importantly, light enough draw weight for you to draw and hold effortlessly, gracefully, smoothly, in a straight line. The more tension, the more aggravation. Not only will a lightweight bow help you overpower target panic symptoms, ultimately, it will make you a better overall archer. Especially in the field. I shoot 55# and get complete pass thru arrow penetration on nearly every animal including huge beasts like buffalo, eland and zebra. DO NOT SHOOT TOO OFTEN. Only shoot a few, well-disciplined arrows per session. Be sure to stretch and warm up first before each shooting session. I use the BowMaster training device to keep those specialized archery muscles toned.
2. Set up a large, ample arrow backstop, and place a paper plate on it. I shoot each night in the basement. Shoot only perfect arrows at about 5 feet away. By a perfect arrow, I mean well thought out, disciplined arrows. Each and every shot. The goal here is to imprint on our minds a perfectly effective shot procedure through conscientious repetition. Concentrate on total procedure and NOT accuracy. Tell yourself that the middle of the plate is unimportant in itself, merely another sequential element in the shot procedure. Fully concentrate on the nocking of the arrow, slow and easy, 100% eye focus on the center of the plate, smooth, straight draw and anchor, and the most important part of all, a subconscious release using back tension.
3. Here's the goofy part. With step #2 as a guide, shut your eyes and take a deep breath just before the arrow is released. That's right. Shoot with your eyes closed, hence the large, ample arrow stop. As you prepare to draw, begin the draw, anchor, and prepare to release, continue to look square into the center of the plate, but close your eyes before the actual release, and transfer all mental concentration on a "total being" release, tightening the back muscles. Whether you use fingers or a mechanical release, touch off the arrow with the same level of concentration and "squeeze" so essential to firearm marksmanship. Any jerking or punching will translate into bad accuracy downrange. At this point, I, for the most part, was able to release some consistently good arrows, and even take the learned shot procedure to the field. But the target panic beast would rear its evil head and still cause me to flinch or stumble on occasion. So I went the next logical step in my sacred ritual of projectile management and self-control, combining it with the love I have of all things wild and the hunt itself. Like my "Prayer for the Wild things" attitude toward the critters and my powerful relationship with the wild, I decided my shooting could use a little prayer as well. So it was in final agonizing, terminal frustrating desperation that I stumbled onto this unique, wonderful treatment for my painful target panic affliction.
4. As a mind clearing, calming, verbal mantra, throughout the shot preparation and sequence, I slowly say the sign of the cross, my little projectile management prayer. Eventually I staggered the prayer to coincide with stages of the shot procedure. As I concentrate on the "spot" I want to hit, I lift my bow into actual sight picture shooting position and say, "In the name of the Father", then as I begin to draw, "And of the Son", then when I come to solid anchor and my eyes are riveted to the exact point of desired arrow impact, I say, "And of the Holy Spirit," finally I begin to tighten my back muscles, and at "Amen" I touch her off.

  

Of course in true Nugent fashion, he ends with , "Do not abandon that ever mystical flight of our awe inspiring arrow, my friends. Snatch that bow outta the closet, back down the draw weight, and begin over again with a new, upgraded projectile management discipline. We must tattoo our psyche with the correct shot procedure to the point where it all comes second nature, even in the wild outback when the beast is in our face, dancing on our raw nerve endings. Control will happen only when we train ourselves to follow a distinct sequence of intelligent, effective steps, in every instance of our arrow flinging lives."



Ted, although he may seem extreme at times, seems like a pretty cool guy to me. He's the type that would rather miss completely than wound an animal, barring a good quick clean kill. I don't have much respect for guys that are happy putting an arrow in something just to see if they will get lucky enough to find it two weeks later after the birds and coyotes have had their way with the carcass; mounting the antlers on their wall as a sign of their supreme hunting skill. You're not a good hunter if you don't make good use of the meat. . .. regardless of antlers.

Sunrise on opening morning 2011



For me, and anyone who hunts for what I believe to be the "right" reasons, hunting isn't really about killing. Rather, it's about being a part of life and the world around me. If you don't feel remorse when you take the life of ANY living thing you should not be doing it. Of course this opinion begs the question, "Then why do it?" The answer to that is not a simple one. . . nor is it one that I expect many people to fully understand. For me, hunting is somewhat of a spiritual conquest; my way of connecting with the world around us. What could be more natural than using all of your God given senses to stalk an animal, with their own God given senses, in a setting where anything can happen? When you really stop to breathe in the experience and appreciate everything from the gravel under your feet, the smell of the sage, the thrill of the chase, and the beauty of the animal. . . . . what better compliment could you give the Guy that created all this stuff than to stop and smile for a second? Once more, it makes it all even more special when you can share those experiences with people you care about.  But even when I am alone, which is the case more often than not, I never feel more "whole" that I do when I'm out enjoying the creation, whether it be on a snowmobile, holding a fishing pole, walking up a mountain, sitting in a boat, or watching a dirt road dust cloud kick up and settle behind my truck.



