Gear Review January

Back in November on the tails of a trip to South Dakota I promised a forthcoming litany of gear reviews.  Between the holidays and a bout with whatever megavirus is making the rounds and (insert other lame excuse here) it didn't quite happen on the timetable intended. Undeterred and still somewhat inspired, I'm devoting this month to getting them finished and posted.  For those of you who prefer tales of the hunt, observations on bird dogs and introspective pieces, well, you'll get 'em when the urge strikes.

On my weekly jaunts to the lower part of the state I often stop to answer nature's call at the Sportsman's Warehouse in Columbia.  It's right on the interstate, the bathrooms are surgical-clean, and it does offer the opportunity to pick up anything I'm short on and generally browse for whatever items I didn't know I needed.  Last week as I wandered the aisles I realized I was wandering very aimlessly, looking for nothing in particular and not heading for any department next.

Call it a brief moment in time, but for once I honestly couldn't think of anything I could use. I'm talking about the stuff in the affordable range, of course, a boat or a pair of $3000 Swarovskis notwithstanding.  Which got me thinking that I must be pretty happy with the gear I own.  In fact, that's the case, and the forthcoming reviews highlight several pieces that I've found to be useful, affordable, and have some staying power.  If you already own any of them, chime in with your thoughts.