Tag Archives: utah

Brand Spotlight: CarryMeGear Holsters – made in Utah!

December 8, 2016 - posted by EmmaLee Sessions

Look out, Utah! There is a new brand of gun holsters in the state and they are exclusively at Smith and Edwards. We know you are going to love them.

CarryMeGear is owned and operated by Smith and Edwards’ own Mike Vause, right here in Ogden, UT. Mike is the Sporting Goods manager here and we are super excited to be carrying his handmade gun holsters!

Mike has spent most of his professional career in the shooting sports industry. For years, he has been looking for something new to bring to this growing market.

“I have owned and tried many holster styles and brands,” he explained, “and decided to take some elements that I like and incorporate them into my thoughts and needs. I woke up one morning and said, ‘Let’s do this!'”

After a lot of work, trial and error, collaboration and help from his good friends, the first CarryMeGear Inside-the-Waistband (IWB) holster came to be.

Why Carry with Kydex?

Carry Me Gear holsters are made out of Kydex, which is a thermal plastic designed for heating and shaping for custom fit. Kydex is lightweight and durable, lasting longer than other materials.

Why is Kydex superior? It is thinner and easier to conceal, and it is sweat and weather resistant. You no longer have to wait for your holster to dry out, making these the perfect holsters for backpacking and hiking.

This Springfield XDS doesn’t print with the CarryMeGear holster in kidney position.

What sets CarryMeGear Apart?

When asked what sets CarryMeGear apart from brands we carry, Mike said, “The difference is adjustability of attachment and fit to the body. It spreads the load over a larger area than single attachment designs, and is sleeker than other 2-point, soft-back styles.”

Still, the greatest things that set these holsters apart are: 1) they are handmade right in Ogden, so you’ll be supporting a local business, and 2) they are about $10 less expensive than other great brands!

Additionally, each CarryMeGear holster is hand-fitted to a mold of the exact model of gun, and hand-sanded for snag-free carry.

We asked one of our buyers, Chris Jacobson, why he was so excited about the new CarryMeGear gun holsters. “These holsters are handmade locally in Ogden, UT and are fitted to your exact gun,” he said. “The Inside-the-Waistband holster is surprisingly comfy. I personally own one and really enjoy using it.”

IWB holsters are especially popular because you can adjust to use your choice of strong side, kidney, or appendix carry. CarryMeGear holsters are even more comfortable because they are easily adjustable to fit every body shape and size.

The holster’s forward and backward cant, or angle, can be adjusted. In addition, tension on the firearm itself can be increased or decreased. Screws and bushings also allow the holster to move closer to or away from the body.

A Sig P238 is secure in an Inside-the-Waistband, left, or Outside-the-Waistband, right, CarryMeGear holster.

Outside the Box: OWB & Small-of-Back Carry

CarryMeGear also makes Outside-the-Waistband (OWB) holsters for strong side carry. Smith & Edwards carries these OWB holsters for several models of semiautomatic handguns, as well as a Smith and Wesson J-frame Revolver model.

This Sig P238 disappears completely in the CarryMeGear OWB holster.

Mike is also very aware of the needs of his customers, and is open to additional feedback and insights. Mike began working on Small-Of-Back holsters due to requests from women shooters.

The small of the back design allows ladies to carry while maintaining a natural hip silhouette. “We are designing, thinking, and testing more designs and products,” he told me. “A Small-Of-Back (SOB) holster has been tested and approved by some of our Smith and Edwards concealed carry permit holders.”

This Small of Back CarryMeGear Holster conceals her Glock perfectly!

Look for the small-of-back holsters, magazine pouches, and even more styles of holsters from CarryMeGear at Smith & Edwards soon!

Get Yours at Smith & Edwards and on our Website

We know that you will love the CarryMeGear holsters, whether you are a CCP holder or looking for a good range holster. We love the CarryMeGear holsters and recommend them to everyone. You’ll wonder how you ever lived without one!

Talk to one of our experts and try them today at Smith and Edwards. You can also find our selection of handgun holsters here on SmithandEdwards.com.

No comments

How to Freeze Beets

July 29, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

Beets are a yummy vegetable packed with nutrients like manganese, potassium, copper, magnesium, vitamin C, iron, and vitamin B6. They’re a delicious Utah summer crop, and you can freeze beets to enjoy them year-round.

