The Foursevens Quark Tactical QTA flashlight uses one AA battery and costs about $60.  |  Kim Quintin photo

Lightweight flashlight impressive

A person can’t go wrong carrying a quality flashlight every day. I have been carrying the Foursevens Quark Tactical QTA flashlight for more than half a year and have been impressed. This flashlight is less than four inches long, weighs two ounces and uses a single AA battery. Its size and carry clip allow it […] Read more

The Marlin Model 795 is a good firearm for small pests like skunks and gophers on the farm.  |  Michael Raine photo

Marlin 795 lightweight, inexpensive, ideal for beginners

The Marlin Model 795 is a semiautomatic rimfire rifle manufactured in the United States. It is chambered for .22 long rifle cartridges fed by a removable magazine. The nickel-plated stock magazine holds 10 shots. The firearm has an 18 inch barrel with a 1:16 rifling twist rate in either blued or stainless finishes, synthetic stock […] Read more

The SOG Northwest Ranger is a jack-of-all-trades type of knife and is good value at $70.  |  Kim Quintin photo

General purpose knife a well-rounded tool

The SOG Northwest Ranger is a fixed blade knife manufactured in Taiwan and sold out of the United States. It is nearly 10 inches long with a more than five inch clip-point blade of .15 inch thick AUS-8 stainless steel and weighs about six ounces. It comes with a textured handle made from black Kraton […] Read more


Prices for the Trophy XLT scope start around $160.  |  Kim Quintin photo

Bushnell Trophy XLT riflescope good quality for mid-range price

The Bushnell Trophy XLT is a line of entry level optics for crossbows, muzzleloaders, shotguns and rifles. The scopes come in a variety of magnifications ranging from 1-4 to 6-18 with objective lenses sized between 24 and 50 mm. A variety of reticle styles are also available, including standard crosshairs, circled crosshairs, ballistic drop, illuminated […] Read more

Safety training can instill a lifetime of respect in young people for safe and ethical gun handling and hunting.  |  File photo

Safety training teaches respect for firearms, practice increases skill

One of the most important traits we can instill into a young mind is the ability to think critically for themselves. This characteristic is particularly important when it comes to firearms and hunter safety. A few years back, I arranged for my son to take his Saskatchewan hunter safety training with the Saskatoon Wildlife Federation. […] Read more


The scope uses an illuminated dot of light to assist in aligning a crossbow or firearm.  |  Michael Raine photo

Scope uses coloured dot to help quickly lock on target

The Barska Dual Color Red Dot Scope is an unmagnified optic designed to help a shooter quickly get on target. It has 40 millimetre lenses, weighs 8.7 ounces and is 4.5 inches long. It comes with hardware capable of mounting to either 3/8 or 5/8 inch bases. Rather than using traditional iron sites or rifle […] Read more

The Wetterlings Large Hunting Axe has a handmade head with a quality carbon steel edge.  |  Kim Quintin photo

Wetterlings Large Hunting Axe puts power behind handle

The Wetterlings Large Hunting Axe is manufactured in Sweden. It has a 20 inch hickory wood handle and a six inch long carbon steel head with three inch wide blade and weighs 2.1 pounds. This medium-sized axe is designed for hunters going on extended trips into the wild, providing excellent balance and chopping power for […] Read more

The GSI Bugaboo Camper set for four stacks up into a pot for storage.  |  Kim Quintin photo

Portable cook set proves convenient, effective

The GSI Bugaboo Camper is a set of dishes, cups, lids, pan, pots and a sink for car camping. The set stacks neatly into an impressively lightweight, portable and storable package. Anyone who has gone car camping knows how quickly gear can eat up room and time. Individual items often end up scattered around the […] Read more


The Kershaw Roughneck has a serrated spine that could pose a safety issue if not careful.  |  Michael Raine photo

Roughneck fits the bill for camping knife

The Kershaw Roughneck is an outdoors knife manufactured in Japan. The respectably sized 11-1/8 inches long tool is made from AUS6A stainless steel with a 6-1/4 inch blade and weighs 0.4 pounds. This belt knife is designed for general camping and wilderness tasks. With a general purpose design, the Kershaw Roughneck can be used for […] Read more

Jungle knife sturdy in all environments

The ESEE Junglas (pronounced “Hoonglas”) knife is designed by Randal’s Adventure & Training and manufactured by Rowen Manufacturing in the United Sates. It is made from 3/6 inch thick 1095 carbon steel with a 10.4 inch blade, 16.5 inch overall length and weighs 23 ounces. The tool came with a molded Kydex sheath and canvas […] Read more