The first of many Koley trees.

There are people that sit in church and think about hunting, fishing, and being outside. There are other people that spend their time outside and think about God.

This post has turned in a direction that I didn't expect but I dig it! Why not provide a little insight to why I do some of the things I do? The cool thing is, if you don't believe in it. . . that's ok! I'm certainly not going to judge you for it and tell you you're wrong.

With all that being said, I sure am looking forward to another season and more memories. 



 

New Waders

Hey guys!

Sadly I don't have any exciting outdoor stories to tell from the weekend BUT. . . . don't fail me for not doing my homework just yet! I did indeed make a few purchases that should lead to some very good stories in the very near future.

I splurged for a couple new pairs of William Joseph waders; V-2's for myself and Drynamic's for my fly fishing/tying guru mother.











The William Joseph V-2



First Impressions: Being that I've been fishing with my old school neoprene's, these things are light and will look a lot less like I'm wearing a skin tight unitard on the water. I tried them on in the store and I'll have plenty of room to throw on a pair of thermal bottoms underneath to keep me warm in the winter months.

Up Side: Light weight, breathable, stylish and backed up by a bomb proof warranty. Remember that Badlands warranty? Guess who makes William Joseph. Yup, you guessed it.

Down Side: Being that I do have some more leg room and less ass definition I'm going to miss all of the cat calls from ladies on the river.   God bless the inherited fictional privilege of a fisherman.



The William Joseph Drynamic



I'm very my much looking forward to the review on these: a day on the river is tough to beat. A day on the river with your mom, fishing with the flies that she ties herself. . . . .nearly impossible to beat. Plus, being the superstitious guy that I am if I do happen to get skunked for the fist time in my entire life (fisherman's 
                                    fictional privilege), I can blame it on the new waders
                                    being unlucky.

Here's link to the William Joseph site, check 'em out. Reviews soon to follow.







My Beloved Black Ridge(Badlands) Lynx. . . my first review

Looking through all my outdoor adventure pics the other night my first review post became an easy choice. My Black Ridge pack has been with me through some very good times. Since we first becamse acquainted in 2005 and it's been with me on hundreds of camping, fishing, hiking, and hunting trips. How could I possibly have a blog without first featuring my bow, bait, beer, binocular, brown wooly bugger toting companion? I couldn't. This review carries more weight than any you have ever read before because it has been a five year test period. I didn't get this thing new in the mail and take it on a leisurly hike through Zion, snap a few pics making it look like I was really roughing it, and then put it in my closet. . . no, no no. This pack has been strapped to four wheelers, dunked in rivers, carried through rain storms, bounced around in the back of my truck, loaded down with antlers, and over worked for. . ..  YEARS.

Here she is folks. The Lynx, produced by Black Ridge in 2005. Yes, it is 2012 and yes, I am still putting this thing through the gauntlet on a "weekendly" basis. That in and of itself would give it a 4 Star review in my book but wait. . . there's more.

When I bought this pack I was regretting the price tag but I was treating myself. Anyone that knows me knows that I'm cheap. Not figuratively but literally. If I can get it two dollars cheaper online I'll shop for two weeks. I gulped hard and reached for my wallet as I handed it to the checker at Sportsman's Warehouse. "Eighty double cheeseburgers, sixteen Little Caesar's pizzas, that's food for two months!" Clearly the thinking of a college kid. Ass clenched and wallet ready I was surprised by the checker when she smiled and said "Hey this just went on sale today, that'll be $40, please."  The love affair began.

I bought the pack because it had heavy zippers, a place to carry my bow, was plumbed for a water bladder(I stole it out of an ex gf's Camel Back) and enough straps to adapt to whatever I might be doing. I had never heard of the brand but it had an elk on it. . . I'm an elk guy.

Perhaps you need a good pack to carry you tent and camping gear on a back country trip to the High Unitas?

Maybe you need a versatile pack to carry a PBR, a jacket, fly boxes, and your girl's camera during an afternoon fishing excursion on the middle Provo River?

Ohhhhhh, I see; you're after a pack that can carry your bow! How about a pack that will evenly distribute the load while securing it nice and tight without directly contacting your sights and rest?

Ok, you are looking for something light enough to carry up steep rough country that can still handle a heavy load with ease?

And finally, maybe you just want to look like a bad ass in a sweet silhouette pic?

This pack has seen, done, carried, and survived it all. Hands down: Best pack I've ever owned. I would gladly trade eighty, a hundred, or two hundred double cheese burgers for it to this very day.



The "Monster" Fanny Pack



The Ever Popular "2200"



Recently I've heard a lot about Badlands and the packs they make. I haven't paid much attention though as I've been perfectly happy with mine. Badlands? Nah I'll stick to my Black Ridge. When I find something I like I tend to be very loyal to whoever made it.

