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070-SS05-TRIED & TESTEDjm:000-001-SS-XHY-09
18/03/2010
10:22
Page 72
Keep yer hat on...
TESTED BY:
JOHN FENNA
Fed up with your hat blowing off?
Then try a Stormy Kromer Cap.
Designed not blow off your head, the
cap is an American outdoor classic
and is available in olive, black or
plaid wool, or in tan or Advantage
Max camo print in waxed cotton.
I have been trying out the tan waxed
cotton oilskin version and have been
impressed by its performance. The
Stormy Kromer is made with a 100%
waxed cotton six panel crown with a
stiff, but not rigid, peak and a 100%
cotton lining. It is comfortable to wear
in any weather and has a pull down ear
and nape of the neck band for extra
protection when needed.
I did find that rain could penetrate
the join between the pull-down band
and main part of the hat after
prolonged exposure to Welsh
downpours, but it was minimal and
otherwise this well-designed, wellproven cap kept the rain off my head
and out of my eyes.
And it has never yet blown off!
An American classic, the Stormy
Kromer cap is solidly constructed
and tough as you like – it’s becoming
my favourite wet-weather headwear!
TECH SPECS
STORMY KROMER CAPS
■ SIZE S-XXL
■ PRICE £29.95
■ WEB www.bushgear.co.uk
■ CONTACT 01795 53 43 43
Altogether now:
Heads, shoulders...
Sparks will fly!
...knees and toes
(knees and toes)...
TESTED BY: JOHN FENNA
The Karesuando
Firesteel is a simple
but effective little tool
from Casstroms, and
it’s ideal for field use.
The Swedish-made
firesteel will keep sparks
flying, enabling you to light
fires and stoves long after
lighters and matches have
given up the ghost.
Around 6cm long and
95mm in diameter, this
firesteel has a handle
made from dense, mature
reindeer antler. Simply
scrape the back of your
knife down the firesteel to
give a shower of sparks –
and it should last for
approx 12,000 strikes!
It is a good idea to wax
your firesteels between
uses to protect them from
damp – I find bootwax
works well.
C’mon baby, light my
fire (reindeer rug not
supplied)
TECH SPECS
CASSTROMS KARESUANDO
FIRESTEEL
■ WEB www.casstrom.co.uk
■ CONTACT 0844 8807230
■ PRICE £12
72
TESTED BY:
ADAM SMITH
Go-faster wellies
Slipping into a pair of wellies is
not always easy these days. With
increasing ‘shapeliness’ being a
vital ingredient in support, comfort
and appearance, many fieldsports
rubber boots can take a bit of
pulling on, even with full-length
zips down each side.
But while the days of dropping into
a pair of black ‘farmyard specials’ – the
sort with enough room inside to scratch
an itch on your ankle and authentic flopslop sound effects – may have gone,
there are still times when rapid booting is
a boon, and that’s where Seeland’s low
cut 12in Outback Trek boot comes in.
Thanks to a full-length zipped front,
popping a pair of Trek 12s on takes just a
moment and you don’t even have to tuck
your trousers in, either. Once your feet
are safely inside and zipped up, they’re
cosseted in a foot-hugging absorbent
reinforced fleece lining that’s the last
word in comfort.
Build quality, as you’d expect from
Seeland, is excellent. There’s a 100%
waterproof rubber outer and compressed
neoprene inner, while the sole is deeply
cleated rubber with glass-fibre stabilised
shank in the mid-sole and shockabsorbing gel pads at heel and fore-foot.
TECH SPECS
SEELAND OUTBACK
TREK 12 BOOTS
■ PRICE £89.99
■ SIZES UK 2-14 (US 3-15)
■ FROM quality gunshops. For your
nearest stockist email info@sealand.com