Welcome to the Active Anchors Review by FishingMad. I’ve been fishing for 30 years now across many different platforms, and anchoring has hardly changed in that time. It’s welcoming to see a new product in this space that takes on a fresh look and feel, incorporating clever ideas around versatility, portability, lightweight and safety. I have spent countless hours on the water on my kayaks over the years, and anchoring when fishing from a kayak can be challenging, as it’s generally a small platform with limited space. Existing kayak anchors on the market have frustrated me over the years, as standard kayak anchors rarely hold you in place properly, and larger plough-style anchors are heavy and take up too much space on the kayak.
I recently got my hands on the Active DF300 from Active Anchors. It arrived promptly in a zip lock case that fits conveniently in the front storage hatches of my Hobie Outback and Pro Anglers. At first glance, it’s pretty impressive, with high-grade stainless steel flukes that can be adjusted, an attached rotating chain, spring lock and lubricant. I’ve been using it for a few weeks and am very impressed. Its compact design holds you in place effortlessly. The adjustable stainless steel flukes dig into the ground, making their holding power superior to traditional kayak anchors. It’s also significantly more compact than conventional plough-style anchors, as they are lighter and can be neatly folded up.
Watch a detailed instructional walkthrough and on-water test of Active Anchors by FishingMad.
Regarding power vs weight ratio, these anchors have double the holding power of any comparable product, which is impressive. Providing anglers with a great mix of portability and strength. I have tested this anchor extensively, and it holds well on different surfaces. I have tested this on sand, reef, and rubble in various depths and current flows. It holds you in place quickly and keeps you there so that you can concentrate on your fishing. In my tests, I even went as far as anchoring, setting a waypoint, then monitoring and measuring any movement away, and there was none, which was great. In most of my testing, the middle strength worked great. However, you can adjust this to having the flukes more upright for the greatest digging depth if you’re fishing in very tidal waters that need extra holding strength or a low setting if you’re fishing in shallow and non-tidal waters.
You can adjust the flukes to five different settings, from the lowest to the maximum power, using the tool provided.
- ( Soft ) least environmental impact and great in shallow waters with minimal tidal flow
- ( Light ) Perfect for kayaks
- ( Med ) Perfect for jet skis and small boats
- ( Hard ) Perfect for bigger boats or more tidal waters
- ( Lock ) Maximum holding strength.
Another great feature of this anchor is that it’s easy to retrieve, even from soft sand, thick reefs and rubble. This is achieved with chains that can slide up and down the anchor, so you can pull it backwards away from rocks or thick reef, or by applying some force that deploys a spring mechanism so the thin and sleek stainless steel flukes turn in a more upright position. However, the flukes came up easily in my testing because of their thin profile. As you lift the anchor upright, it comes out of the thick cover easily and quickly. There is also less environmental impact, because it digs into the sand quickly, not dragging or ripping up the terrain like other anchors can. Which works great with my theory of “leave it as you found it”.
Both my Hobie kayaks have an anchor trolley kit. These are a small rope pulley system on the side of your kayak. These are easily installed on Hobie Pro Anglers which have the screw inserts already installed and easily added to an Outback. These allow you to clip on your anchor of choice and slide the anchor to the back, so that the rope isn’t in the way as you fish. I rigged up my DF300 active anchor by adding 8 meters of rope to the existing fluke and chains. I attached a float and a quick-release carabiner clip at the end of the added 8 meters of rope. This way, should the conditions change, and you take on any waves or swell, you can quickly release yourself and come back and quickly retrieve the anchor. This is an essential measure to keep yourself safe on the water. Once done fishing, I could easily put the anchor back in its case and store it back in the front hatch of the kayak, which couldn’t be easier.
The anchors are made locally in Sydney, which is great as we are massive on embracing Australian-made products. The anchor is made from 316 stainless steel flukes and can be easily adjusted with the high tensile 450 grade steel spring. The DF300 anchors are great for kayaks but also work just aswell for jet skis and smaller boats up to 4 meters. They also have a DF400 suitable for larger boats up to 6 meters. The DF300 anchor kit costs $220 and can be purchased directly from the Active Anchors website, and this product will soon find its way into local kayak retailers.
What we like about Active Anchors
- Unbelievable holding power ( unrivalled power-to-weight holding ratio )
- Lightweight
- Portable, easily fits in kayak hatch ( tested on Hobie Outback and ProAngler )
- Easy to retrieve
- Less prone to getting stuck
- Can be adjusted in 5 different settings to match your environment based on tidal strength; however, we found the medium setting to work well in many scenarios
- Low environmental impact
- Flat design makes it easy to stow away
- Australian Design, made in Sydney
- High-quality stainless steel
- High tensile 450 grade steel spring
- Great for kayaks, jet skis and small boats
- Cost $220 ( plus rope setup )
These anchors cost $220, which is great value for a locally made product with high-quality components that provide a huge amount of versatility and smart features. You can learn more about these anchors by visiting the Active Anchors website.
Thanks for reading this Active Anchors review and watching the instructional and on-water testing embedded video. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing us at [email protected]
