Field Kit: Precision Triggers to Bombproof Coolers

Looking to upgrade your gear? Here’s 8 great pieces of kit for your consideration.

GRIZZLY EARS PREDATOR PRO

Whether practicing on the range or scouting out in the field, there are times we’d like to pipe in some tunes, a podcast, or make a quick call. That’s why we’re excited to hear of Grizzly Ears and its tiny, wireless Bluetooth-enabled earpro. The earbuds have two modes. In amplify mode, the company claims hearing protection from gunshots and anything else above 85dB while amplifying ambient sound so you can hear everything going on around you. In Bluetooth mode, the earbuds pass whatever you’re into. Aside from their intended use, we can see these things getting ear-time while mowing the lawn and flying the friendly skies. The included USB rechargeable case provides extra juice, fully recharging the earbuds four times in an hour and a half while in the field.

MSRP: $249

Henderson Precision Rapid Situational Rail

Bring your 20th century rifle up to speed with Henderson Precision’s new RSR rail retrofitting system. The kit includes an M-LOK compatible aluminum rail and the mounting hardware needed to attach it to nearly any rifle’s traditional fore-end. The M-LOK rail ditches the accessory limitation imposed by sling studs and allows the use of a much wider range of rail-mounted supports, including Henderson’s own Arca-style M-LOK rail sections, bipods, tripods, and rail-mounted bags. It’s not a trivial install, as you’ll need to cut a channel to recess mount the rail in the stock, but if you’re not handy with a router and drill (or vertical mill), any gunsmith should be able do the work in a couple hours.

MSRP: $65

TIMNEY TRIGGERS ELITE HUNTER

Timney’s Elite Hunter combines all its designer, Calvin Motley, has learned in his 14 years of designing triggers and applies it to make what he calls the best hunting trigger on the market. The Elite Hunter is a drop-in replacement for any Rem 700 and brings adjustable pull weight from 1.5 to 4 pounds and adjustable overtravel along with a match-grade break without the match-grade price. It’s offered in a righty and lefty, with a choice of three trigger shoes. The standard is a wide, broad-faced beast, the straight offers a touch of curve at the top with a straight face, and the slim will appeal to hunters with a delicate touch.

MSRP: $165

AFRICAN SPORTING CREATIONS ARNO BERNARD Jr. MAMMOTH MOLAR SKINNER

We appreciate beautiful things, and when it comes to blades, we’ve found a stunner from African Sporting Creations. This skinner uses millions-of-years-old fossilized mammoth for the handle scales. The striations in the molar are unique, so no two are alike. The grip has a pronounced finger groove in the stainless steel bolster that provides a secure grip that won’t slip on to the blade. The blade shape offers a tip that’ll get under the skin while the blade’s belly is broad enough to push through the toughest skins and fat. The Molar’s sheath is handmade of ostrich leather that covers almost the entire knife, allaying any fears of losing it.

MSRP: $799

REX SPECS CANINE GOGGLES

Tearing through the brush while working, it’s a wonder our pup’s peepers aren’t subject to more injury. Rex Specs goggles add a layer of protection for one of your hunting partner’s most sensitive parts. The spherical lens, specially shaped frame, novel strap arrangement, and wide range of sizes offer a secure fit with an unobstructed field of view for a wide range of dog breeds. Aside from debris and scratch protection, the lenses defend against damaging UV light, which is something we hadn’t considered for dogs. UV protection makes sense for pups that spend a lot of time working in or around water or snow. Both environments magnify the amount of UV rays the eyes are subject to.

MSRP: $80

RovR Cooler RollR 60

RovR’s RollR line offers a range of features and optional accessories that elevate the cooler from a begrudging toted necessity to a helpful field partner. Aside from the cooler’s impressive ability to keep stuff cold for 10 days, its shape and modularity make it a unique offering. Its primary draw is the 9-inch wheels and long, stowaway handle that make it much easier to haul through dirt and sand than carrying a similarly sized cooler. It’s also deep enough to store upright wine bottles, comes with an internal organizer, a folding topside bin for dry items, and accommodations for a modular cutting board, cup holders, and a kit for attaching the cooler to a bike for two-wheeled pursuits. And it’s certified bear-proof for use in camp.

MSRP: $399

Leupold RBX-3000 TBR/W

After a noted absence, Leupold has retaken its seat at the rangefinding bino card table. The company sees its competitors RF binos and raises them an atmospheric sensor. It’s playing its RBX-3000 hand with a practical reach for hunters of 2,000 to 2,600 yards, and a max range on reflective targets of 3,000 yards. The onboard weather sensor displays temp, air pressure, and humidity that your ballistic calculator requires, supplanting the need to tote a separate weather meter into the field. Aside from premium glass and lens coatings, the new binos feature Leupold’s baked-in true ballistic range and wind calculations that take into account the shooting angle of your target, offering an angle-adjusted range for a more accurate shot.

MSRP: $3,000

Watershed Rangeland Long Gun Backpack

Keeping a long-gun safe from moisture usually means sticking it in a big, waterproof hard case. That’s fine when you’re checking it as luggage on a plane or strapping it to a vehicle, but nobody wants to bring a giant, heavy case into the field. Watershed’s Rangeland backpack is a way smarter approach when your concern is protecting a gun while traversing water or moving administratively in bad weather. The roll-top bag holds long-guns up to 46 inches long with attached optics and features a set of adjustable backpack straps for load carriage. To keep the bag compact when it’s not needed, there’s no padding. Watershed suggests the use of a gun sock or padded sleeve for more protection.

MSRP: $169 to $211

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Carnivore Magazine Issue 3.

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