A fly fishing and tenkara themed blog about trout, pop-culture, and my daughter Lilly. Philadelphia born and raised, living in Northeast Florida.Florida.
A few months ago I wrote this post in jest. It was a “first impressions” post of the Buckskin Bootbag from Fishpond. Both the post and the product drew some mixed reaction, but after using the bag for about two months, I figured it would be a good time to provide a follow up “official” review.
Before I start, here are the deets, courtesy of the Fishpond website:
Aspen Green…my favorite flavor
MSRP: $39.95
Fully lined nylon interior
Tough abrasion-resistant molded bottom for structure
Rubberized mesh upper panel for faster drying
Two side grip handles and one jacquard top handle
14” x 13” x 4”
THE REVIEW
CONSTRUCTION
Not being a prior Fishpond customer, I really didn’t have any exposure to the build of their products. I will immediately say I was impressed with the quality throughout this bag. Durable materials (including zippers and side handles), solid stitching all around, and a bulletproof bottom – this thing is built to last, and I had no concerns tossing it around and abusing it to and from fishing trips. The only bummer…it’s not made of, nor does it resemble “buckskin.” Now I really wasn’t expecting it to be buckskin, I guess “Buckskin Boot Bag” just sounds better than “Nylon Boot Bag” when it comes to marketing.
Now THIS is buckskin…and f’n awesome might I add…
SIZE:
My first concern when I got the bag in the mail was that my wading boots weren’t going to fit. I don’t have Sasquatch feet (size 11 wide), but the bag just looked “small,” or maybe more appropriate, it didn’t look deep enough to be able to handle the boots. I mean everyone knows wading boots are kinda big and clunky. Well, once I actually put them inside, it was a tight fit, but the bag did close and fully zip as advertised. Would a size 13 or 14 fit? I don’t know.
Cram those dogs in there…
See…they fit.
FUNCTION:
It’s a bag. It holds your boots. No magic tricks here. It works fine.
One highlight was it’s ability to keep the post-wade mess contained. One of the days I went fishing was after a rainstorm so it was particularly muddy. The bag kept the mud inside and away from the rest of my gear. Even better, it also “hoses off” pretty good as I’ve cleaned it out once or twice after it got pretty darn filthy. While it doesn’t dry quickly, it dries about on par with your wading boots. Ready to go again when you are.
Post Wade Mess
While I ‘d recommend taking your boots out of the bag to dry out between fishing trips, the Buckskin Boot Bag does have a large rubberized mesh side to allow for air flow. I left wet boots in the bag for a week just to see if they’d dry. They did. Although I won’t lie, I didn’t check daily to see how quickly they dried. One day, two days, three days, etc… I simply went fishing on a Sunday, and then the following Saturday I opened the bag and they were dry.
OTHER USES:
While this is called a boot bag, I actually think this makes just as good as a gear bag, especially if you’re a traveling fly fisherman. You can load this thing up with reels, fly boxes, fly tying materials, you name it. It holds a lot of smallish things, and does it well. Just make sure they aren’t extra fragile. This bag is meant to hold boots, so it really isn’t padded or have segmented compartments.
CONCLUSION:
As far as a boot bag goes, this thing’s top notch. It’s solidly built, and simply put, does what it’s supposed to do. You’re not going to lose by purchasing this bag. I do have some concern for those with larger feet as I couldn’t test this with say a size 14 boot.
The bullet-proof bottom
As with any of the gear that fly fisherfolk use, the end recommendation all comes down to a value proposition. $40 for a bag that holds your boots? Some will find that as a value, some will find that as a waste. That’s a personal mindset I probably can’t much influence with this review. Just note, no matter which camp you fall into, the bag does as advertised. It holds your boots and keeps funk away from the rest of your stuff.
DISCLAIMER: The Fishpond Buckskin Boot Bag featured in this product review was provided to me at no cost by a representative from Backbone Media, but holds a retail value of $39.95 per the manufacturer’s website. I currently hold no association with Fishpond or Far Bank Enterprises, however I am a little bit sorry that the “mom jokes” in my “First Impressions” post didn’t go over well. …C’est la vie… As with all independent gear reviews at Troutrageous!, I try my best to keep my reviews honest and unbiased. If something is good, it deserves applause; if it sucks, I’ll let you know that too. It ain’t in my interest to steer you wrong, so why waste the time in doing so?
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Published by Michael Agneta
Husband, dad, angler, and e-commerce lifer. Especially fond of Philly sports teams, Sasquatch, Star Wars, wild trout, tenkara, & small stream fly fishing. Troutrageous! since 2007. Founder of Tenkara Angler in 2015.
View all posts by Michael Agneta
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6 thoughts on “Gear Review – Fishpond Buckskin Boot Bag”
Oh Owl…….oh Owl. I have never needed a boot bag but i have a FishPond vest that I must say was NOT worth the money. Just get the Redington or BPS one, it'll cost ya' less and still work great.
Trapper Owl really has a fine headdress there!…I'm sure that you have a boot bag that will last a long time, whether it is made of buckskin or not! I love my Fishpond products.
Where did you find that picture of Owl?
Thanks for the fit test…my size 13s pro'lly won't fit.
Clif stole my comment.
I've got connections.
Oh Owl…….oh Owl. I have never needed a boot bag but i have a FishPond vest that I must say was NOT worth the money. Just get the Redington or BPS one, it'll cost ya' less and still work great.
Trapper Owl really has a fine headdress there!…I'm sure that you have a boot bag that will last a long time, whether it is made of buckskin or not! I love my Fishpond products.