What's new in the deer woods

Each bow season, if all goes well, we tromp into the woods with some sweet new gear. Sometimes it's an updated product that's light years ahead of the old model. Or something that makes us more effective hunters. Or maybe it just keeps us more comfortable on stand. Here's one guy's view of this year's additions:

Mathews Z7 Extreme bow
$899; www.mathewsinc.com

Rumors that the new Mathews Z7 Extreme will fit in the cargo pocket of your favorite camo pants are slightly exaggerated, but with a miniscule 28 inches from axle-to-axle, it might get pretty close. And it’s light, just under 4 pounds naked. But small hardly means skimpy. The Z7 Extreme has a very forgiving 7 3/8-inch brace height that gives it surprising stability for such a short bow. Its draw is silky smooth, with a nice valley and solid anchor. And it is quiet and absolutely dead in hand on the shot; I was able to balance it on my thumb during follow-through. Mathews touts this bow’s speed at up to 330 fps, which means it’s not the fastest bow in the woods. But after you’ve maneuvered through the woods and into your treestand with complete ease, and silently sent an arrow through the chest of a nice buck, ask him if an extra 15 fps would have made him any more dead.

Gorilla G30 Safety Harness
$149; www.gorillatreestands.com

Let’s pause for a moment to thank the person who came up with the idea to build those spaghetti safety harnesses of the not-too-distant past into a vest. Now let’s celebrate those who have taken that idea even further. Put the folks at Gorilla on that list with the new G30. This thing is laden with impressive features, including an extra-long tether for greater range of motion, adjustable binocular straps, a quick-connect tree strap (a must in my view; I usually home-brew them with a heavy strap and a carabiner that can hold up a car) and a stuff sack for storage. But where it really shines is in the straps and buckles. The former are wide, padded and comfortable, especially the waist band that will provide lower back support during long sits. The buckles are quick-release and easy to open and close, but more importantly made of metal and much more solid than competitors’ plastic buckles. Everything is fully adjustable, which means safety and comfort. The only knocks I see on the G30 are that the metal buckles are noisy to put on and it feels a bit heavy in your hand, but those are both extremely minor. If you’re putting it on at your truck the buckles are a non-issue, and they’re all covered with nylon sleeves anyway. The harness goes on easily and it’s nicely balanced, so once it’s on you can barely feel it.

Irish Setter Rutmaster boots
$149-$179; www.irishsetterboots.com

Get your snickers out of the way. This boot is called the Rutmaster. You, presumably, are not.

But forget the name. The reasons we wear rubber boots during archery season do not disappear when temps plunge and it’s time to break out the heavy artillery. They are scent-free and waterproof. The biggest knocks on them are the way they rattle around on your feet when you’re walking, and the corollary lack of support if that walk is long.

Irish Setter has solved that problem with its Exoflex line. To get a standard rubber boot on, it must be loose around your ankle. But these boots stick tightly thanks to that little patch of Exoflex on the back. It stretches to let your heel slide in, then returns to its ankle-hugging ways for a snug, comfortable and stationary fit. Just this morning I walked the perimeter of my hunting property in complete comfort.

Rutmaster boots come with 800- and 1,200-gram Thinsulate, and if you pair that with a nice heavy sock your feet will stay toasty down to some fairly chilly temperatures.

Pricey? A little bit. Worth it? Yep.