Our produce experts Vickie Maughan, our Housewares manager, and Jean from Pettingill’s Fruit Farm, teamed up to freeze beets last week and here’s how they did it.

You’ll need:

Disposable gloves
Kitchen knife
Pot of water
Ziploc® freezer bags

Directions: How to Freeze Beets

Put on your gloves!
Wash the fresh beets and cut of the beet greens, leaving 1″ of beet green stems. Don’t remove the tails or beet green stems, because if you cut them off, the beets will bleed out and lose their color.
Boil the beets in a pot of water until tender. Then, set aside and let them cool off.
Boiling the beets with their stems & tails on will keep the rich purple-red color from bleeding out!
Peel the beets. You don’t need a tool: you can massage the beet skin, tail, & beet green stems and they’ll fall off the beet in your fingers.
Slice, dice, cube, quarter, or halve the beets any way you’d like. We love mandolins for slicing vegetables!
Put in a freezer Ziploc baggie with as many servings as you’ll want.

You can freeze them individually like cherries (view our How to Freeze Cherries guide), or if your family loves beets, you can freeze them all together.

Tip: Flatten the bag when you put it in the freezer so they stack nicely and will thaw evenly.

This winter, you can take the bag out to enjoy garden-fresh beets at the peak of their flavor. Microwave or lightly simmer them in a covered pan with butter, when your family’s ready to eat!

If you liked this, you will LOVE our other frozen food storage tips! Make sure you check out How to Freeze Cherries and How to Freeze Corn.

No comments

We’re getting Cabin Fever… are you?

March 19, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

When I’m not at Smith & Edwards, taking photos is a huge hobby of mine.

I’ve been in Utah for 6 years, and while I’ve loved wandering backroads for barn photos and along the river parkways for macros and mushrooms, I’ve never ventured up the trails for some stunning shots.

Til now!

I’ve got Cabin Fever and I bet you do, too. Come explore the hikes & trails of Weber county with me! Mike Vause has picked out some gear for me, and I want to see if you can keep up!

I’m wearing the Columbia Switchback II Jacket (in “rose” color), Columbia gray Anytime Outdoor Long shorts, and Merrell waterproof high top hiking boots. In-store, I’m wearing Ariat Real Riding Eclipse jeans. Yep, I got all that gear at Smith & Edwards!

Visit Camping & Hiking to get the best gear.

And check out the Men’s and Women’s boot departments for Columbia, Merrell, and Danner hiking boots and trail running shoes.

You’ll find even more gear in-store at Smith & Edwards, off exit 351 just north of Ogden. Have fun out there!

No comments

Outdoorsman Gift: Klymit Static V Air Pad Review

December 16, 2015 - posted by Mike Vause

I love backpacking the Uinta Wilderness. There is something about leaving the pressure of life behind and getting away from it all.

I am sorry, but I am a gear junkie. I should never have to buy more equipment ever!! But when something new, better, even cooler comes out….. I buy it. I know that there are more of us out there, and we are good at supporting the economy via outdoor gear.

I have an expensive self-inflating sleeping pad. It is about my fifth one as they have gotten lighter and more compact over time. I have used this one for years and have been happy with it. Self-inflating pads have been the standard but in more recent times the inflatable pads have been stealing market share.

The Klymit Static V inflatable pad has intrigued me for about a year and though I promised myself not to spend money on new gear this trip, I gave in.

The Static V large air pad inflates in 10-15 breaths, weighs just over 1lb, and rolls up compact in its own sack.

It only weighs 18.1 ounces and is less than half the size of my old favorite. You can inflate it to the firmness you desire and actually get it back into the tiny stuff sack.

I slept better and warmer than ever. This turned out to be an excellent acquisition and I highly recommend it to smooth out those rainy Uinta nights. Better sleep, lighter weight, and more compact…. that’s why I am a non-recovering gear junkie.

Klymit air pads make great Christmas gifts… and they’re a local company, based in Centerville, Utah. Explore Air pads here, and come visit Smith & Edwards off I-15 at exit 351 for your last-minute gifts.

No comments

The Greatest Hunt of My Life: Paul’s Manti Elk

October 28, 2015 - posted by Rose Marion

Thanks to Paul Rochell for sharing this awesome tale.

This is my second bull elk, the first was a general season elk tag. This 6X6 bull was a limited entry Manti tag that took fifteen long years to draw.

