Making a kill bag that doubles as a functional soft-sided cooler takes time, dedication, and a whole lot of trial and error.
It is no surprise that many have come and gone in this industry without creating any lasting impact. The main issue is the drive and meaning behind products. When it comes to kill bags, "good enough" has long been the market criteria. We have a completely different approach to this problem.
How are Opah Kill Bags different than others?
To answer this, we need to understand the core values a kill bag needs to have for sportfishing purposes.
- A kill bag needs to be able to endure the elements.
- A kill bag needs to be able to protect your fish and keep it cold while on the water.
- A kill bag needs to serve as safe transport for your fish.
In order to fulfill and surpass these basic requirements, Opah Kill Bags have gone off the beaten path that normal kill bags follow.
Opah Kill Bags are guaranteed to be leak-free.
First up was solving that pesky leaking problem most other products have. The majority of manufacturers use a stamping process to press their bags into shape, adhering thin internal foam with glue, then stitching the seams together to form the inner and outer lining of the bag. This leads to consistent leaking. from corners and seams.
We fix this issue by changing the construction of our bags. Opah Kill Bag seams are thermo-welded, forming a separate, leak-proof internal lining. This form of seaming creates a chemically bonded overlap where basic stitching would commonly be used. Thermo-welding is a costly process, but is necessary to make a bag that will not leak all over your deck or in your car. This increases ice life, and protects the contents of your bag for much longer periods of time. It also eliminates blood and other contaminants from entering the foam/seams of your bag which lead to horrible smells and dangerous mold. Having this capability allows for transport of fish safely from the water to wherever you need to go.
Opah Kill Bag handles do not rip.
A common failure point in most other bags is the 2nd most touched aspect: the handle. It is no easy task to have a product that can spend extended periods in the direct sunlight, constantly getting wet and drying, often times in saltwater. This necessary, and excessive wear means failure to a vast majority of commonly used (and cheap) materials.
But not to ours. Opah Kill Bags utilize a not-so-secret material that can withstand heavy loads and tons of UV abuse without failure. As simple as it may sound, automotive seatbelt makes for the perfect handle for a kill bag. Not only is it reliable and durable, but it gives the confidence that the handles will never be the point of a failure. By taking this material and cradling it under and through the bag, at no point is the load reliant on a weak stitch or dry-rotted fabric. This makes the weight capacity of an Opah Kill Bag much greater than any human can lift on their own.
Opah Kill Bags are handmade.
Yes, really. Our kill bags are made by people, not machines. There's not a big stamping process used to cut down costs leading to lesser quality. There isn't a robot throwing all the stiches in and folding them up into their boxes.
Each kill bag is given the time and patience needed to assure excellent performance from the best materials. While automation and higher production speeds are nice, they lack the attention to detail that a quality product needs.
Opah Kill Bags are made with the best zippers.
A bag without a good zipper may as well be a floppy bucket. There is a common misconception between zipper size and quality. The larger the zipper, the better for larger forces right? No. Often times, larger zippers used by other companies are more susceptible to breaking under repetitive use. These bulky zippers are made from less durable materials that deteriorate in UV Light and are a pain to open and close.
Opah Kill Bags utilize premium YKK zippers intended for heavy use in the elements. They do not rust, crack, or break due to using them for their intended purpose. They also do a fantastic job of keeping water in and other substances out. While we do not use one of those faulty "water-proof" zippers, other aspects of our kill bags assure water will not leak from the top of the bag...
Opah Kill Bags have entirely flat bottoms.
This may seem much less important than it is. Not having a flat bottom costs you on many different fronts. Relying on a singular middle seam like other products is a recipe for leaks and tears. It greatly affects internal capacity. When full, it also leads to your bag rolling when underway in your boat or car.
Opah Kill Bags are built with an entirely flat paneled bottom. They sit 100% flat and will not roll around. Their internal volume greatly benefits as a result!
Opah Kill Bags are made with quality drain plugs.
A decent drain plug is essential to a leak-proof bag. With most products, a small plug with a pressure sealed cap is more than sufficient. We opted out of going that route.
With our kill bags, we wanted wanted reliable transportation and ice retention to be a key characteristic. We use heavy-duty drain plugs with two options of draining. The first is grated to stop particles and small ice chunks from passing through. The second created a wide opening to make draining and cleaning a breeze. Along with these factors, caps are readily available should you lose one during your bags extended life.
Opah Kill Bags can hold ice up to 4 days.
Also not a joke. If you intend on using a kill bag for storage of fish you paid countless dollars to go chase, why settle for weak insulation that can't hold ice longer than 24 hours?
In many cases, more cold=better. This carries over to tournament fishing, multiple day trips without access to a dock/convenience store, or even for a long drive home. Not everyone has their boat in a slip or lives 30 minutes from the water.
Opah Kill Bags have 2 inches of closed-cell foam insulation on each side of the bag. Under proper conditions, you can hold ice in the bags for well over 3 days. When cooling down a big tuna, or with a bag full of smaller fish, all day ice life is no issue. You can head out in the morning loaded up, come home with limits, leave them overnight, and cut the fish the next day with plenty of ice left in the bag. This is a vital part to the versatility of our bags.
Versatility
This is perhaps the most important difference between Opah Kill Bags and the competition. No other fishing cooler bags offer the capability to be used on and off the water seamlessly.
With our advancements in build quality, ice life, and durability, you can enjoy your kill bag in more ways than one. They make for fantastic coolers to use for everyday use! Camping, sporting events, and grocery transport all are great excuses to use your Opah Bag.
While other coolers are bulky and need a large space to fit, your Opah can squeeze, flex, and be crammed into wherever you need it to go. They are easy to carry around and their ice life makes a weekend trip a breeze.
Is using a kill bag as a cooler gross?
Typically, yes. But not with ours. Due to the building process and high quality materials, Opah Kill Bags are easily disinfected and cleanable. This means your degreaser of choice is perfectly safe to use! You can wash one just like you are washing your car. There is no leftover fishy smell and no bacteria. We even have an integrated pocket inside to use as food/fillet storage while on the water! In short, you can feel confident using your bag on the boat and then taking it camping for the weekend!
In Summary...
As corny as it is to say, Opah Kill Bags are made by by fishermen, for fishermen. Every aspect of our products are made to save you from the headache and replacement costs that other bags are known for. From the warranty to the performance, we know you will not be disappointed in choosing an Opah Kill Bag.