# reverse gadget review



## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

this is for all the members that live in the great white north (you guys/girls that live where it's always warm wouldn't know the answer... :lol: ).

i'm hoping to take advantage of winter "outerwear" sales and pick up some good stuff for winter training, specifically, boots and coat. any suggestions/favorite brands?

i'm thinking that for outerwear, i may be best off with just getting some carhart bibs, but what about overcoat and boot recomendations? ANY input would be much appreciated!!


----------



## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

The really thin tagless t-shirts from Super Target and a pair of cargo shorts are awesome for winter training.

You can substitute cargo shorts for jeans when it dips into the 50's and 40's.


----------



## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

heck, i'm getting the cargo shorts out tomorrow for the 48 degree weather (gotta shave my legs today)  my daughter owre FLIP-FLOPS to school today; it was fairly amusing watching her tiptoe thru the snow & ice going to the car....


----------



## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

My favorite winter boots *ever* are Sorel Barn boots:

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/18319493/c/25297.html

I hate, hate, hate lacing snow boots. I have had two pairs of these, picked up the last pair for only $40. I am not a big fan of any heavier boot than this, just wear more socks if needed.

If you want a non-dog related coats, head over to REI.com and look at their closeout deals. I prefer the lighter, water-resistant jackets and layers, but my wife got me a nice North Face goosedown jacket that was very nice for our recent stretch of ridiculously cold weather. It's 700 fill, that's too hot for anything above 5 degrees for me.

For doggy stuff...e.g., dog likes to punch you in the yams when you are playing tug, etc...., yes, Carhartt will be my first choice. I don't like the duck ones because they feel like someone put me in a large spacesuit. I can't remember the name of the one I have.


----------



## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

"I can't remember the name of the one I have."
could you go look woody? i know what you mean about the duck ones  i'll wait til you get home from work  

yeah, though, i'll need something that won't fall apart or rip the first time brix leaps up in happiness and grabs a mouthful of sleeve...he doesn't REALLY bite :wink:


----------



## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

This is the one I have. It says "I am not a *******, but I have studied them."

http://www.carhartt.com/webapp/wcs/...51&productId=32108&langId=-1&categoryId=10927

It will take a dog bite or three. Not that I've ever done anything grossly irresponsible like, say, offer up a wiggly forearm to Annie while she's in the middle of a spazzy drive.  It's always funny until it hurts, you know. Like most of my dumb handling mistakes, it SEEMED like a good idea at the time.

But it's not that damn duck stuff and it takes LOADS of dog nail abuse. It's got a split back to make movement easier. Layer it over a sweatshirt or something and you'll be fine in very cold weather.

Like most Carhartt stuff, it's heavy.


----------



## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

A Carhart chore jacket and the lined overalls, also by Carhart, in my opinion, are about as warm as anything you can get. A lined flannel shirt under the jacket is too warm in almost any weather condition south of the Mason Dixon.

David


----------



## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

oh boy, now i get to go shopping!!!! though it'll probably be straight to TSC, ok maybe i'll stop at Joe's first just so i can say i compared *a* price (and no, that's not the bar!). and i'll have to go to Scheel's to check out boots (another price check you know...).

the goal: under $300, and less than 1&1/2 hrs actual shopping time. thanks for the input guys  

oh-any other boot ideas? i don't mind lacing as much as woody seems to...


----------



## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

ann freier said:


> oh-any other boot ideas? i don't mind lacing as much as woody seems to...


I recommend that site, zappos.com, to anyone here who has not tried it. They have 1,000s of shoes and free shipping and free returns...buy one, if it don't fit or you don't like it, throw it back in the box. They have about the best customer service of any internet business.

Sorel has lace-up versions of the barn boot. I like the 3/4 boot length myself...get a pair of gaiters and you're ready for deep snow.

Lacing sucks.


----------



## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

http://www.backcountry.com/store/SRL0004/Sorel-Caribou-Boot-Womens.html?id=Thdxvg9S

In any case, boot-wise, I like the rubber-y ones (that have rubber around the foot and then a leather upper. Much better, IMHO, much easier to clean up.


----------



## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

thanks for the links woody. my favorite pair of pacs wore out last winter; they were from (oh that kinda preppy place out east--OMG, Alzheimers), but anyway, they were 10+ yrs old, pull-on, warm...but did tend to let snow down into them when it was too deep.

when i checked the women's side on zappos, they weren't impressed w/the zippers on the sorel boots, so i figured if i go that route, i'll just order the men's. i also noticed the free 2-way shipping-never have seen that anywhere before!