As I was getting ready to write this review though I hopped on Google and made a discovery : Black Ridge IS Badlands. Yes, folks, it's true. Badlands, the same folks that have revolutionized the scene with products like the Monster fanny pack and the 2200 Hunting Pack. The bad news is, you can no longer purchase a Black Ridge Lynx like the one that I love so much. The good news is there are now 30+ packs by the same manufacturer that are every bit as good if not better! Having field tested my own pack for years now I can very honestly say that I would not hesitate to purchase ANYTHING made by Badlands.

How confident are these guys in the products that they put out? Let me share an excerpt from their warranty information on their website. http://www.badlandspacks.com/ .

"We don't care what happened, or whose fault it was, we will fix it for free forever. We could care less if you bought it at a garage sale or a gear swap, as long as it says Badlands, it's covered. All we ask is that you use and abuse your pack as much as possible so we can learn how to make our products even better."

What more could you ask for from any company doing or making anything? For the people and by the people. Go check their site out, it feels organic and you can tell the guys making this stuff actually use their own products. Need a pack? Get a Badlands. End of story.



Will I upgrade to a shiny new Badlands pack this year. . . . it depends on whether or not I can break the emotional bond with my good ole' Black Ridge. When do you pull your veteran ace off the hill to give the million dollar signing bonus kid, fresh off the farm, a start in the bigs? Although it is a little faded, after all of the use and abuse, there is not a stitch out of place on my pack. It's not a matter of spending the money. . . . if I NEEDED a pack there would be no thinking required. If I do make the move I'll be here posting what I would expect to be another rave review.

Oh, why hello. . . I didn't see you there.

Hi.

Welcome to my new project.

Let's begin.

If you and I bumped into each other and you asked me, "Matt, you seem like an interesting guy, aside from the rugged good looks and and the boyish charm, what do I need to know about you?"


As an infant I teethed on carriage bolts and beef jerky. That's the God's honest truth and that's where it all starts.

I've spent most of my life either doing fun stuff outside or wishing I was doing fun stuff outside. Growing up in a small town (Enterprise, Utah), with less than 2000 people and 45 miles from the nearest stop light, I learned pretty early that the world outside was a fun place to be.

I grew up working on a farm, when I went to college I shifted to working at a livestock auction, grooming the freestyle snowboard park at a local resort, guided snowmobile tours, and worked as a wildlife technician for the Division of Wildlife Resources to pay the bills. Right after college I even spent just under a year on an oil rig to save up some cash. Looking back; I had dream jobs, doing the kind of stuff people only wish they were doing (except maybe the livestock auction. . . that was kind of shitty. . . literally) while they sat at their desks in trying to breath with a tie wrapped around their neck.

These days I find myself sitting behind a desk for 40 hours a week doing what I sometimes consider to be a job that a well trained primate, with a button up and conversation skills, could accomplish. I worked very hard in college, graduated magna cum laude, and became a business man. I thought that's what I needed to do to become successful. Looking back I probably should have spent more time going on cool spring break trips and less time in the library. That's not what I'm supposed to say but hell, it's the truth. Billy Corgan and his band of gourd destoyers did recorded a song called "Rat in a Cage"; I'm not a big Smashing Pumpkins fan but I have to say that song is an easy one to identify with while you sit in your office and watch the world go by out your window. I fantasize about the days I spent on my grandpa's farm; the days I spent on a four wheeler mapping out habitat restoration projects, the freezing cold days digging tourists on snowmobiles out of snowbanks, and even tripping well casing pipe out of a 14,000 foot hole while being sprayed with water shooting out of the ground in the 110 degree heat.

I'm writing this blog from an average Joe point of view because that's what I am. Just another guy working to pay the bills and counting the minutes until that front door locks at 5:00 PM on Friday and real life begins.  I'm looking forward to sharing my stories about what happens OUTSIDE. . . . to those of you that haven't been for a while; it's still there! If you're stuck at a desk I hope some of these stories will give you a brief escape.
I'll be writing about where I go, who and what I take with me,  how it all goes, doesn't go, works, or doesn't work. In the meantime I'll be scratching a lingering itch to write, share, inform, and at the very least. . . . . .entertain. I'll be throwing in some product reviews along the way as well. Why is it different coming from me? I'm not rich, sponsored, or good at stealing things. Like I said. . . .Average Joe. I bought a range finder for my upcoming premium limited entry Utah archery elk tag (these same tags go for 10's of thousands of dollars at auctions) this fall on a local classifieds web site last week for. . . .  .$15. Am I going to review it anyway? You bet your ass. I have a lot of passion for many different things so don't be worried about reading the same thing twice here. I keep it interesting.

So, thanks for being here! I hope you enjoy what you see in the future!