Cobra MR HH600 Floating Marine Radio
This handheld radio isn’t just for people with boats. The HH600 is the upgraded version of the HH350 and includes GPS to pinpoint your location, built in Bluetooth®, and an LED flashlight and strobe. This is a great safety tool to take with you whenever and wherever you travel. It’s 100 percent waterproof, it floats, and we especially like that it’s white and easy to spot if it does end up in the water. It charges quickly, and a single charge lasts for a typical day on the water. Cobra is also offering a complimentary BoatUS one-year membership with any marine radio purchase. (cobra.com)
$209
Hersh’s Natural
Using sustainable resources from organic farmers, Hersh’s Natural has created something that traveling anglers can really appreciate. This family business, founded by an avid sportsman with roots in Pennsylvania, makes a shampoo bar that’s the perfect solution for traveling fly fishers who don’t want use the lodge bar soap or body wash as shampoo. The shampoo bar is only 4 ounces, takes up very little space, and comes in eight varieties. We really like the tea tree bar because it has antimicrobial properties and repels mosquitos. Be sure to include this in the packing list for your next trip; you’ll be glad you did. (hershsnatural.com)
$10
Treva Bug Repellant Fan
This is another item you should consider packing for your traveling adventures. If you frequent a specific lodge, consider leaving one or two of them there. It’s basically a low-speed tabletop fan that keeps flies away from your food, and it works incredibly well. We learned about this item at a barbecue in Austin, Texas, and then started seeing it used by restaurants and bakeries in Miami. We might have been a bit late to the party on this one, but better late than never. (trevahome.com)
$12.99
Thermacell Patio Shield
After contracting Dengue Fever from multiple mosquito bites in the Maldives and more recently developing cellulitis from a collection of bites on the lower legs, the search for portable insect protection began. This product isn’t new, but it’s so effective we had to share. The Thermacell uses a small DEET-free repellant pack to provide 15 feet of mosquito-free outdoor space. It’s a far superior alternative to the incense coils used in many tropical locales. The main unit is inexpensive, although the charges can add up. Thermacell also makes an entire-home system called LIV, which can shield up to 1,500 square feet of outdoors space. (thermacell.com)
$19.99
Phoozy XP3 Thermal Capsule
After destroying a phone by leaving it on the console of a skiff and overheating it, we began looking for an option that could protect electronics from not only heat but also cold. We came across the XP3, which seemed to be the answer. But would it work? Short answer, yes. The technology prevents freezing and overheating and acts like a phone Thermos, keeping its contents warm or cold. We don’t know how the science works, but no phones have been cooked since discovering this little gem. Phoozy also makes cases for tablets and laptops. They’re shock resistant, germ resistant, and climate resistant—and they float. Hard to beat for the price. (phoozy.com)
$50
Cubalaya Fair Chase 6-8
We talked about the Fair Chase last issue, when we used the big version (10-14) of this awesome new click-and-pawl reel for the salt. We brought up the possibility of a smaller version for bonefish, which Cubalaya already had in the works. They didn’t cut any corners and nailed it. It’s a click-and-pawl reel made for saltwater fishing that’s suitable for anything from a 6- to 8-weight; we’ve even been using it on a 9. All we can say is, “Thank you.” Smaller species are now even more fun. (cubalayaoutfitters.com)
$875
Meat Your Maker 10 Tray Dehydrator
Our love for the outdoors comes with an appreciation of food. With two large mango trees at the TFFM home office, we were looking for a quality dehydrator for the few hundred mangoes the trees produce each season. But we found a whole lot more. The Meat Your Maker 10-tray dehydrator is super easy to set up and use. The controls are intuitive, and it can be programmed in about 10 seconds.The temperature was true when we tested it against two high-end commercial thermometers, and it consistently held heat. So far, we’ve dried fruit and made enough jerky for the next two seasons. The best part is that this dehydrator is guaranteed for life. (meatyourmaker.com)
$279.99
Umpqua LT Payload Boat Box
