Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Outdoor Retailer - Mountain Boy Sleds

Every Summer and Winter Fin & Feather sends a team to the bi-annual Outdoor Retailer Trade Show. The goal is to find the newest and best outdoor products to bring to you, the good people of Iowa.


Of course it's not all work and no play. This year's Winter show featured an outdoor demo day called Backcountry Base Camp where industry professionals could come try out the latest outerwear, alpine and cross country skis, binding systems, and snowshoes at an Olympic ski resort.


So what technical equipment did we test out? Sleds.


Mountain Boy Sledworks out of Silverton, Colorado let us try out two of their flyer series sleds. Each sled is handmade with a patented turning system that we were told is precise enough for a hockey stop. What we were more interested in was the radar gun clocking the sleds at 35mph.


A one word review: "Awesome." Tight handling and ridiculous speeds made it hard to imagine sledding again without one. Too bad they don't come with their own Olympic snow park.

Waterproofing Boots

To keep a pair of boots for the long-run, they require some upkeep. We show you how to clean and reapply the waterproofing to your leather boots. A good pair of waterproof shoes will have a waterproof membrane below the upper material that keeps your foot dry.

When you apply a coating to the upper of the boot, it's in order to prevent water from soaking into the material, which breaks it down and can leave the boot feeling heavy and smelling funky.

Crow Hunting

John, Mark, and Clint show how to get set up for a successful crow hunt.

Winter Car Emergency Kit


Any time of year it's a good idea to have a few essential items in your car in case of emergency. Winter in particular brings a greater chance of breakdowns and accidents. In order to make sure you can get yourself out of a tight spot, or just wait out the tow truck, Matt discusses some car emergency essentials.

A couple things you should think about keeping year-round are: a first aid kit, a CPR face shield, and a multi-tool like the Victorinox Rescue Tool. In the Winter, staying warm is the first priority. Keeping a spare jacket and gloves, or an emergency blanket and poncho will go a long way to keeping you warm and dry. If your heat still works, you should only run your car engine a few minutes at a time while a window is cracked to prevent carbon-monoxide inhalation.

Finally, a collapsible shovel can help you get out of a tight spot in the snow. Some waterproof matches or a lighter and a can of the Magic Heat we show can also be used to melt snow, as well as keep you warm.

Winter Running Part 2





For those looking to keep running during a cold Iowa Winter, here are a few tips on how to stay on your feet. We discuss YakTrax Pros and how to create your own ice cleats with your current trail running shoes using 1/2" and 3/8" sheet metal screws.


Trail runners make ideal winter running shoes. The beefier lugs on the outsole provide extra traction by themselves or, in this case, added length to fit our screws. Many trail shoes also come in Gore-Tex versions that keep the wet slush and wind out. A dry and wind-resistant shoe will let you test the elements in the great outdoors instead of being leashed to the treadmill or the indoor track.


If putting screws in your trail runners doesn't appeal to you, YakTrax, or the more burly MicroSpikes by Kahtoola offer the kind of traction you'll need to stay afoot. Now your only problem is there's no excuse to stay indoors.

Ice Fishing Part 4

Some catches, releases, and outtakes with Mark and Lloyd highlight the fourth part in our ice fishing series.

Ice Fishing Part 3


Mark explains different types of jigs and jigging techniques in the third part of the ice fishing series.