Item 1: Irish Setter - a division of Red Wing - introduced a women's hunting boot this summer: the Ladyhawk. It's on the affordable end of the price scale, and it comes in three levels of insulation: none, 600 grams and 1000 grams.I've got a review of that boot pending publication in Jesse's Hunting & Outdoors, but in the meantime, it's worth noting that Irish Setter is putting out a limited edition pink camo version of the boot, and it will donate a portion of proceeds to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. For details, click here.
Item 2: I checked in at the Foxy Huntress website the other day and found that the company recently announced price cuts.This is significant, because Foxy Huntress – which makes serious hunting clothing with designer flair - had some of the highest prices in women’s hunting clothes. They’re substantially lower now, particularly that water-resistant jacket I wore when I went turkey hunting in a Napa vineyard this spring - $110, down from $180. I love that jacket.
Item 3: I was planning to field test my new Trailfeathers fleece camo hunting jacket and pants last weekend (yes, the pants with the girl fly!), but I had to postpone my planned deer hunt because work responsibilities were stacking up.This happened to me last year, too: I scheduled a deer hunt in Mendocino in September and quickly found that planning a full weekend hunting trip during the first month of school is sheer insanity. Lesson learned: Don't book hunts in September.
But I am determined to go deer hunting soon, and I'll report back on this outfit as soon as I do.
Item 4: I am not the only person on the planet reviewing women’s hunting gear! I recently found a kindred spirit – huntress (duck huntress!) and writer Susan Ebert of Texas. She does a regular feature for Sporting Classics magazine, and the September/October issue includes her review of women’s hunting clothing.My favorite line in the story: “Like most women, my build cannot be confused with that of a teenage boy: As the character Luther Willis extolled in South Pacific’s ‘Honey Bun,’ ‘Where she’s narrow, she’s narrow as an arrow and she’s broad where a broad should be broooaaad.' " Love that.
I just did a quick scan of the magazine's website and didn't see the article reproduced there, but you can find it in the printed edition. I encourage you to spring for it - paying for what you read is what helps pay the mortgages of people who write and shoot photos for a living. Not that I'm biased.
© Holly A. Heyser 2008
That's so true Holly. We should all support the magazines and newspapers we like to read.
ReplyDeleteI also think Irish Setters promotion is very cool. I'm all for anything that supports cancer research.
Agreed!
ReplyDeleteThere's actually another pink hunting product out there that's about to become part of a breast cancer partnership, but I'm waiting for that deal to be finalized before I can write about it.
And while I didn't note it in this post, Trailfeathers also donates a portion of profits to ovarian cancer research.
I'm glad to see Irish Setter giving to charity, I just wish they were made in America, and not China.
ReplyDeleteHave you run across any American-made women's boots for hunting?
No, I haven't. These are the only boots I've reviewed so far. I did check out (online) two competitors in this class of boots that are more expensive. Kenetrek is made in Italy, and I can't see on the website where the Danner equivalent boot is made. If I get other boots in my grubby little hands, though, I'll be sure to make a note of where they're manufctured.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading your hunting boot review and I love the Sporting Classics magazine, its one that I buy occasionally since we don't subscribe to any :)
ReplyDeleteLast I heard, all Danners are made in America (but I haven't looked in on them in a few years). I can't wait to hear what you think of 'em.
ReplyDelete