GEAR GUIDE
Depending on the nature of your adventure, here you’ll
find a sampling of gear you’ll want to consider taking
with you on your next exploration.
Cabela’s Binoculars
When you decide to go whale watching it
pays to have a good pair of binoculars aboard
your boat. Binoculars pay dividends when it
comes to scanning the horizon and spotting
pods of whales. And it’s highly recommended
that you buy the best pair of binoculars you
can afford. We’ve used crummy binoculars
and we’ve used good ones. Trust us when we
say it pays to have a good pair. Which is why
we recommend Cabela’s Instinct Euro HD
10X42 Binoculars.
Cabela’s has teamed up with Meopta® to
bring you what many would consider the
best pair of binoculars for under $1,000. And
in the optic world that’s not a lot of money.
Just ask anyone who spends a lot of time
looking for whales. Cabela’s Instinct
Euro HD Binoculars compare with
the likes of Swarovski, Leica and
Zeiss, which command twice the
money. We’ve done a sideby-side comparison and
we’re hard-pressed to find
a reason to spend the extra
money. In fact, Cabela’s
Instinct HD binos performed
the best in when compared to
other brands.
Meopta® uses its proprietary
ion-assisted lens multi-coating system
that eliminates glare and reflections and delivers the highest light transmission per lens
surface (99.8%). When you do your research,
no other high end binocular beats them. The
high definition lenses come with extra low
dispersion, fluoride objective lenses that
eliminate chronic aberration (CA), or color
fringing by bringing light wavelengths into
a tighter common focus along the optical
axis delivering maximum resolution and
vivid color fidelity. The ion-assisted coating
protects the external lens surfaces delivering
a tough, scratch resistance lens. In the world
of optics, you will not find a better lens.
These are waterproof, fogproof, and extremely easy to focus. $839.99
cabelas.com
Filson’s 48-Hour Duffle
Not too big, not too small Filson’s 48-Hour
Duffle Bag is just the right size for overnight
and weekend excursions. It’s 19 inches wide,
stands 11 ½ inches tall and is 7 inches deep,
which makes it an ideal grab and go bag.
Designed with Filson’s legendary rain-repellent Tin Cloth, it comes with durable bridle
leather straps, a rustproof zipper that opens
and shuts easily, and a fully lined interior
compartment to protect gear, clothes and
anything else you can fit into this bag.
Ideal for the traveler on the go, there
are two inside stow pockets, two outside
zippered pockets, one interior utility pocket
and three interior stow pockets. It has a reinforced, structured base that keeps it upright
and makes packing easy. Its cotton shoulder
strap is removable and it’s perfect for stowing
away in the luggage compartment of a sea
plane. $395
filson.com
26
explore:NW | The Official Magazine of kenmore air | Spring 2016
Keen Hiking Boots
Admit it. Anyone who’s ever purchased a
pair of hiking boots is skeptic about comfort.
Because we have a mindset that says hiking
boots aren’t supposed to comfortable. At least
not out of the box. The designers at Keen
continue to buck the trend of their competitors in a variety of departments, including
the comfort factor. When we first slipped on
Keen’s Revel III boots they were surprisingly
comfortable. As in tennis shoe comfort. Then
we went on a short hike. Passed with flying
colors. Then we ventured out on a longer
hike. Again, they passed. Eventually we tested them climbing up and down mountains
in the Pacific Northwest. Guess what? Yeah,
they passed. Again.
Thanks to the insulation system on the
upper and lower portion of the boot, your
feet will stay warm. What’s more, the waterproof leather upper keeps your feet dry. At
the same time they come with a waterproof
breathable membrane that lets vapor out and
prevents your feet from getting wet. The easy
lace up system makes for a snug fit and easy
on and off. Snug these tight and it ensures
you have great ankle support. All in all you
can’t go wrong with these boots. They’re great
for short day hikes, or serious backwoods
hiking. $127.99
keenfootwear.com
Scotty Downrigger
Missed fish, false downrigger trips and the
need to check your bait are realities when it