The fishing tackle industry rolled out its new offerings for the year at the annual ICAST tackle show last week, we were on the scene to gather intel, and you can see our take on the latest and greatest in the FishTalkMag Gear section. Headlining the cool new goodies today is the Daiwa Tactical Backpack, which is a backpack, a tackle box, and a portable gear stowage system all rolled into one. Check it out:
Daiwa won the 2017 Best Tackle Management award for the Tactical Backpack, and we don't find that surprising. It shows some innovative thinking and solves some problems we anglers constantly encounter. How many times have you found yourself rifling through a gear bag to find your glasses, for example? Placing a dedicated case for your glasses on the exterior of the bag, so you'll never have to dig around looking, was an excellent idea. We're also fans of the rigid frame, which prevents the tackle tray stowage compartment from collapsing when you remove a tray or two. And thank you for using Delran corrosion-resistant zippers - the zippers are a common failure-point on tackle stowage systems of all sorts, especially for anglers who fish in the brine.
During our admittedly brief inspection of the backpack we didn't notice any obvious flaws, and although the $150 MSRP seems on the steep side, as usual in life you get what you pay for. Some other details we didn't have time to cover in the video: the Tactical Backpack has double-reinforced stitching, the frame is PVC riveted, and there are also Velcro attachment patches on the side. Even though it was just announced Daiwa says it'll be available quite soon, and by the end of this month, you should be able to find it in stores. For more info, visit Daiwa.