----------



## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

Google the model you like, other places may have it much cheaper...zappos still rules, but sorels get dumped all the time by outdoor outlets...


----------



## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I don't like carharts due to the fact that they look a bit like what the dog is biting.


----------



## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

Sorel Glacier http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/18324412/c/3.html are the warmest I have found. I like Baffin Trappers for slushy or wet weather. 
For outerwear I like Sierra Designs(I really like their fleece stuff) but I gotta admit I make most of my own outerwear as most outerwear is not designed to take what dogs tend to dish out in the wear and tear department. I avoid the women's models of any brand as they usually suck really bad - not warm enough , cut for fashion not for working and usually is some godawful prissy colour like pale pink or blue or white or something in the really impractical line :-& . My kennel and chore coveralls and coats are pretty scuzzy and disreputable looking and whatever I can pick up reasonably that stands up to a bit of hard use. For actually working with the dogs I don't like really heavy bulky stuff but usually go with layers that I can adjust to temperature and activity.
I don't order from them but I have seen some nice stuff from Cabela's that others have bought.


----------



## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

so jeff--any suggestions? do you just layer stuff on over the long underwear? upon consideration, carharts may be too bulky to move very quickly also....i'll have to try some on and see...


----------



## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

Lynn Cheffins said:


> I avoid the women's models of any brand as they usually suck really bad.


This is not bad advice regarding many brands of shoes, as well. 

I defer to Lynn for the extreme-extreme bootage. I do like the Sorels in general because they seem insanely cheap for what you get.


----------



## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

Woody Taylor said:


> I recommend that site, zappos.com,


Oh yeah, in addition to the awesome selection and free returns shipping, the best part about zappos is the customer reviews...people go into depth on how the sizes run, how they use them, etc. I really like that site, one of my favorite online retailers. I have read a bit about them...the lose a TON of money on the free returns policy, but they have a very loyal customer base and fantastic customer service.


----------



## Amber Scott Dyer (Oct 30, 2006)

Woody Taylor said:


> This is the one I have. It says "I am not a *******, but I have studied them."
> 
> 
> > Move to Georgia. You'll have plenty of opportunities to *study* - and you only need a heavy coat a couple of times a year! :wink:


----------



## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

Amber Scott said:


> Move to Georgia. You'll have plenty of opportunities to *study* - and you only need a heavy coat a couple of times a year! :wink:


Early childhood in Nebraska, rural high school and state college in Oklahoma, a bit of school in Texas, worked in the oil/gas business in Kansas. Entire family is from rural, eastern North Carolina. I have lived among the necks of the red. I have observed them, dated them, worked with them. I bought a pair of cowboy boots, even. I can pass as one if I ever have to do deep cover secret agent work around meth labs.

I am not a good fit for those environments. Too bad as the food is GREAT. Almost makes up for the horrible, horrible music.


----------



## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Lord almighty Woody, you sound like a hoot. If you ever out this way gimme a call and I'll get the boys together and turn some hounds loose and see if we can't scare up a bear or two. Or, if ya prefer we can load up the dales and go find some hogs. Ya don't know what yer missin fella. Sittin around passin a bottle of Jack Daniels around after the hunt, tellin each other what great dogs we have and what crap they got. Gimme a call. :lol:


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Don Turnipseed said:


> Lord almighty Woody, you sound like a hoot. If you ever out this way gimme a call and I'll get the boys together and turn some hounds loose and see if we can't scare up a bear or two. Or, if ya prefer we can load up the dales and go find some hogs. Ya don't know what yer missin fella. Sittin around passin a bottle of Jack Daniels around after the hunt, tellin each other what great dogs we have and what crap they got. Gimme a call. :lol:


Yep, he IS a hoot. :lol:


----------



## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

Don Turnipseed said:


> Lord almighty Woody, you sound like a hoot. If you ever out this way gimme a call and I'll get the boys together and turn some hounds loose and see if we can't scare up a bear or two. Or, if ya prefer we can load up the dales and go find some hogs. Ya don't know what yer missin fella. Sittin around passin a bottle of Jack Daniels around after the hunt, tellin each other what great dogs we have and what crap they got. Gimme a call. :lol:


Would love to see those Dales, if there is JD involved in the training, even more so.

Look for me, I'll be driving the Ford F-350 Turbodiesel with THESE hanging on the back. :lol:

Thinking about getting a set of these for my Accord, too.


----------



## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

woody--definitely get a set for the Accord :lol: you'll fit right in with all the bull-haulers on the interstate (get a CB too) 8)


----------



## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Thanks for that link Woody. I have two brothers that have birthdays coming up and those are the perfect present. 8)


----------

