Best Waterfowl Hunting Gear, One Pick Per Category

What it gets right

• +Stitchless welded seams throughout, per Banded
• +Three-way sizing: body, inseam and boot
• +5-layer shell fabric

What it doesn't

• −No small body or boot below size 8 listed
• −Body insulation weight is not published
• −2-year warranty

What it gets right

• +Four body cuts and boot sizes 5 through 18
• +Welded, stitchless crotch seam
• +Published comfort rating for the insulated model

What it doesn't

• −2-year warranty, shorter than Drake's 3 years
• −Body insulation weight in grams is not published

What it gets right

• +Maker says the guts are "easy for new hunters to learn" yet customizable
• +Free retuning for the life of the call, plus a matching tune-up kit
• +Lifetime warranty on defects

What it doesn't

• −Insert material not stated separately from the polycarbonate barrel
• −Buck Gardner says double reeds give up some volume and tonal range compared with single reeds

What it gets right

• +Five women's body sizes, each with its own boot-size range
• +Double-stitched, dual-sealed taped seams and leg gaiters
• +1600g boot with an aggressive tread

What it doesn't

• −Not every body and boot combination is offered
• −Body insulation weight is not published
• −No out-of-warranty repair program; Gator refers owners to Gear Aid

What it gets right

• +45L capacity with two main compartments
• +Padded straps, waist belt and a center aluminum stay
• +Drop-down gun boot, nine shell loops and three choke tube holders

What it doesn't

• −No flotation or waterproof membrane listed
• −5 lbs empty
• −21.5 inches tall, a lot of bag inside a layout blind

What it gets right

• +Acrylic barrel
• +Reed sets sold, and tuning is free
• +Warranty covers breaks for any reason and transfers with the call

What it doesn't

• −The product page doesn't label the reed type; the tuning FAQ describes the gut system
• −RNT recommends that only advanced callers take the call apart to retune it

What it gets right

• +5mm neoprene throughout plus two flotation pads, per ALPS
• +Chest chart published by the maker, running to 35 inches (XX-Large)
• +ALPS warrants against defects for the life of the product

What it doesn't

• −No small size: the chart starts at a 26-inch chest (Medium)
• −Realtree pattern depends on size (MAX-5 in Medium only, MAX-7 in Large to XX-Large); DU Mossy Oak Bottomland in all sizes
• −Weight not published

What it gets right

• +8mm neoprene bootie, the thickest boot neoprene in this group
• +Published comfort range down to -60°F
• +Steel-toe option

What it doesn't

• −17-inch height, an inch shorter than the Wetland
• −1-year limited warranty

What it gets right

• +4 lbs 9 oz, packing to 24 x 6 x 6 inches with a shoulder carry bag
• +Magnetic dual-swing front door and a buckled rear door
• +ALPS warrants against defects for the life of the product

What it doesn't

• −Hub-and-pin frame, where the Field Bully and Quick Draw are sold as pin-free
• −Ground-level only; no legs for water
• −600D sides, where the Dakota X-Series uses 900D fabric

What it gets right

• +IPX7-rated motor and battery housing
• +Runs in water as shallow as 6 inches
• +Replacement parts kit sold, and the mallard ships as a drake and hen together

What it doesn't

• −No warranty term beyond a 30-day return policy
• −Needs a decoy cord and weight to set
• −Unit weight is not published

What it gets right

• +Freestanding or tree-mounted, with welded cleats and a ratchet strap
• +Powder-coated aluminum frame with an anti-slip Hypalon platform
• +Lifetime-of-product defect warranty from ALPS

What it doesn't

• −Weight capacity not published
• −Platform (26 x 24 in.) is smaller than the MOmarsh Final Stand's 31 x 24
• −22-inch minimum height sits higher on dry ground than the 18- and 20-inch-minimum stands

What it gets right

• +Published weight of 12 lbs, with backpack straps for the walk in
• +14-inch height, one of the lowest profiles in this group
• +Structured doors plus flagging holes on both sides

What it doesn't

• −26-inch width is narrow next to full-frame blinds such as the 40-inch Knockout
• −No headrest or padded seat in the maker's feature list
• −Warranty is 1 year

What it gets right

• +Three ways to wear it: shell, liner or both together
• +Tall sizes listed alongside S-4XL, rare in wader jackets
• +Two upper fleece-lined hand-warmer pockets plus two zippered hand pockets

What it doesn't

• −Banded publishes no warranty term for its jackets (only for waders)
• −Liner is 100g, lighter than the 150g liner in Avery's 3-in-1

What it gets right

• +Glacier rates the fleece-lined neoprene 100% waterproof
• +Five sizes, S through XXL
• +Limited lifetime warranty

What it doesn't

• −Neoprene thickness is not published
• −Wrist-length; no gauntlet for reaching into water

What it gets right

• +Push-open shooting doors with multi-angle adjustment
• +Full-length side doors for getting in and out in bulky clothing
• +Four removable gun rests and two dog doors

What it doesn't

• −39 lbs; it rolls up with a shoulder strap rather than backpack straps
• −The matching Alpha Dog Blinds for the dog doors are sold separately
• −1-year limited warranty on this blind

What it gets right

• +Molded backpack harness and a waist belt, so the load rides on your hips
• +Published 600D body with a quick-draining mesh bottom
• +Rig'Em Right says the mesh bottom keeps the bag afloat while you pick up

What it doesn't

• −12 to 18 decoys, so a three-dozen spread needs two trips or a second bag
• −Open bag, not slotted, so painted decoys ride against each other
• −No gun or spinner compartment listed

What it gets right

• +Foam-filled version sold
• +Published weights under 15 oz per decoy
• +Front keel clip for short-stringing

What it doesn't

• −Higdon says these are slightly smaller than average live mallards
• −No flocked heads
• −Only a 30-day return policy is published

What it gets right

• +Fully flocked, one-piece EVA body
• +Zero Gravity Motion System on 17-inch fiber stakes
• +1-year warranty against manufacturing defects

What it doesn't

• −Lesser-size bodies, not honkers
• −No weight or dimensions published
• −Full bodies take the most trailer space