Growing up, my father always said to me, "Do the right thing and you will always have a good result.” My father, in his wisdom, still says this to me today. As we continue to grow r.b. wright outdoors, I realize the importance of staying grounded and I have asked myself these questions… "Why are we really doing this?” “What is it that makes the passion so extraordinary?” The answer to these questions is not as difficult or as deep as I first began making it. The answer is simple. For us, it is "the game in which we pursue.”
Yes, the pursuit is incredible and it is an adrenaline rush that one must experience to truly appreciate. However, it is still the “creature” itself that drives us. Picture each of these scenarios:
The silhouette of Rainbow Trout in a mountain stream.
The breath flowing out of the nostrils of a large Buck on a cold morning.
A school of Bluefin busting the surface feeding on a ball of baitfish.
The synchronization of a flight of Geese across a corn field.
The gobble of a Turkey coming off the roost in the distance.
The splash of a Largemouth Bass in the shallows.
The howl of a Coyote at dusk.
The wake created by Redfish tailing in the flats.
All of these are just a sampling of what we as outdoorsman have the privilege to experience on a regular basis. There is a thrill that is associated with these activities that we never seem to get over...no matter how many times we witness it.
My concerns were actually spurned during a writing prompt a few weeks ago sponsored by OBN and GreenFish. The discussion dealt with sustainability of fish. My mind began to race about what I am individually and we as a company are doing to help protect the resources we love, including the game we hunt and fish. Due to the rigor of schedules and time, it would be impossible for me, or many of us, to get involved on the actual front lines of lobbying for legislation or working in habitats in critical regions. However, we can still make a difference. Back to the words of my father...”Do the right thing and you will have always have a good result.” There are numerous conservation groups that are working daily to protect the resources we cherish. They are on the front lines. I may not be there physically; however the funds that I send to these organizations represent me...so in a way, I am there. I share this not in a braggadocios tone, but one of encouragement. I am certain that many of you feel the same way that I do about the game we pursue and the real purpose behind why we love these sports so much. We do harvest, or candidly speaking, kill wild game. We do it humanely. We do it with respect. We also give back to protect this resource.
My encouragement to you is simple…do something. If you are like me and not able to be on the front lines...then give. The amount is not as important as the act. Look at it like this, if every one of my twitter followers simply gave $20 to an organization that would be over $12,000.00. Many of you have followers that far exceed the 600 we have…look at what the impact could be for wildlife across the globe.
I am well aware that there are many other very worthy organizations that work as hard as the ones r.b. wright outdoors support. These are simply suggestions of great organizations in case you are looking for a group with whom to partner. As we continue to grow...so will our support.
I appreciate you taking the time to read this and I look forward to your comments.
Below you will find the product review for Manzella Tracker Gloves...to view a full review of these gloves including glove description, testing locations, and breakdown of how it rated in five categories – please watch this detailed video.
Recently, we were selected by the Outdoor Blogger Network (http://www.outdoorbloggernetwork.com/) and the “random number generator”, to perform a field review on the Manzella Tracker Gloves. Although I’m still relatively new to the field testing world, I have developed a system to use when reviewing certain products. With apparel (gloves fall into the category for me), I divided the review into five main categories in which to focus. They are as follows:
Quality
Functionality
Comfort
Performance
Price
Each of the categories receives a grade based on data acquired during the test. These grades are as follows:
Excellent
Good
Moderate
Lacking
Poor
Product Description:
Manzella, Tracker, Warmest - I must admit that I was a little confused trying to figure out exactly what to call this glove. (this is not necessarily a bad thing). In researching Manzella (http://www.manzella.com/), I discovered they have a vast array of gloves. Gloves are what they do...they are "the glove company". It is important to understand that this particular glove is under the Sportsman category and of the “Tracker” line. The Tracker is then broken into three insulation levels…. “Warm”, “Warmer”, and “Warmest”. This particular glove is under the Warmest series. The Warmest series is intended to be for those who spend time in the outdoors in EXTREME CONDITIONS, or for those who are “COLD HANDED”. Being that I am based in southeastern NC, what is extreme for me will not be extreme for those in other parts of the country…so we made a decision to take this test on the road, as you will see in the field test locations portion of this review.
Glove components:
Shell: water repellent micro-poly twill
Palm and fingertips - synthetic suede
Lining: fleece
Insulation: 100 gram Thinsulate ® X-Static ®
Insert: HydroBlok ®
It also features an exclusive MOC trigger finger in both the right and left hand, as well as an over-the-sleeve cuff.
Field test locations:
1) Magnolia, Delaware
• 19 degrees
• 4 ½ “ of snow
• ½” of ice
• Snow/Canada Goose hunt
2) Ivanhoe, NC
• 23 degrees
• No precipitation
• 5-8 mph wind
• Waterfowl Hunt
Test Results:
1. QUALITY:
The first thing I noticed about these gloves upon pulling them out of the box is that they really are a “good looking pair of gloves”. By this I mean they do not look inexpensive or cheaply made. I began to examine the stitching and the materials list in attempt to find out more about the quality of the craftsmanship. I was impressed with the stitching (for the most part) and was very impressed with the quality of the materials used. I am a fan of Thinsulate and HydroBlok, so right away I knew these gloves were going to receive high marks in this category. I did have one small issue in regards to the stitching. The straps located on the wrist section of the glove are designed to be tightened to help prevent cool air from entering the glove. It truly gives a tight fit. When I tightened the strap on my left hand, I had a slight separation take place in the area where the glove and the strap come together. Although not a big issue right now – it will with worsen with time unless we handle this strap gingerly. (see video for details)
SOLUTION - my suggestion to Manzella is to add a little extra reinforcement where the strap and the glove marry in order to prevent this from happening.
