Fishpond Cutbank Gear Bag

Fishpond Cutbank Gear Bag

The Fishpond Cutbank Gear Bag is a specialized, water-resistant/waterproof tackle bag designed for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts who need to keep their technical gear organized and dry, especially in wet environments like rafts, drift boats, or flats boats. Here’s a breakdown…

Length of product testing:

A full guide season in Patagonia Chile at Martin Pescador Lodge (3.5 months). This was my day-to-day boat bag for guiding.

Overall impressions of the product:

I’ve always been a fan of Fishpond’s quality, environmental ethos and innovative designs. The bag delivered on my expectations of quality and durability. The gear bag material, a 900D TPU-coated NewStream fabric from recycled plastic water bottles, is extremely burly and water-resistant/waterproof. The organization options–two internal, removable bags/pouches plus two dividers–provided a clean and useful setup. Often these open boat bags can become big junk drawers. I pulled the smaller internal pouch and used it as a travel pouch for items both in and out of the boat (camera batteries, headlight, wallet, etc.). The bag’s capacity (22 liters) definitely punched above my initial impressions, providing ample room for gear, fly boxes and my DSLR camera.

Unique product features:

I’ve used a number of different boat bags and the single most important consideration is water-resistance/waterproofness. The TPU-coated NewStream fabric is some of the finest I’ve come across. The YKK “water-resistant” zippers are also well designed and pull consistently–this isn’t a dry (fully submersible) bag, but they’re more than adequate for rain and river splash. The removable Velcro pouches are also a smart design perk that sets the boat bag apart.

What could the manufacturer have executed better:

The two design elements I’d change: the orange attachment loops and the lid. The attachment loops should be positioned higher on the bag, often leading to those external (attached) items getting caught under the bag when picking up and setting down. Kind of a small ding, but worth thinking about. Regarding the lid: there simply wasn’t enough lid “overhang” (when not fully zipped up) to prevent easy water entry from precipitation or splash. Zipping the bag up after every use definitely became a tedious task on long river days–this is by far the biggest shortcoming.

Did the product live up to its billing:

Overall, yes. The bag, minus the lid concerns, is well designed, well built and durable.

Would you recommend this product to a friend:

I’m not sure I’d recommend this bag at $300, unless the lid design was updated and provides a more practical and useful water barrier.

What’s the product’s core value for consumers:

Organization, durable design and great way to manage and carry your boat gear.

Likely buyers:

Anglers looking to stow and organize terminal fishing gear, particularly guides and boaters. There’s room for terminal tackle, an extra layer and raincoat, fishing tools, camera gear or even lunch. The bag also has tons of external attachments for tools, tippet spools etc., which is ideal for working guides. Although not fully submersible (probably with some zipper leakage), the external nylon fabric is durable and highly water-resistant, when it’s zippered up. If Fishpond could fix the lid overhang issue for rowing anglers, this would be a home run product. As is, it’s still a great bag for most boat anglers.

Specs:

• Price: $299.95
• Dimensions (length, width, height): 17-inches x 10.5-inches x 11-inches
• Colors: Yucca
• Capacity: 22 liters
• Weight: 4.8 pounds
• Materials: 900D TPU-coated NewStream fabric (made from 100% recycled single-use plastic water bottles)
• Warranty: Fishpond warranty (soft goods are covered by a lifetime guarantee)
• Find one today: Madison River Fishing Company

Kyle Zempel is a business owner, fly-fishing guide and photographer living in the rural driftless hills of Wisconsin. In 2013, he founded Black Earth Angling Co. and has pioneered one of the most unique smallmouth fisheries in the world on the Wisconsin River. He’s also a Flylab Pro and will be helping us with warmwater fly-fishing insights.