Updated Reading Pick | THE TOTAL OUTDOORSMAN MANUAL | A Field and Stream Book

Value
Field and Stream (an essential curator of the North American Field Sport narrative) has finally transcended all the usual sins of adventure manuals and handbooks. The Total Outdoorsman Manual is a dependable manual worth owning. 

Restart Adventure
Discover how to thrive in all seasons and situations. The Total Outdoorsman Manual is a practical activities handbook as well as an exciting amenity for any camp, boat, trip, pack, den, office, coffee table, resort and library. 

Language and Title
The Total Outdoorsman Manual is related to The Total Outdoorsman Challenge; a long-running competition, print, television and web series. 

User-friendly
This is a number and color-system, quick-reference book.
Full-page illustrations are realistic and easy to understand. 

Availability
A hot commodity, The Total Outdoorsman Manual has been spotted by this reviewer at Home Improvement Stores, Walmart, Barnes and Noble and Half Priced Books.

What’s Inside:

  Total Outdoorsman 10th Anniversary Edition

About This Book:

THE TOTAL OUTDOORSMAN MANUAL
A Field and Stream Book 

10th Anniversary Edition

Updated and Expanded 

T. Edward Nickens

Flexible Cover

7-3/4 inches by 9-1/2 inches
ISBN 9781616286101
320 Pages 

[Editions/Conditions]
Online Price Survey $14.56 - $35.95
[eBook, iBook, iTunes]
Online Price Survey $13.99

About This Review

The reviewer obtained The Total Outdoorsman Manual in a shabby grocery bag as a giveaway from The Maine Outdoorsman’s fall sweepstakes.

The MaineOutdoorsman is a web series by Steve Vose, The Rabid Outdoorsman. Rabid (Steve V.) has 

“A deep, set interest and passion for introducing children, women and novice sportsmen to (our) outdoor traditions”. He publishes the “Wonders of the great outdoors” and “A wide variety of outdoor activities” -themaineoutdoorsman.com

The Maine Outdoorsman

themaineoutdoorsman.com

http://www.themaineoutdoorsman.com/

https://plus.google.com/+SteveVose/posts

http://www.fieldandstream.com/

Early Wood Duck Box Discovered

Wood Duck Boxes were devised in the 1930’s as man-made nesting places for Wood Ducks. 

Before this, Wood Duck populations were at their lowest point because of unregulated, commercial exploitation.

It is possible that this Wood Duck Box had been repaired with Plywood and newer, Galvanized hardware. 

Wood Duck populations have gradually recovered and recent hunting permits have been increased.

Tepees and Wood Ducks

Cleared out some frozen ducks and made a Tepee.

Work Shoes | Testing Magnum’s New Viper Pro

Wide Widths Available | Price Survey $79.95-$106.95

Work Shoe Facts
Sooner or later work shoes deteriorate and need to be replaced. Before buying discount work shoes, stiff clogs or worse, have a look at the new multipurpose work shoes from Magnum.

Viper Pro 3.0
 

Tactical Advantage   
Born from Britain’s top selling athletic shoe firm, to supply U.S. Federal agents, California’s Magnum® is both a tactical and civilian market supplier of technical work shoes and boots.

Weight and Fit
On a Taylor® bathroom scale, wide Viper Pros, size 9.5 weighed 16 ounces each (4-10 ounces less than other, similar shoes). Viper Pros have a very committed, professional grade fit and an equalized flex. 

Uppers
Upper materials are genuine leather, ballistic (explosion, impact resistant) nylon, and other lightweight parts. 

Lacing
Round, cord style/tactical laces and precise, reinforced guides.

Insole | Lining
Mesh interior has spill protection and a ventilated, removable insole.

  

Heels | Toes
For those who move doors with their feet, climb or test the rocks, Viper Pros have bumpers that save the shoe areas usually ruined by abrasion. Flexible toe and heel fins grip ramps and help in climbing.

Sole | Tread | Shank
Labeled oil and slip resistant, the Viper Pro has finer tread on the surface of deep, beveled lugs and stabilizers, resulting in a more sanitary shoe. The Viper Pro is non-metallic by design.

Finish
Reinforced and meticulously sewn. Suitable for traditional shoe maintenance, restoratives and preservatives.

Unhelpful Aspects
Neither Vegan nor Vegan footwear. Not recommended for skydiving.

Notes
The author experienced a minor break-in period of approximately an hour while working and probably because of extra thin socks. Wearing these shoes a few hours ahead of work would probably eliminate any likelihood of a break-in period while working. 

 
The Viper Pro developed less wrinkles or creases than the 5 other brands recently tested by the author. After 3 weeks, each Viper Pro shoe had only a single, shallow crease before the toe area, just below the tongue and this was not aesthetically disconcerting.

Although Viper Pros do not require expensive, aftermarket insoles, It is possible to experiment with thermal or cooling insoles to customize the warmth of these shoes, in extreme environments. 

MAGNUM® | Essential Equipment™

Website:

About:
The author has been wearing and testing black work shoes for approximately 28 years and has tested approximately 42 different work shoes during this period. The author, on a mission to revive his skills, requested the opportunity to test the new Viper Pro 3.0 and utilized a donated, sample for this purpose. The author is not otherwise affiliated or associated with Magnum® nor has the author received pecuniary compensation or incentive from Magnum®.