QUALITY =GOOD
2. FUNCTIONALITY:
What is functionality in regard to gloves? In this review, it is simply the amount of mobility one may lose when wearing a bulky-style glove opposed to a form-fitting style or bare hands. I must admit to you that I was very surprised during this test. Generally, I am not able to use my hands as I normally would due to not having the necessary flexibility in my fingers. Manzella did a wonderful job of designing the glove with thick insulation without losing the mobility in the hands. These gloves felt more like an extension of my hands than an actual glove.
FUNCTIONALITY = EXCELLENT
3. COMFORT:
One of the most important areas in relation to gloves for me is comfort. I must admit that for reasons stated in the previous category and for reasons generally associated with comfort – I truly do not like wearing gloves, and only do so many times out of necessity. This was not the case with the Manzella Tracker. The insulation on the backside and palm of the hands, in combination with the HydroBlok ® insert, placed a water resistant barrier around my hand that was snug. When I tightened the drawstring with the over-the-sleeve cuff and the wrist straps, the glove became one with my hand…this was truly a wonderful thing.
COMFORT = EXCELLENT
4. PERFORMANCE:
Of the five categories, the one most important to the outdoorsman is the glove’s overall performance with the task at hand. “Is this glove going to help or hinder me when I am in the field?” For the applications in which I used the glove (water fowling), time is very important. If we lose seconds... we lose the shot. It is with this mindset that I made my opinion of this particular glove.
One of the first features I noticed upon sliding the glove on was the exclusive MOC trigger finger that is on both the right and left hand.HALLELUJAH and GOOD JOB MANZELLA! Most of us who hunt and are in a situation requiring the use of “bulky-style” gloves, understand the frustration associated with a trigger finger that is not comfortable. I generally take a knife or scissors and remove a portion of the trigger finger of the glove from the knuckle up exposing my index finger to the elements. This MOC trigger finger allowed me the comfort needed for shooting and the protection from the elements that was required. Again, good job on this Manzella.
There were two minor issues in the area of performance:
1) About three hours into the goose hunt in Delaware, I began to notice the tips of three fingers (middle, ring, and "little") were becoming a little cool. I must admit that my hands, as a whole, were the warmest that they have been on any cold weather hunt I can remember. However, I did not expect the coolness to take place due to the intended use rating (extreme conditions or cold handed individuals) of the gloves.
2) The excess insulation over the thumb created a “flap” that would become hung-up when re-loading my shotgun. The ¼- ½ inch over- hang repeatedly would position itself between my shell and the gun causing me to have to look away from birds and use my index finger to position the shell in place.
Solutions:
1) Add a little extra 100 gram Thinsulate ™ X-Static ® to the tips of the fingers without losing mobility – again it would not take much.
2) Remove the excess “flap” of insulation over the thumb without sacrificing warmth.
PERFORMANCE = GOOD(Trigger finger was VERY redeeming!)
5. PRICE:
In order to determine the rating for price, I looked through catalogs, online stores, and brick/mortar locations comparing gloves that are similar in caliber to the Manzella Tracker (Warmest). I also looked at the grade I had given the gloves in the previous four categories. I then compiled this data to determine the final grade in regard to price.
I discovered 23 pairs of gloves that are very “similar” to this particular pair. They ranged in price from $19.99 to $51.00. Therefore, the gloves of similar design are being offered at a median price of $30.00. The Manzella Tracker (Warmest) is available for $35.00 on their website (www.manzella.com).
Based on the comparison of features and the other four categories, we did give this price a “GOOD”. If Manzella were to address the three MINOR issues that we experienced (strap separation, fingertips, and excess insulation over thumb) this would definitely be elevated to an “EXCELLENT.”
PRICE = GOOD
OVERALL RATING:
Based on the tests we performed in each category, I give the MANZELLA a final rating of GOOD.Remember that my scale is EXCELLENT, GOOD, MODERATE, LACKING, and POOR. A good rating should be interpreted as “Above Average”. This glove definitely fits the above average bill. I was asked to give an unbiased honest assessment of this product. If asked whether or not I would purchase this glove knowing what I now do – yes, I would – and I would recommend that you consider Manzella if you are looking for a good hunting glove - http://www.manzella.com/. I would like you to note that it is difficult to receive an “EXCELLENT” with the criteria I use….this glove received two EXCELLENT out of five grades and nothing less than a GOOD.
Disclaimer…in conjunction with OBN, r.b. wright was provided the products in this review free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion of this product. At the time of this review there was no relationship between Manzella and r.b. wright outdoors other than that arranged through a random number generator via OBN.
Thanks to OBN for what you do, and to Manzella for the opportunity to review your product.
Thank you for taking the time to read this review. If you see something in this review that I did not cover or have additional questions regarding this review, do not hesitate to leave a comment or e-mail me at rb@rbwrightoutdoors.com and I will do my best to answer.
