Using a crane to lift a Filson duffle bag with a Volkswagen Beetle engine inside illustrates its great strength and durability.

I could easily fill up each and every one of these columns with descriptions of new products but doing so would eventually become rather boring to both you and me. Instead, I choose to occasionally devote my allotted space to a few choice items that have greatly impressed either me or someone I know quite well. Here, then, are a few items that I consider worthy of a serious look.

A Hunting Boot Built Specifically For Women
There was a time when many women who enjoyed hunting had no choice but to wear clothing in the smaller sizes made for men and boys. This no longer is true and while several companies now offer pants, shirts, coats and other items for the opposite sex, Red Wing of Irish Setter fame is the only one I'm aware of who offers boots built specifically for women. What they have come up with is a shoe mold shaped and detailed specifically for women with three of its more important differences being a heel cup of smaller volume, a more flexible collar and special positioning of the arch support.

The seven-inch boot is called Ladyhawk and it features an UltraDry waterproof membrane sandwiched between a leather/nylon combo shell on the outside and a soft, low-friction lining on the inside. Nominal weight is 23⁄4 pounds and the medium-aggressive tread of its cushioned sole is a good compromise for walking over a variety of terrain.

Three versions are available, #3885 (non-insulated), #3886 (600 grams of Thinsulate Ultra insulation) and #3887 with 1000 grams of the same insulation. Available sizes are five through 11 in a medium width and the standard color is Realtree HD Brown camo. A limited-edition version in pink camo is also available and $5 from the sale of each pair is donated to breast cancer research.

Phyllis, my wife, says the Ladyhawk is the most comfortable hunting/hiking boot she has ever tried and required almost no break-in before being worn all day long in the field.

A Designated Driver For Your Shotgun
Aptly described in the giant Brownells wish book as a screwdriver kit for your pocket, the Designated Driver consists of a three-inch-long aluminum handle with storage cavities for one Phillips and four straight bits sized to fit slotted-head screws of various sizes. The straight bits are hollow-ground as they should be for use on a firearm.

If additional bits are needed for screw slots of lengths and widths that do not fit some of the screws on a particular gun, about 50 different sizes are available at additional cost.

A two-inch extension included in the kit is long enough to reach through most any recoil pad to tighten loose screws. A magnet at one end of the handle keeps screws removed in the field from disappearing in the dirt and leaves. Two versions are available but No. 080-000-059 is the one for shotgunners since an extra bit included with it serves as a universal wrench for removing and installing screw-in chokes in the field.

Like most products from Brownells, the Designated Drive comes with a lifetime guarantee. In the unlikely even that you do not like this handy little gizmo, simply return it for a no-hassle refund of your money.