“Talkin’ ‘bout my generation.” — Pete Townshend
With apologies to the song writer and guitarist of The Who, with the season of gift giving rapidly approaching, today I’m “talkin’ to my generation.”
Specifically, this is directed to those of us who have to balance the need in our maturing years to take medications such as blood thinners with our enjoyment of pursuing cold-weather winter outdoors activities. In particular, my passion for the post-Christmas flintlock deer season was being compromised the last few years by a body that was betraying my ability to endure extended periods of time stalking deer in sub-freezing temperatures.
All that changed last year, however, when my favorite hunting and fishing companion and I tipped the scales in our favor for flintlock season and hunted several times when the thermometer read in the teens. On the advice of some friends who are professional outdoors videographers, we helped ease Santa’s burden by gifting each other with matching My Core Control Personal Thermal Control hooded parkas in Mossy Oak.
What makes My Core jackets achieve what other products claim is the technology inside the garment that gives the wearer the ability to actually change their core body temperature measured orally on demand. This is achieved by strategically providing heat to the pulse point area of the inner wrists by utilizing the heart as the pump, the blood as the coolant and the circulatory system as the radiator.
As the heart beats, heated blood is pumped throughout the entire body, and the microprocessor controller provides three temperature settings to adjust the warmth for comfort and activity level. Batteries re-charge in six hours and are rechargeable for more than 500 cycles. Solid state heated wrist devices and control button are waterproof, and internal highly water resistant battery pouches with zippers keep batteries dry during operation.
There is a lifetime guarantee on electrical components when proper care is given, and two rechargeable 3.7-volt lithium-ion batteries and a charger are included. This was more than enough power to supply warmth during some weather conditions that were at times brutal during last year’s flintlock season.
My Core jackets are available in sizes ranging from M-3XL and are stocked at Cabela’s and sold online at Amazon.com. These jackets are usually priced at $280, or less, while similar products can be found with a suggested retail price of $350 or more. My Core jackets can also be ordered directly from the Houston-based company at www.mycorecontrol.com.
For those in need of some stocking stuffers that will continue to give throughout the year, check these items that are available online from the Pennsylvania Game Commission Outdoors Shop at http://www.theoutdoorshop.state.pa.us/.
• 2016 Pennsylvania Wildlife Calendar: $9.25. This 13x10½-inch calendar from the Pennsylvania Game Commission is printed on quality stock, has a monthly grid that contains timely and helpful information on the outdoors, features striking wildlife photographs and includes add-on season stickers, wildlife tidbits, major fishing seasons and more. It also provides a brief overview of the PGC and contact information for the agency’s Harrisburg headquarters and six region offices.
• “Pennsylvania Game News:” one-year subscription $18, three-year subscription $45. This monthly 64-page magazine contains articles by some of Pennsylvania’s best-known outdoors writers, updates by agency personnel and other features. It recently celebrated its 1,000th issue since it has been published by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
• 2015 Pennsylvania Big Game Records Book: $6. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Game Commission Big Game Scoring Program, the book contains more than 4,000 entries in 10 categories: Typical and non-typical deer taken with firearms and archery tackle; black bears taken with firearms and archery tackle; and typical and non-typical elk taken with firearms and archery tackle.
• Pennsylvania Wildlife Student Guide: $3.77. In the continuing efforts by the Pennsylvania Game Commission to bring the wonders of the natural world to students, it presents this student guide about our state’s wildlife. Written and illustrated by Bob Sopchick, the student guide depicts selected species from wetlands, forests and farmlands, as well as wildlife from cities and suburban neighborhoods.
(Dietz is outdoors editor)