After several trips this summer scouting for elk, my cousin found this bull two days before the hunt opened and was able to video the bull with his phone skope.

Opening morning me and several of my family (Wife, 2 sons, grandson, brother, 5 cousins, uncle, and 2 aunts) surrounded the canyon the bull was spotted in trying to get another look. My brother spotted the elk, but by the time I got to him, he slipped into the pines. Later that evening, my son Jory and his family watched the canyon to make sure the elk stayed there and that nobody else was after him. In the meantime, me and the rest of the family were checking several other canyons looking for other elk we had seen during the summer.

After returning to camp that evening, we sat around compared pictures and decided this bull was well worth taking. The next morning we all set up around the canyon in search of this bull. With no luck spotting him, we knew he was still there from his distinct bugle. So rather than trying to sneak in on him, I decided it would be best to wait until evening.

Early that afternoon myself and all of my family surrounded the canyon again. A short time later my cousin Markus had the elk in his sights, so I quickly moved into position. After a few bugles the elk walked into a small opening and presented me with a shot. But after the first shot, the elk quickly disappeared.

At this time we were not sure if I had hit the elk. A short time later (which felt like hours) the cows walked back into the same clearing… followed by the bull.

The second shot was definitely successful. When the bull hit the ground, we quickly followed up with yelling and screaming of happiness. This indicated to the rest of the family scattered around the canyon that the bull was down.

This hunt was the greatest hunt of my life due to the fact of my wife, sons, grandson, and the rest of my family were there to be a part of it.

I carry some good memories of this hunting area because it was also the same limited entry unit that my dad waited 14 yrs to draw at 75 years old. I was fortunate enough to join him on his successful lifetime bull elk hunt in 2011 a couple years before he passed away in 2014, and I’m sure he was cheering along with the rest of the family.

No comments

The Gear You Need for a Weekend Getaway

March 15, 2014 - posted by Mike Vause

The spring is the perfect time to plan your hiking and camping, and you couldn’t ask for a better location than Utah. Take a week to enjoy the natural surroundings in comfort. Or, take off on a Friday afternoon and get away for a weekend with the family on your favorite hiking trails.

Utah Hiking and Camping Spots

Utah is rich with outdoor hiking opportunities.

I love the Uinta mountains.

The Desert Canyons of San Rafael Swell are also a good hike.

Even our own humble Ben Lomond peak.

Peak of Ben Lomond - Mike Vause, Smith and Edwards

My nephew on the peak of Ben Lomond. Over his right shoulder you can see Willard Bay.

Climb a peak! It will change how you look at things.

We have beautiful peaks in Utah. I like the view from Lewis Peak on the other side of the divide.

Utah’s tallest is Kings Peak – that’s an amazing summit right there.

For camping, I like the Logan Canyon area. There are still some fun spots at North Fork.

I love being in the Uinta mountains – there are many fun places up there you can hike to.

Now is the time to prepare a great backpack trip or day hike. Be ready now so you can grab your gear and go when the weather is right.

Capitol Reef, Utah - Mike Vause, Smith and Edwards

Capitol Reef National Park

Utah Hiking Gear & Camping Picks

Kelty day packs lasted my kids from 2nd grade through to my 20-year-old on his mission in the islands of the Pacific.

When you’re looking for hiking packs, you can’t go wrong with one from Mountainsmith, Kelty, or Jansport.

Hiking packs by Jansport, Mountainsmith, and Kelty at Smith and Edwards

These hiking packs will hold all your gear comfortably – and you won’t lose sight of your family in these bright colors, either.

Rather than trying to haul in your own water, you’ll want a water purification system: either a pump or a gravity system.

Some good purifying pump systems are the Katadyn Hiker, and the MSR Miniworks Ex Microfilter.

Water Purification pumps are great – but gravity-style purification rocks.

I love the Katadyne Base Camp system, where you draw a huge bag through the water, hang it up in camp, and then release water from it as you need it. And because of the gravity, you don’t need to pump it. The Katadyne Base Camp uses the same filters as other Katadyne systems.

A lot of these purification systems have adapters that go right on your Nalgene® bottle, reducing spillage.

Waterproof boots are a must! Danner and Merrell are good waterproof brands, and Merino wool or polypropylene blend socks complete the package.

Here are a couple good shoes: Danner 453 GTX in brown, and Merrell Moab Gore-Tex Mid with Vibram soles.