Spent quite a bit of time getting to know these folks while visiting ICAST a couple weeks ago. Good folks, they knew they had to improve upon Dennis Braid’s more recent products. As can happen when a firm plans to sell, Braid’s quality suffered in recent years. The guys from Play Action have brought back the Marauders – properly rigged with strength. They will be improving Braid’s belts and harnesses too over time. But, I was really impressed with some of their own rod belts, in particular the new Mako HD series. Unique belts, like the ones I designed some time back with the gimbaled floating receiver their design actually takes things in more directions to aid comfort and control. The firm actually is older than Braid, going back 7-8 years prior to Braid coming on the scene. They were primarily a Florida and East Coast player, not common to see their products out here in CA. But, in the case of the new Mako HD…I think they have something pretty darn special.The Mako HD belt is quite comfortable to wear, they’re USA MADE and they are indeed distinctive.
The belt strap will work for most folks, the padding is sufficient for most applications under 80 lb class gear. If you need more or less room on the belt, pretty easy to adjust, trim or even add material as needed. For most with a waist measurements from mid 20’s to 40’s the belt should work as she comes. The receiver is gimbaled and can rotate (float) so you have control from more anglers, nice for vertical jigging. Most everything in their design is replaceable, but they are quality made so you shouldn’t be replacing parts years down the road. Their pad has a fabric cover, not just the raw foam which can get hammered while on a boat. Impression: These are nice belts to own, unique finish, comfortable, functional.
