This year, seven of our field editors looked through the thousands of new products offered by the outdoor industry, tested hundreds of them, and finally came up with a list of the 22 best. These are Field & Stream's Best of the Best.
Philip Bourjaily, Peter B. Mathiesen, Keith McCafferty, John Merwin, David E. Petzal, Bob Robb, and Dave Scroppo
[BRACKET "Trolling Motor"]
MINN KOTA'S LIFT-ASSIST
Heavy lifting to haul up a bow-mounted electric trolling motor is history with Minn Kota's new Lift-Assist mechanism. The trick: When you stow and deploy the company's powerful Maxxum Pro with the rope that comes with it, a gas-charged spring similar to that on a truck's tailgate cuts the motor's weight in half, reducing fatigue and saving potential missteps when you're on the bow in rough water. The Maxxum Pro comes in two sizes, with a selection of shaft lengths, for boats under 20 feet (24 volts, 80-pound thrust) and with more juice for heftier craft reaching the mid-20s (36 volts, 101-pound thrust). The new models go down-and up-easily and safely, with abundant power for positioning in wind and current. $900¿¿¿$1,080; 800-227-6433; minnkotamotors.com -D.S.
Table of Contents
