Drake Waterfowl Large Blind Bag

The Northeastern opener is Saturday, and the valley follows in four weeks. Before you head out, get the loose shell boxes, the call lanyard, the phone, and the sunglasses out of your jacket pockets and into one bag that keeps it all organized and off the wet blind floor. Our pick is the Drake Waterfowl Large Blind Bag. It looks too small at first glance (about 18 by 11 by 10 inches and 3.6 pounds), but it swallows a full hunt's worth of gear. The main compartment and internal pockets have room for your calls, spare shells, gloves, a thermos, snacks, and a headlamp, while the outside handles the stuff you reach for most. Two external side pouches each hold a box of shells, a strap system on the lid carries a jacket, and a hard-sided external sunglasses case means no more scratched lenses by 9 a.m. The phone sleeve keeps water off your screen and still lets you use the touchscreen. The bottom is TPU, so it shrugs off a muddy pit floor or a wet boat deck, and it tucks into a corner of the blind without taking over. It runs around $85, so check current pricing. The honest trade-off: this is an organizer with a tough, water-resistant bottom, not a submersible dry bag. If it goes over the side of the boat, fish it out fast. Pair it with the waders from Issue #16 and you are set for the opener.