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2022 Boat Buyers Guide: Gear

New gear that's sure to make your fishing and boating even more enjoyable.

The new boat literally gleams in the driveway—or at least you think so. It’s tricked out with some great factory fishing features. 

But you’ll need more: more gear for fishing, more for the boat and more for safety. To get you started, we gathered items to dress up your new vessel or stow in your equipment room (you have one, right?).

Boat Accessories

Roswell R1 8-inch Speakers
Roswell R1 8-inch Speakers Courtesy Roswell

Roswell R1 8-Inch Speakers 

Roswell’s R1 8-inch speakers deliver the extreme saltwater and UV resistance fishing boats require. The speakers come with built-in RGB LED lighting and feature a polypropylene cone and silk-dome tweeter. The Deutsch wiring harness creates a watertight connection. The R1s require a mounting depth of 3.325 inches and handle 100 watts RMS and 200 watts peak. $595; roswellmarine.com

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West Marine Inshore and Offshore Life Jackets
West Marine Inshore and Offshore Life Jackets Courtesy West Marine

West Marine Inshore and Offshore Life Jackets

The smallest approved ­inflatable life jacket—the Mustang Survival MIT 70, carried by West Marine—is classified as a Type II (inshore) device. It offers 15 1/2 pounds of buoyancy and is manually inflatable. For offshore use, West Marine’s automatic inflatable life jacket offers 35 pounds of buoyancy to float you face up. $109.99 to $229.99; westmarine.com

West Marine Coastal 400 Binoculars
West Marine Coastal 400 Binoculars Courtesy West Marine

West Marine Coastal 400 Binoculars

Compact and lightweight, these waterproof 7×50 binoculars feature 7x magnification with objective lenses measuring 50mm in diameter. The nitrogen-charged interior eliminates fogging on internal lens surfaces. BAK-4 prisms deliver bright, sharp images. The rubber-coated body resists shock. $319.99; westmarine.com

AFTCO X Boker
AFTCO X Boker Courtesy AFTCO

AFTCO X Boker

AFTCO’s 8-, 10- and 12-inch fillet knives and 7- and 9-inch flex filet knives were made in collaboration with Boker Germany. The knives feature 4116 German stainless-steel blades with full-tang construction, an AFTCO gold TiN finish bonded to the blade, and an upswept design. The textured polypropylene/thermoplastic rubber grips provide maximum hold in wet conditions. $69 to $89; aftco.com

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Yeti LoadOut GoBox 30
Yeti LoadOut GoBox 30 Courtesy Yeti

Yeti LoadOut GoBox 30

Whether you use it in your truck or boat, or stow it in the garage, Yeti’s LoadOut GoBox 30 keeps your gear and tools organized and protected. The waterproof box measures 20 12-by-11 18-by-14 58 inches and weighs 11.8 pounds empty. The interior space includes a divider, tool caddy and zippered mesh compartment. The GoBox comes in desert tan or charcoal. $249.99; yeti.com

Pressure Mate
Pressure Mate Courtesy Pressure Mate

Pressure Mate

Pressure Mate ­created its ­12-volt pressure washer ­specifically for cleaning boats, providing 600 psi of water pressure to wash off blood and grime without damaging the gelcoat. The device uses the boat’s freshwater tank, a compact pump and a patent-pending plunger design. The spray-gun hose connects ­either directly to the pump or to a remote bulkhead fitting. $1,850; thepressuremate.com

West Marine Heavy-Duty Boat Soap
West Marine Heavy-Duty Boat Soap Courtesy West Marine

West Marine Heavy-Duty Boat Soap 

While scrubbing a boat may conjure dread for a captain, it’s crucial to maintaining your investment. West Marine’s heavy-duty soap removes grime and dirt from all marine surfaces without stripping wax. The liquid is phosphate-free, biodegradable and nontoxic. Two to 4 ounces makes 1 gallon. $14.49; westmarine.com

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Taco ShadeFin
Taco ShadeFin Courtesy Taco Marine

Taco ShadeFin

Taco’s ShadeFin can be placed into rod holders or rigger mounts, or used with a clamp-on mount. The 5-by-6-foot fabric carries a UPF 50-plus sun-protection rating. Structural ribs expand the fabric outward and lock. The ShadeFin comes as a kit with a fixed rod-holder mount and a gunwale rod-holder adaptor, or without mounting options. Available in white or black. $1,249.99 to $1,349.99; tacomarine.com

Weego 44s Jump-Starter
Weego 44s Jump-Starter Courtesy Weego

Weego 44s Jump-Starter 

Smaller than most ­cellphones, the Weego 44s jump-starter offers a peak/cranking current of 1,700/440 amperes to start gas engines up to 7 L or diesels up to 3.5 L. The unit lasts over a year on standby power; reliable operation should continue for 1,000 charging cycles. The starter’s lithium technology allows it to jump a battery as low as 0.5 volts. $92.99; weego.com

Fishing Accessories

Plano Atlas Tackle Pack
Plano Atlas Tackle Pack Courtesy Plano

Plano Atlas Tackle Pack

Plano’s Atlas pack blends the light weight of a tackle bag with the strength of a ­molded box. The waterproof base is ­surrounded by durable ethylene-vinyl-­acetate panels. Plano also created a magnetic Dropzone on top of the bag that automatically anchors metal tools and hooks in place. Other features include rod holders, tool holders, water-resistant cellphone storage and molded clamshell side pockets. $199.99; planomolding.com

