Sportsman “Must-have” Gear You Should Own
Okay, I’ll admit it…I’m one of those gadget guys. As soon as I see some slick new device promising to make a sportsman’s life a bit easier, more fun, or even more successful I will usually be among the first to add it to my stable of toys. Call it human nature if you will, but I love most sportsman gadgets.
Of course, most of my friends know this about me. They know I have a penchant for the latest and greatest new outdoor gear. Truth is I have a room full of equipment some of which has never even been taken out of the box. I guess you could call that my dirty little secret not too many people know about me.
So, it struck some of my friends as odd that I didn’t have a FoodSaver vacuum sealer in my growing list of equipment. For years I resisted the temptation partly for two reasons. First, the device appeared to me to be so “infomercial” like in appearance. Even I realize that more often than not gadgets showcased on these television shows can be made to look a lot more useful than they eventually prove to be practical. Besides, my second point was most of these machines were expensive with the good ones costing as much as 3 bills.
Moreover, I reasoned for far too long that a FoodSaver doesn’t do much more than you can accomplish with some saran wrap and Zip-lock bags. Even butcher paper well wrapped can be a good protector…or so I believed. But I was wrong. Of the half dozen or so friends I knew who owned one of these FoodSaver machines…each one raved about the performance of what it can do…and gave a litany of reasons why they did not want to live without one. This got me thinking that maybe I need to change my aversion to these machines.
Several months back I finally broke down and purchased the FoodSaver Turbo II Professional and I now must admit it has become one of the best equipment investments I have made. Sure, it took a healthy chunk out of my budget…but over the long run I’m convinced it will preserve the quality of food in ways that other methods simply cannot accomplish. Certainly with Father’s Day coming up…putting this on your wish list makes good sense. Besides, even most spouses will see some value in this device as it can be used in many ways be multiple family members.
The big thing about the FoodSaver is the vacuum sealing. With the high-pressure pumps sucking most of the air out of the bag (and squeezing the meat), you virtually remove any excess air from having contact with the meat. Truth is oxidative rancidity (commonly called freezer burn) is a nasty thing to have happen to your food. Once you learn how to use the FoodSaver properly it will greatly extend the freezer life of most of your food items quite dramatically. Check out this chart.
But don’t overlook other uses of the FoodSaver, either. I know of a few sportsmen who will seal such items as small maps, matches, and other items to keep them safe and dry. Once you begin using the machine you will quickly discover a multitude of other possible uses.
Several months back Consumer Reports rated the various FoodSaver-type products and as I recall the two units manufactured by Tilia (the originator of the FoodSaver craze) stood out the best. Rating high were two models – the Turbo II Professional (the one I own) and the V840 (also known by the model V845 by some vendors) tested out as top units in the tests.
If you’re in the market for a FoodSaver type unit do not wait until this fall to purchase one. Believe me; it does take a bit of experimentation to gain proficiency at using the devices. Furthermore, be aware that even though the cost of the machine can be a bit pricey the cost of the bag-making material is also rather expensive. Getting a model before the fall game processing season allows you to watch for sales on both the machine and the plastic rolls (for sealing).
Perhaps the best reason for purchasing an original FoodSaver device is their customer service. I’ve called once already and they were awesome in how they handled my situation. Another buddy called with a problem and they handled his concern much to his satisfaction, as well.
If you’re looking for a nice, easy to use unit that will preserve the quality of the game meat you bring home…you certainly won’t go wrong by purchasing a vacuum sealer for your sportsman’s kitchen. Best of all, however, is when you open that package several months from now and the meat ends up tasting and smelling as fresh as the day you put it in the package. That will definitely prove to you that this was a gadget on which your money was well spent.
© 2005 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction Without Prior Permission.