by NRA Staff - Friday, October 16, 2009
1. Wolverine's surprisingly flexible M9 Extreme boots have 600 grams of Thinsulate and a Gore-Tex liner to keep your toeskis dry and toasty. ($220; 866-699-7369; www.wolverine.com)
2. The steel Guide Gear Climbing Stick and Tree Stand Combo is the best bargain in the entire world. It comes with five, 4-foot sections, a harness, a padded seat and all the straps a person needs to tie himself to a tree. ($65; 800-882-2962; www.sportsmansguide.com)
3. Sitka Gear's innovative clothing system allows hunters to move silently and comfortably in any weather. Its Optifade camo is scientifically designed by Gore to break up human outlines viewed by ungulates from near and far. Ascent pant, Celsius vest; Traverse Zip T ($99-$149; 707-253-1122; www.sitkagear.com)
4. The Retractable Call Lanyard keeps your calls handy while preventing the dreaded "death-by-call-lanyard-lynching." ($29.99; 888-588-9981; www.gearkeeper.com)
5. The soft and flexible Buck Commander Rut Hunter call is loud and attention-grabbing when you want it to be. ($16; 877-993-4868; www.flextonegamecalls.com)
6. Hoyt improved on its top-notch bows by making its fastest (321 fps) and lightest (3.9 lbs.) yet. The AlphaMax is loaded with features, and proved accurate and ultra-quiet in our field tests. $899; 801-363-2990; www.hoyt.com)
7. Energizer's Handheld Swivel LED light is waterproof and has five different bulbs and 13 modes for blood-trailing, map-reading and finding out what you just stepped in. ($79.99 www.energizer.com; 800-383-7323)
8. Scott's Silverhorn NCS release aid is smooth and reliable. Its hook is meant for use with a string loop, and its buckle wrist strap is comfortable and quiet. ($75; 606-663-2734; www.scottarchery.com)
9. NAP's Bloodrunner hybrid broahead has a 1-inch cutting diameter until it hits and expands. 0 Shockblocker stabilizer quiets your bow. ¡ Quickfletch shrink-wrap tubes revolutionize the arrow fletching process. $33; $29; $29; 800-323-1279; www.newarchery.com)
10. The G5 XR2 fiber-optic bowsight has a stationary primary pin for most of your shots, and a "floating" pin that dials in for any range. ($209; 866-456-8836; www.g5outdoors.com)
