LAST UPDATED: May 1st, 2015
There comes a point in your bowhunting career, and perhaps even your life, when you stop wanting more stuff and instead start wanting better stuff. Enter Watson Airlock. Their line of scent-containing storage products are certainly that. After all up-close look at their Camo Carrier, I can unequivocally say that the Watson Air Lock isn’t your daddy’s duffle bag.
The Watson AirLock Camo Carrier – loaded and ready for action.
Now I know what a lot of people are going to say, “What’s so special about a glorified duffle bag?” First off, let’s start with the basics. Many bowhunters spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on the gear that we wear into the field. From moisture-wicking undergarments with antimicrobial treatments to scent-containing, waterproof, windproof outer layers that cost ½ a month’s pay, we spare no expense when it comes to our clothing. If you’re like me, you own a different set of garments for each type of weather condition you may face each season, which ends up being a LOT of clothing.
In my experience, most standard duffle bags just don’t cut it for carrying the amount of gear that I have. They’re either too small, or so big I could fit my entire family inside. The CamoCarrier seems to be a very happy balance between those two extremes. I was able to comfortably pack away all of my camo clothing including both early and late season gear, and still have a little room to spare.
All of my camo clothing fits inside this bag, with room to spare.
Now one thing I’ve always disliked about the standard one-compartment duffle bag is the lack of ability to organize things. Especially my hats, socks and gloves. I wash all of these items along with the rest of my gear and it never fails that come 4 am when I’m standing in the cold trying to find my other glove, it’s buried somewhere in the abyss of the rest of my clothing. That won’t happen with the Camo Carrier. It features 2 different mesh zippered compartments on the inside of the bag that work great for these small items. A major plus in my opinion.
In addition to the interior pockets, the Camo Carrier also features an exterior pocket for storage additional hunting gear.
So what about the whole “Air Lock” thing? Well, that comes from the way in which these bags fasten closed. Once you zipper the Camo Carrier shut you can squeeze all of the extra air of the bag, an then roll the top over and clip it down, very similar to a plastic dry bag. This effectively removes any air from the inside of the bag while preventing new air from getting in and contaminating your gear. Now the Air Lock series of bags aren’t completely air tight, but they’re pretty close.
The last great feature I want to point out is the built-in changing mat. In my mind, this is the top selling point of these bags. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been standing on my floor mats, the top of my Rubbermaid container, or just balancing on one foot while getting changed for my hunt. Well, that will never happen again! Every Watson AirLock bag features a built-in changing mat that easily zips out and gives you a large, waterproof area to stand on while you get changed. I cannot WAIT to use this come October.
The zip-out changing mat is sure to come in handy this fall.
Inside the changing pad compartment is another pocket, that will work great for storing dirty or wet socks that you don’t want contaminating the rest of your gear in the bag.
Other notable features of the Camo Carrier by Watson Air Lock:
- External storage pocket for keeping licenses, face paint, calls, etc.
- Seam-sealed lining keeps odors out
- Made from high-strength Barrier premium polyester fabric
- Adjustable padded nylon handles
The Camo Carrier retails for around $119.99 and you can find more info at WatsonAirLock.com
