The steam was how I knew it was done. Making food over an open flame feels different than making it on the stove at home. There is a feeling of ancient skill, an ability to survive on very little. You have dispensed with the comfort of the modern world and taken yourself back to the way ancient man made their food over a flame with wood gathered from the forest and minimal ingredients. At least, that is how it feels until I use my modern multitool to flip the steak on the cast iron skillet I placed over the fire I made with a modern lighter. Look, I am all about remembering who we used to be, but that doesn’t mean I want to dispense with ALL the comfort or the tools of today. Camping is one of the last activities of the modern family where you can leave all screens behind. And when I hit the woods, I like to go all out with something that will last me. Quality. Ruggedness. Dependability. Things that keep me taken care of. That is why I love Ball and Buck.
Something else I like to do when I go out there is read. Sure, it could be anything from a military memoir to instructions on how to make a steak in a cast iron skillet over an open flame, which may or may not be more done than it should be. But recently, it has been Jack Carr. The Fourth Option hit the shelves this summer, and it was one of the best books of the year. I love his work, so imagine my surprise when I discovered that he has an entire collection with Ball and Buck.
Jack has been a great friend of mine for many years, so teaming up with him to design a product has been a long-standing collective goal of ours. – Mark Bollman, Founder, Ball and Buck
Uncompromising quality
It isn’t that hard to see why these two would get together to build something. Ball and Buck has some of the highest quality products for the man who likes to venture into the wilderness. They put their quality and dependability over everything else. To build products and experiences that set the industry benchmark for quality and become more valuable with age. That is what it says on their letterhead. It isn’t about making money. It isn’t about selling more than the next company. It is about finding that man who understands what quality and dependability means. It is about understanding what THAT man is looking for.
Carr is that man. He is the guy who has been in the worst of the worst. As a former Navy SEAL, he spent years defending our country from the villains of the world. He needed gear he could depend on. He needed gear that would be there when he needed it. It was literally life or death. So when he and Bollman got together, it was about never compromising on quality or dependability. It was about craftsmanship and accompanying the man on the missions he set out on, home or deep into the wilderness.
“As two individuals with aligned values of quality and longevity,” Bollman said. “The Hunters Shirt was the perfect starting point for Jack to infuse his unique style and cool design elements. I couldn’t be happier with how Edition #001 turned out, and I look forward to collecting all the new shirts as they come to life when his new books and series launch.”
Bringing in smaller masters as well
In true Navy SEAL style, Carr didn’t leave anyone out in the cold. He shared the knowledge he had and pointed Ball and Buck to other craftsmen, including master bladesmith Daniel Winkler, so they could share their knowledge and deepen the collection. Winkler created an axe and a pocket knife for the collection that fit perfectly in any pack or bag (especially the one Carr designed for the collection) to head out with you. Carr and Ball and Buck aren’t a new thing. I am not telling you something that hasn’t been talked about. When Carr dropped his first book, The Terminal List, launching his James Reece franchise, in 2018, that was the perfect time to celebrate with their first drop.
“As a long-time Ball and Buck customer, I’ve always appreciated their dedication to quality and craftsmanship. I was thrilled when the opportunity arose to design my own limited edition Jack Carr Hunters Shirt to celebrate the July 1st debut of the Terminal List. This is the perfect shirt to be wearing this summer while you watch the series and celebrate America’s birthday.”
Most of these items come with Carr’s badass signature logo: two crossed hatchets. You can pick them up here, and you can grab all of the books in The Terminal List series on Carr’s website.