It’s often difficult to find a box that’s big enough to house larger saltwater flies and suit our on-the-water needs while still making it fit into a day bag. Many traditional boat boxes have handles and angles that waste usable space inside the box, and the handles take up valuable space in the bag or when being stored. We tried the Payload this season for tarpon flies and found it to be the perfect choice for our needs. It’s a two-sided box with sturdy, clear lids that allow you to see the contents of both sides without opening it. It holds more than enough flies for a long trip. Ours is currently loaded with 14 dozen bonefish flies for the magazine’s hosted trip to Andros. (umpqua.com)
$59.99
Perfectionist Fluorocarbon Leaders
Many readers have been using our Perfectionist leaders over the years, and we were receiving so many requests for a fluorocarbon leader that we couldn’t ignore them anymore. We’ve been making a 12-foot tapered leader in fluorocarbon, but we haven’t offered it for sale—until now. Tail Fly Fishing Magazine presents the Perfectionist 12-foot fluorocarbon leader in 10-, 12-, 15-, and 20-pound tippet strengths (true strength, not an approximation). They’re made in Japan (solely because the Japanese are the world’s best at extruded polymers). Made from top-grade material under a meticulous manufacturing process, these leaders will satisfy the most serious anglers. Now you have a choice between monofilament and fluorocarbon in a leader you’ve grown to trust from TFFM. (tailflyshop.com)
$15
Simms Open Water Box
There aren’t any new design breakthroughs regarding general shape and size, but some additional attention to detail makes the functionality of this pack very handy. There are three main compartments that are created by modifiable separators. The large compartment in the standard configuration holds flat-style stackable boxes with ease. But our favorite trait is ease of access. The flip-top lid uses Velcro instead of a zipper, so it can be opened and closed quickly, and comes with a built-in waterproof dry pocket for gear like phones and reading glasses. The Open Water also comes with a removable tube for drying large flies while packing out. The no-slip, no-scratch bottom can be easily cleaned with a water hose. Simms also makes a smaller waist-pack version that can be mounted to the Open Water box. It’s a step up in the progression of boat bags. (simmsfishing.com)
$249.95
Finch Knife Company Runtly
“And so, to all outdoor folks, the knife is the most important item of equipment.” Thus wrote Ellsworth Jaeger in his 1945 classic, Wildwood Wisdom. Whether you’re cruising the coastline of Biscayne Bay or you’re smack dab in the middle of a trackless forest, a strong pocket knife with a heavy blade is still a must-have in your everyday carry. The Finch Knife Company’s Runtly is a small workhorse of a utility knife. A modern “flipper,” the Runtly is designed for single-handed opening. There’s a tab at the base of the blade that you stroke with your index finger. The knife flips open as quickly and smoothly as a switchblade, but because of its compactness, you won’t frighten anyone if you do this in public. The heavy stonewash-and-satin-finish blade is 154CM stainless steel, which is tough, resistant to corrosion, and holds its edge longer than most other stainless steels, giving you the trifecta of enviable attributes for an EDC angling knife. Right out of the box, this knife is a razor, and is up to nearly any task you can throw at it: cutting cardboard or carpeting, bowlines or fly lines, preparing a charcuterie board, slicing fruit to garnish cocktails, or precision-cutting the cap off a Cuban. The handle is made from G10, a high-pressure fiberglass laminate, and is available in a variety of color options, including Military Blue, Yellow Belly, and Red Head. Use the titanium clip to fasten the Runtly inside the watch pocket of your pants. And need we mention, knives make excellent gifts. (finchknifeco.com)
$139
Renomed Fly Tying Scissors
For the casual fly tier, just about any pair of scissors will suffice—including embroidery scissors you can purchase at your local craft store for a few dollars. But if fly tying is your artistic medium, you’ll want cutting instruments commensurate with your talent. Renomed is a relative newcomer to the fly tying market. Founded in Poland in 1981, the company’s mainstays have been the medical/surgical and cosmetic fields. But in 2018 Renomed expanded their line to enter the fly tying market. Each pair of Renomed scissors is hand-forged by only 10 artisans in their manufacturing facility in Poznań. Renomed produces a number of models of fly tying scissors to help you fashion the smallest of bonefish flies to the largest of saltwater streamers and hair-headed flies, as well as a specialty pair of scissors designed specifically to cut braid. Mini Puff to Mega Mushy, Bonefish Bitter to Beast Fly—or your own Next Big Thing—Renomed helps you get it done. (renomedusa.com)
$29-$85
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