Well you guys have been asking for it so Arkansas Outdoors Online did it.
We are the first website to get some of those "hot item" drake waterfowl double duty decoys and review them.
Double Duty™ Decoy Features:
* Removable Opti-Keel - features multiple locking points for stability and three different attachment points for decoy rigging
* Adjustable head positions on all Swimmer and Rester body styles
* Breeze-Ryder Base - unique concave design that allows a stable base, even when used without the keel. Features a molded attachment for rigging decoys without the keel.
* VacuSeal Technology - engineered to create a vacuum with the water surface when using the decoys without the keel, keeping the decoy stable and upright in the vast majority of water conditions.
* True-to-life body posturing - a live duck's body changes posture while performing various actions. We went to great lengths to emulate live ducks with each body style. For example, a resting duck with its head lowered has a greater arch in its back than an upright swimming duck, and their feathers will lay in a different configuration. These are just a few of the details we considered when developing the Double Duty Decoys.
First off the decoys are priced right for premium waterfowl decoys, price i have seen is $85 at 1 store with others slightly more expensive.
Unboxing these decoys, they are individually wrapped in plastic with the removable heads in their own wrap as well as the weighted keels in their own bag. Just the small details I like about drake waterfowl stuff.
As far as the quality of decoys, they lightweight but not a cheap feel to them. However I do feel i need to take better care of these decoys for fear of busting a hole in them. The decoys sound hollow, not unlike my other decoys however. The keels are heavy duty and snap on with the ease one would expect. Nice little hand grip on inside of the keel too, better chunking angles. Without the keel the decoys weigh a modest 15 oz. with the keel however they decoys weight is almost double at 25.5 oz, I like that heavy removable keel other decoys supply a keel removable or not that is not heavy enough to self right when chunking the dekes out, I don't think these will have that problem.
So a nice hunting load of 3 dozen dekes weighs in at a modest 32 lbs without the keel and 56 lbs with the keel. I am all over those numbers.
The look of these decoys rival the best decoys on the market hands down, time will tell what they do after a season of use however. The hens are colored correctly, a little more bright than a live bird, but i think that will help with the visibility of them too. The drakes are colored almost perfect i would say, look real good. The size of these decoys are comparable to live or well dead birds. Drake waterfowl doesn't make a magnum decoy...yet.
As far as positions go, there are 11 different possibilities with 12 decoys, interesting the head is removable but i think a little too removable, a dab of gorilla glue will remove that little problem, but would have liked some permanent heads on them, guess there are people out there who like the removable head, I don't.
I like the locations of the line holes, 1 in front with keel removed, and 1 in front with 1 in back with the keel on. I like the back hole as most duck hunters know not to tie up your dekes all to the front or all to the back hole. So the possibility of making a realistic spread are good here, i would have been dissappointed had these holes not been there and only 1 hole in the front.
As I mentioned the keel is removable, good if you want to use these dekes in the field instead of a timber or open water. They won't beat a true field decoy but will work if you are in a pinch and trying to get where the ducks are hitting.
So now the fun part.
I pulled some dekes out of the bags of decoys I have and compared size, weight, and my thoughts on overall quality. You guessed it the drake waterfowl dekes edged out the competition, even knowing the fact i got half my decoys for "free" at a DU banquet. The GHG decoys are popular, very popular among hunters. However the decoys I have the paint just chips off after a season of hunting and abuse along the mighty cache river. The flambeau decoys I have, which i won, well I guess i will say it, crap, lets leave it at that.
Overall would I recommend the decoys to my hunting buddies, you guys, why sure I would. They are great looking, lightweight without the keel, have a removable keel for alot of movement in your spread with it off, they are cheap if they last for at least a few seasons, that will be determined soon, and well they are from drake waterfowl, they make good quality duck hunting gear for duck hunters, however mainstream they seem to become. Hope this little review helps out if you are in the market for some new decoys.
Also good chance of me picking up another couple dozen and just replacing all of my decoys.
matt
