| Bowhunting.net
Jon E. Silks
HUNTER'S CAMO PACKS FROM SUNSET CREEK DEERSKINS Throughout the years I have owned numerous leather products including boots, jackets, wallets, muzzle loading pouches, quivers, business card holders and the like. One of my favorites was an expensive leather jacket that was given to me as a present back in my early 20s. I can still remember how well it was made and how soft and pliable it was. It was quality made and lasted for years. Until recently when I was introduced to Sunset Creek, no other leather product stood out to me. Two items were sent to my shop for evaluation, a Hunter’s Camo Hip Pack and a Hunter’s Camo Belt Pouch. In this review we will take a look at the quality of each and see where and how well they fit into a bowhunter’s gear. The Hunter’s Camo Hip Pack measures 3” x 3” x 12” and has a
single pocket. For convenience and function it has a defined bottom/floor and
top flap. The top flap employs a double-pull zipper that runs along its edge.
An adjustable 1” wide web belt with squeeze-release buckle finishes off the
package. The end of the belt has a small elastic band that wraps around the
main belt and slides to neatly take up the slack. Both pieces are made from Sunset Creek Deerskin’s exclusive Deer
Path deerskin in Tree Moss Camo. Their tanning and finishing processes are
proprietary. The result is a lightweight and extraordinarily soft material. All
of Sunset’s products are personally crafted in the USA. Note: You may notice small scars, nicks and blemishes in the skins. These are normal and do not detract from the product’s appearance or usefulness. To care for your new Sunset Creek accessory simply hand wash it in mild soap (no saddle soap), thoroughly rinse and squeeze the excess water out – do not wring them out. Once that is done stretch them back to their original shape and dry flat away from direct heat. Initial Inspection: As with all of my reviews the first task on the agenda is to
thoroughly go over the product and see how well it was put together and
functions – workmanship and design. The zippers ran smoothly from end to end
with no hang-ups. Both pieces did have some loose threads at both ends of the
zipper base material. I tried to remove the fraying ends but they just
unraveled further. A few snips with a pair of scissors and the edges were
cleaned up. The fix took five minutes, tops. Another item that caught my eye
was the vinyl lining inside the smaller pouch. There were small rips in the
vinyl right next to the belt loop stitching. Eventually these small blemishes
will get caught and end up coming apart completely. The stitching was high
quality on both and reinforced in critical wear areas – a definite plus! When I first took the two items from the shipping package I was ready to throw them out immediately. The odor was terrible. I hung them on a set of antlers and forgot about them for a few weeks. When I finally got back to them I was totally amazed that the odor had reduced by at least 80%! A day or two more out in the sun and again the odor diminished even further. They are still not scent free but I doubt the odor would spook game. Even before I noticed any odor or material fraying the softness of the material struck me. It is the softest leather I have ever put my hands on. It is actually hard to describe! How much stuff can you get in these packs anyway? We all carry different items but I wanted to at least get an idea of their capacity so I started stuffing them with some of the items people often take into the woods. Following is a list of the items that fit into each pack without stressing the zippers: Hunter's Camo Belt Pouch Headlamp
Hunter's Camo Hip Pack Deer Call That is a
bunch of gear for just two small accessory packs! Design: 4 of 5 As
mentioned earlier the packs are useful and carry a tremendous amount of gear.
The only change that I would suggest for the Hunter's Camo Hip Pack would be to
make the bottom and sides rigid while leaving the top flap pliable. This may
make it easier to handle and less likely to allow items to fall out when adding
or removing others. It may however make it less comfortable to wear. Can't be
sure though until a prototype is made. Quality: 3.5 of 5 The loose and frayed ends of the base zipper material along with the torn vinyl are the reason for this score. Other than those minor items there were no problems at all. Material: 5 of 5 The Deer
Path leather is awesome! I will definitely be making more purchases from Sunset
Creek, starting with that jacket! For more information on the products reviewed here or any other items, contact: Sunset Creek Deerskin © Copyright 2005 by Bowhunting.net |
