Most soft tackle bags are more versatile than hard-plastic versions, but which ones carry heavy loads easily? Are they really waterproof? Can there be such a thing as too many pockets? Our readers tried to find out. 

We asked manufacturers to provide our testers with multipurpose bags in the $100 range. Our panel filled the bags with their gear and hit the water, noting functionality, utility, and durability.

Test Panel
Mike Corbett
AGE: 63
HOME WATERS: Lake O.H. Ivie, Texas
ANNUAL DAYS ON THE WATER: 200

(631-547-4200; www.nikon.com)

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Nikon makes a wide range of binoculars, all of them at least good, and some of them superlative. These are plain-vanilla glasses that are, nonetheless, a great value.

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Weight: 26 ounces
Field of view at 1,000 yards: 314 feet
Close focus to: 19.7 feet
Price: $299
Best Feature: The price¿how do they do it?
Worst Feature: There are no lens caps for the front end.

A writer friend, facing a mountain of slugs to test and a looming deadline, hired a college student, promising to teach the eager young lad the secrets of successful gun writing. "Your first job is to shoot all these slugs and bring me the targets," he said, then poured himself some more whiskey.

That's the best way to beat slug recoil.

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