I've had this bag for a couple of weeks now and have taken it out on about 5 trips. It's a very well constructed, solid bag that I expect to last a long time. It's also the least expensive surf bag I could find on amazon. Double kudos for that.
A couple of observations. The bag is very large. Not so large that it gets in the way of casting or fishing in general, but it's kind of like women and closets - the bag will get filled no matter how big it is. That's great if you want to carry everything because it will fit a lot of stuff, but the more you fill it the heavier it gets. I could feel it after a few hours walking the beach.
The box is as good as any Plano box but it also is very large. I keep it fairly empty because I want to keep the weight down. I'm going to replace it with a smaller Plano box and figure something out to fill the space with more tubes. The box should be for little things you don't need to access often like swivels, snaps, and little things you only need to get set up or for repairs.
There's no obvious place for bucktails and small tins so I put them in the tubes. But the tubes are deep and if one falls in good luck getting it out on the beach. LOL. I solved that by putting some Styrofoam in the bottom so if they fall I can reach them with my fingers.
The net pocket in the front is really, really useful. I keep a few flat items in there like leaders wrapped on cardboard, some gulp in those flat pouches and a couple of other items. The most handy items should not be kept in the plastic box because you have to take the bag off and remove the box to open it. I haven't seen a pocket like this on other bags. It's really thoughtful design.
Speaking of pockets, there is a little space left in the bag in front of the tubes which I use for rolls of leader, a small bait cutting board and a roll of tape.
There is also a pocket for a water bottle with a pliers sheath on the outside, and another pocket for whatever, which fits uncle Josh jars nicely.
Bottom line - very nice bag, excellent for the price, but the plastic box is just way too big and not so useful. 4 stars for the box issue but bumped up to 5 for the low price.
Edit 5/20/16 - after a couple more weeks of use (3-4 trips per week), I've come to the conclusion that this bag is just too darn big. I would get the smaller one of I were to do it again, but I ordered the small shimano surf bag today to replace it. I'm not knocking off any stars because despite the size/weight drawback it's really an excellent, well constructed bag. I will use it to pack for bigger excursions where I won't be walking much.
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 16.5 x 11.1 x 4.5 inches |
|---|---|
| Package Weight | 3.05 Pounds |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 17 x 11 x 5 inches |
| Item Weight | 1 Pounds |
| Brand Name | OKUMA |
| Model Name | Ant-sb7 |
| Material | Oxford |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | Okuma Fishing Tackle Corp. |
| Part Number | ANT-SB7 |
| Included Components | Surf Jetty Storage |
| Size | Large |
