There’s Nothing Greater Than The Great Outdoors

Holiday shopping is here, and along with it the challenge of finding that perfect gift for everyone on your list. If you have a hunter, angler or outdoor enthusiast on your list, here are a few suggestions that are sure to please, regardless of your budget.
 
This gift will warm your toes â PolarWrap’s Toasty Feet insoles are among those things a person who suffers from cold feet â and who doesn’t? â should never leave home without. The thermal barrier used by Toasty is NASA-developed nanotechnology Aerogel. Tested with a block of dry ice, Toasty Feet insoles provided an effective barrier to the cold, keeping feet at a comfortable 72 degrees. Or, as the folks at Memphis, TN-based PolarWrap like to say, “One giant leap for science . . . one simple step toward warmer feet.” The advanced nanoporous material in Toasty Feet has the highest thermal insulation value of any solid material available today. For more information call (800) 967-9727. About $12.99 a pair.
 
Give your favorite boater peace of mind this year â Yamaha’s new mini-10 Ten Micron filter, for 115 horsepower or smaller outboards, is available just in time to meet a growing challenge for boaters: fuel contamination.  Come spring, most energy companies will switch to ethanol â in place of MTBE â as the additive used to oxygenate gasoline. While more friendly to the environment than MTBE, ethanol attracts and absorbs moisture from the air, and it can act as a solvent causing fuel problems for the motors. Yamaha’s mini-10 filter is a primary defense against water and other contamination, as is Yamaha’s standard Ten Micron filter for outboards larger than 115hp. The universal fitting ensures these filters can be used on just about any brand of outboard motor. Available from Yamaha Marine dealers for about $38.00. Call (800) 88-YAMAHA for dealer location.

Focusing On The Right Gift â For the hunter, hiker or outdoor enthusiast on your list, you can’t go wrong with a new pair of Excursion binoculars from Bushnell Outdoor Products. The Excursion line has something for any outdoor activity from palm-sized compacts to lightweight full-size models that bring the action up close and personal. Backpackers will appreciate the small 8x28mm that fits easily into a daypack or pocket. For the hunter, there is the 8x32mm mid-size pair in Mossy Oak® Break Up camouflage. Birders and naturalists will like the 10x32mm full size model for its power and clarity. These binoculars have non-slip rubber armoring for a secure grip, BaK 4 prisms and fully coated optics for maximum clarity and contrast. All models include a neck strap and carrying case. Retail prices are 8×28 – $139.95; 8×32- $199.95; and 10×32 – $219.95.

The Lantern that lit the way to the outdoors for generations gets updated â Classic gear holds a special place in every outdoorsman’s heart. Veteran woodsmen will fondly recall myriad memories while neophytes will treasure the prospects when they unwrap a piece of equipment regarded as legendary. This Christmas, give the time-tested Coleman Model 288 gas lantern, recently inducted into Field & Stream Magazine’s inaugural Hall of Fame for outdoor gear. Still manufactured in traditional forest green, this classic two-mantle lantern provides bright illumination for family campsites, fishing excursions and hunt camps across the land. It is passed from generation to generation within some families. Beyond its great outdoors DNA, a Coleman lantern is a fine emergency light when the electricity fails and outside lighting is needed. Widely available, it retails for under $50. Other Coleman lantern models are also available.
 By: Walker Agency