Impressions: There are not many sports that require quite as much organization and storage than fishing does. With countless types of lures and terminal tackle angler need to be able to carry and quickly deploy the right kit for the application.

The Flex N' Go Satchel has two sides, here is the "fixed" side which has a single lid

With versatility in mind the engineers at Plano designed the new Flex N’ Go Satchel with both a fixed and removable sides. On the fixed side anglers will find 4 main adjustable compartments sealed underneath a transparent polypropylene lid. This looks very much like other old-school Plano boxes, but turn the box around and anglers will find a flexible strap system which holds two removable 3650 Plano StowAway utility boxes which can be removed or interchanged with ease.

On the other side two 3650 boxes are held in place with flexible latches

The entire box is 15.375”L x 11.875”W x 4.875”H in size and features a retractable handle which slides out of the way when not in use. Overall the form factor of the Flex N’ Go Satchel is like a brief case and can be stacked or neatly tucked away into tight spots on the boat. In the lab we found configuration to be quick and easy and used the fixed size for larger baits like ripbaits and swimbaits and the smaller 3650 boxes for crankbaits, plastics and terminal tackle. There is a molding that positions the 3650 boxes in place while a rubber strap secures the boxes to the Satchel’s frame individually. This flexible latch is easy to use and is basically a tension strap. Simple yet rather ingenious this design allows for a greater level of flexibility when packing for a variety of different fishing applications. 

One 3650 box is secured on each side of the box

Real World Tests: To test the Flex N’ Go Satchel I used the box on a number of fishing trips while fishing from shore, on my own boat and while riding shotgun on other boats over a four month period. Most of these trips were to local bodies of water including the Delta, Bullards Bar and Clear Lake but I also went on a few trips out of state to target everything from largemouth in Texas to trout in Nevada.

The latch is held in place with tension

Operation: The Flex N’ Go Satchel is just about as easy to operate as any tackle box and feels immediately intuitive. Use the fixed lid side for storing larger items like plastics or swimbaits and smaller items like hardlures and terminal tackle can be stowed within the individual 3650 StowAway boxes on the other side.

Undo the latch...

The box feels very solid and in the lab we dropped it from 4 feet and even jumped on the fixed side of the box which did nothing to damage the surface or the latches. Unlike some other boxes, even those in Plano’s own lineup, the Flex N’ Go Satchel’s polypropylene lid is very resistant to impacts and does not crack even if you are rough on this box. I carelessly tossed it into the bed of my truck on numerous occasions just to see how robust the construction was and though each time it made a loud thud when I peeked into the bed sure enough the box continued to remain intact and crack free.

...and access the 3650 box

Next Section: The freedom to configure