Western Outdoor Times - Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!

The SHOT Show has officially started and the entire event is packed to the gills. It's spread over several floors and many areas of the Sands Convention Center, and we can already tell it's going to be impossible to see everything in just the few days we have here. So our first stop was the New Product Center. Here are some of our favorite things from there.

The Crooked Horn Outfitters' PhoneSkope is ideal not only for hunters, for for birders, sports enthusiasts, or anyone else who want to be able to capture, record, and share objects and events at a distance. First you choose the case to fit your phone, then the adapter that fits your optics - spotting scope, etc. Then simply attach the phone to the optics and you can see whatever the scope sees, but on your phone. This means that you can take photos or videos through powerful optics, easily. They also sell bluetooth shutter buttons so you don't wiggle when you shoot, as well as portable power packs and more You can check out all their stuff at http://www.phoneskope.com.

Snapsafe is a modular safe system that is easily shipped to your home or office. Once it's there, you simply put it together. Their largest safe takes 2 people 30 minutes to assemble. They also sell wall safes, an under the bed safe, and many others. Plus they have some wonderful safe accessories like shelves and pistol holders that simply slip over the safe shelf and hang underneath. You can see all of their things at http://www.snapsafe.com.

Paracord is all the rage these days, and paracord survival bracelets are everywhere, but we saw one today that takes the cake - it comes in three sizes and each size is adjustable - great because I've yet to find one that is small enough for my wrists, and this one is called the Paraclaw. It actually incorporates a very decent knife blade inside the clasp. This utilitarian little bracelet would come in handy on hiking and camping trips, and even every day when you need to open a box, etc. It's not on their site yet, but when it is, you'll find it at http://www.outdooredge.com.

Now for some things that weren't in the New Product Center:

Full Conceal is a system that allows you to carry an extra magazine ON your gun. It attaches to the front of your gun, under the barrel and in front of the trigger guard, then comes of easily if you need to use that extra magazine. Their website says the T1 iMod Kit is their front magazine holder to let you take your full sized pistol and turn it into a practical concealment option. The T2 is a lower receiver conversion for your pistol that lets you store a high capacity magazine completely flush with the front of the pistol.

Tactical Walls has a variety of ways to hide your firearm in plain sight, including a tissue holder, lamp, end tables, bedside tables, coffee tables, shelves, etc. These open via an RFID chip instead of a magnet,

making them even safer. The furniture is very attractive and well made, and comes in a variety of finishes, including unfinished, so you can match your decor easily. The lamp and tissue box are non-locking, but it certainly isn't obvious that there would be a gun inside. You can see all of their concealment solutions at http://www.tacticalwalls.com.

For another way to lock up your gun and keep it totally safe, but totally out in the open is with the Identilock. This is a big lock that completely covers the trigger and unlocks instantly with your fingerprint.

This is ideal for those who would like to keep a gun by the bed or the desk, but worry about little ones or others getting access to it. The founder, Omer Kiyani, survived a gunshot wound as a young man. Later he moved from his home in the Himalayas to America, thriving on the freedom here. He founded the Sentini Company to develop the world's most advanced firearm safety device. We really like this device - it lets you keep your gun nearby but completely safe, yet instantly accessible. See it at http://www.getidentilock.com.