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Frabill Ultralight Conservation Net
Frabill Ultralight Conservation Net Courtesy Frabill

Frabill Ultralight Conservation Net

The scoop-shaped hoop for Frabill’s ultralight ­conservation net measures 21-by-24 inches. Low-­resistance, knotless coated mesh and a 48-inch carbon-fiber handle make the net easy to manipulate with one hand. The handle also features a stronger Pow’R Lok yoke. $139.99; frabill.com

Ugly Stik Multitool
Ugly Stik Multitool Courtesy Ugly Stik

Ugly Stik Multitool

The Ugly Stik multitool has rugged, nonslip handles and hardy coatings, equipping it for all conditions. The stainless-steel tool features 11 essential functions and comes with a storage sheath. It measures 4 inches when closed. $39.99; purefishing.com

Alutecnos Stand-Up Fighting Belt
Alutecnos Stand-Up Fighting Belt Courtesy Alutecnos

Alutecnos Stand-Up Fighting Belt

Alutecnos designed its stand-up fighting belt for tangling with big-game species. The belt features an adjustable strap, a removable cushion and a sturdy aluminum front plate. The belt weighs about 3 pounds and comes in seven colors. $159; alutecnos.com

Bubba Stainless-Steel Pliers
Bubba Stainless-Steel Pliers Courtesy Bubba

Bubba Stainless-Steel Pliers

Bubba pliers are made from high-carbon stainless steel with a titanium-nitride coating. They feature carbide cutters and crimping cutouts and are spring-loaded. Available in 6 12– and 8 12-inch sizes, they come with a polymer sheath. $59.99-$69.99; bubba.com

Calcutta Squall Bait Binder
Calcutta Squall Bait Binder Courtesy Calcutta

Calcutta Squall Bait Binder

Calcutta’s Squall molded bait binder features a two-way zipper and eight removable plastic sleeves. It measures 11 inches long by 9 12 inches high, comes in Mossy Oak’s Coastal Shoreline pattern. $24.99; calcuttaoutdoors.com

Electronics

Garmin GPSMAP 79
Garmin GPSMAP 79 Courtesy Garmin

Garmin GPSMAP 79

The GPSMAP 79 handheld navigation units feature a new floating design. The handhelds incorporate a three-axis, ­tilt-compensated compass and an optically bonded, transflective color display. Users can expect up to 19 hours of battery life while using GPS, and they can store up to 10,000 waypoints and 250 routes. The GPSMAP 79 (built-in worldwide base map) is $299.99. The 79sc (with BlueChart G3 cartography) is $349.99; garmin.com

Furuno DRS2D-NXT
Furuno DRS2D-NXT Courtesy Furuno

Furuno DRS2D-NXT

Furuno has introduced a 19-inch version of its solid-state Doppler radome—the DRS2D-NXT—for boats with limited space. The 14.3-pound dome uses the same transceiver as its larger ­24-inch sister to deliver a 48-nautical-mile range. All other NXT-series features and modes are included. The DRS2D-NXT tracks up to 100 ARPA targets. Pricing TBA; furuno.com

ACR Bivy Stick
ACR Bivy Stick Courtesy ACR

ACR Bivy Stick

ACR acquired Bivy Stick and its tiny two-way Iridium satellite communicator in 2021. The communicator measures 4.3-by-1.75-by-0.8 inches and weighs 3.35 ounces. It links to phones using Bluetooth and sends messages via satellite. The waterproof Bivy Stick features SOS and check-in buttons. Data plans start at $17.99 per month. $249-$349.99; acrartex.com

Shakespeare SuperHalo
Shakespeare SuperHalo Courtesy Shakespeare

Shakespeare SuperHalo

Shakespeare’s SuperHalo wireless cellular booster kit works with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon 5G, 4G and 3G bands and allows up to 10 users simultaneously. Made from marine-grade materials, the SuperHalo features automatic gain control, delivers 670 square feet of coverage, and boosts weaker signals and range. $1,299.99; shakespeare-ce.com

Icom M510
Icom M510 Courtesy Icom

Icom M510

Icom’s M510 VHF marine radio features remote control via the RS-M500 app and a smartphone. The VHF features a wide-viewing-angle, a 3 12-inch color TFT LCD display, built-in GPS, and a simplified navigation function. A version with integrated AIS allows captains to see surrounding traffic and enables direct digital select calling. $998; icomamerica.com

Raymarine Cyclone
Raymarine Cyclone Courtesy Raymarine

Raymarine Cyclone

Raymarine’s Cyclone chirp, pulse-compression, solid-state radar offers RangeFusion, which simultaneously shows short- and long-range scans on one scope (up to 96 miles). The new low-profile design lowers drag. It can start and run in wind speeds up to 100 knots. Available in 3-, 4- or 6-foot arrays, with a 55- or 110-watt pedestal. $6,999.99-$9,749.99; raymarine.com

Garmin GMR Fantom 18x and 24x
Garmin GMR Fantom 18x and 24x Courtesy Garmin

Garmin GMR Fantom 18x and 24x

New GMR Fantom 18x and 24x radars ­deliver 50 watts of power for long-range target ­detection. They quickly display fast-approaching vessels with a 60 rpm rotation speed. A new power-saver feature allows captains to choose more or less power. Available in white or black. $1,999.99-$2,899.99; garmin.com

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