We review Red Kettles new range of clothing for rifle hunters.
Several years ago when I was just setting out on a career in the police and as part of my further training, I was dispatched to Hendon for a driver training course. It was during one of the early days of the course that the phrase 'Red Mist' was coined.
The term was used by instructors to describe the state of awareness that a driver experiences in moments of high adrenalin and stress, such as might be experienced during pursuits or when answering emergency calls. The sensation is effectively the tunnel vision and dulling of redundant senses that is employed by the body in an effort to focus. Similar terms can also be heard in the armed forces where phrases such as 'The fog of war' are used.
(Above: The clothing is lethally quiet)
It was this phrase that I recalled when first having spoken with Christian Saugmann about his ‘Red Kettle’ brand of clothing. The name ‘Red Kettle’ he explained, was arrived at from the feeling of intense excitement that we experience during the final stages of a hunt.
What a great name and how apt! It is from the very name that we can get a hint at what to expect from this range of clothing, as it is Christian’s firsthand experience of hunting that is the inspiration for Red Kettle Clothing. Christian himself is of course an experienced hunter and has hunted in various locations around the globe, the name Red kettle is therefore a summation of the hunters experience of heightened awareness.
So why am I harping on about the name and what can we establish from the choice? Well to my mind it gives an insight into what to expect from the clothing. The primary purpose of Red kettle clothing is to allow the hunter to concentrate on what he is doing. When you finally draw a bead on your deer after a protracted and difficult stalk, you do not want to be shifting around uncomfortably in clothing that is restrictive or unfit for purpose. Red Kettle clothing will not restrict your movements in those final moments, neither will it give the game away because it is quiet, very, very quiet.
(Above/Left: The Woodland Jacket & Trousers)
As a professional stalker of predominantly lowland beasts I was lucky enough to have been sent the Woodland jacket and trousers to trial. These items of clothing are developed using a high-tech, tough fabric called Ultraseuede. This is a highly supple and windproof fabric which is lethally quiet. Not only this, but some serious thought has gone into both the jacket and trousers, so much so that when I first started using the clothing I found myself silently chuckling to myself, bemused at finding the exact pocket, zipper or strap that I had been looking for with a minimum of effort. These items of clothing have been made by hunters for hunters and that is abundantly clear, I applaud Red Kettle for the sheer thought and attention to detail that has been put into the design.
So what else might UK stalkers want to know? Well whilst the clothing is clearly well thought out and undoubtedly quiet, you will not want to get it too wet, sadly the fabric when wet becomes water logged and heavy. I do not want to get hung up on this point because the clothing is not designed to be waterproof. The very ethos of Red Kettle clothing is that the clothing should be functional and specific to requirements. The design is not meant to be worn in wet weather and Red Kettle make this clear. Instead it is a modular design that is meant to be worn in conjunction with other layers, namely under garments for warmth and waterproofs for wet weather. If you are going to buy this clothing keep this ethos in mind. If you apply the ethos, then there is no doubt that you will have some of the most well thought out hunting clothing, ignore Red Kettle's ethos and you will not get the most from your purchase.
Personally I have been wearing Red Kettle gear now for several months and have thoroughly enjoyed doing so. It is a new company and one that I think deserves recognition, what is for sure, with the thought and detail that is going into each item of clothing and with water proof gear in the pipeline it is undoubtedly a company to watch.
To watch us in action stalking Roe Buck in Red Kettle Clothing click on the following link to our Short Films page, Roe Buck in May - (May 2014): short-films
To Contact Red Kettle or to find out more about their range of clothing visit their website: http://www.redkettle.co/
