Product Test No. 101: FlagBuddy

Anyone who pulls tubes, skiers or wakeboards on a regular basis has had to dig or hunt for the caution ski flag at least once.on every trip. It ends up under seats, behind towels or sometimes even in the in-floor ski locker.

Well, instead of misplacing or even losing another flag this summer, we decided to try our luck with the FlagBuddy. Available in both tower and window mounts, this product almost seems too simple to be useful, at least that was my first thought. We ordered the window mount and with no tools required, it just slipped over the window frame of the deck boat and tighten easily with the thumb screw. Seriously, it was that easy. And just so you know, it also fits on pontoon rails up to 1 1/4-inch thick too, so it's not just for deck boats.

I like that it pivots down below the window when not in use so you don't have to be put up with the flag flapping and creating unwanted noise, which is a huge advantage of having a wraparound windshield on a deck boat. Plus you can adjust the flag to pivot more towards the water or more towards the boat if you want, depending on your needs.

For $21.95 you're all hooked up and ready to go and that even includes the flag. It seems like a fair price, especially if it means you won't be buying any more replacement flags this year. I have to give the FlagBuddy a high score for installation because there really isn't much to it. And because the rubber clamps won't slip or scratch your aluminum window frames, it proves the inventor has gone the extra mile to ensure you'll be happy with it and that's worth a near-perfect score for design in my book.

-Brady L. Kay, PDB Editor

Aftermarket: 92
Installation: 20/20
Function: 47/50
Durability: 8/10
Design: 9/10
Price: 8/10

www.FlagBuddy.com
970-227-8414