So when I got the opportunity to test drive the new 2009 Cabela's-inspired F250 with the 6.4-liter diesel turbo, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. I loaded up the dog kennels, and hit the road to see how useful it was in real world hunting situations.

While the Cabela's luxury package is a $5,390 option above the factory sticker price of a standard $38,510 FX4, it was good to see that Ford did stay true to Cabela's dyed-in-the-wool sporting image. The Cabela's edition offered a hidden, fully lockable gun case under the rear seat. Unfortunately, the case was not removable and held only one rifle or shotgun. There's was a smaller lockable box of the center floor console, too, which was big enough for boxes of ammo, or valuables.

Our complete Cabela's package consisted of branded heavy-duty floor mats, signature-stitched leather seating and two-tone exterior paint, Ford's "Tough Bed" liner, Cabela's inscripted 20-inch custom wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, molded mud flaps, tubular step bars and wood grain interior accents.

With its 12,500-pound towing capacity and a 6.4-liter diesel turbo that puts out 350 horsepower at 3,000 rpm, the fully loaded Cabela's edition I drove ($59,060) was indeed set-up to tow a fifth-wheel thanks to a 3:73 limited-slip rear gear axle ratio, 2,520 pound payload and factory built-in brake controller. It would happily take you and the boys down to the water's edge thanks to its shift-on-the-fly four wheel drive in high or low range. With 650 lb/ft of torque at 2000 rpm, the new F250 had enough grunt to pull small tree stumps if you needed it to clear a path, too.

Our time behind the wheel of the rig pointed out it's strenghts as well as some of its weaknesses, but ultimately made us believers in Ford's strategy of targeting the outdoors market with improved build quality and lots of amenities.

No joking, the Cabela's F250 is mountain to drive in the city, and finding a parking space takes some real patience. The turning radius wasn't much better either. The large tubular steps offered on this particular rig are bolted in position and they have a tendanciy to limit chassis clearance too-making them suspeceptable to being high-centered off-road. I would have rather seen an automatic power step like those from AMP Research as at least an option.

Where it will feel at home is on the job site or at the local hardware store, whether you're picking up sheets of plywood, bags of cement mix and other hard to handle items. The integrated tailgate step and bed extender also improves its functionality.

I don't think it's the most economical daily driver or the easiest to truck to manuvuer in tight places, but the coolness factor of the Cabela's edition was way off the chart. In four-wheel drive, the Cabela's edition made steep, loose dirt trails seem like child's play, and diesel chatter from the 6.4-liter was hardly audiable. Ride comfort was about as good as any truck I've ever tested, even in the rocks crossing a dry stream bed as I made my way up to Raney Ranch. As for the engine's performance, you couldn't ask for much more power from the factory. Response is plentiful from it's twin turbo ultra-low sulfur diesel, and running light without a trailer, we could break the tires loose whenever we felt the urge. Although my time behind the wheel of the truck was brief, judging by what I learned it is a lot of rig for the investment. It might not be for everyone, but for the avid sportsmen, recreationalist or contractor, it's a turn-key vehicle that needs nothing more than the occasional wash and wax.