to start, i want to point out the differences in the two scales. the 15lb scale weighs with an accuracy within one ounce, while the 50lb scale has an accuracy within 4oz, or 1/4lb. otherwise, i think the two scales are about identical.
i bought the 15lb version of this scale for use in the bass fishing tournament my bar holds every year. i was unsure how well a digital handheld scale would perform, so i got it a couple weeks early and took it everywhere with me to test it out. once i figured out how to turn it on and navigate through the various functions included, i was quite pleased. it feels very sturdy, even though it is also very light-weight. the grip is rubberized and textured so it won't slip from your hands, even when wet.
judging by the picture on the listing, i was concerned that the spring-clip clamp for securing fish to the scale wouldn't be very good at keeping hold of the fish. i was wrong! it is a very strong clamp, easily capable of holding on to enough weight to max out the scale. i never even felt the need to switch the clamp out with the included hook, because it did so well on its own.
my second concern was that the scale, being so light-weight and digital, may not be very accurate. in doing a bit of research, i found out that the scale calibrates every time you turn it on. so being the way i am, i wandered around the house and found several items to weigh and see how accurate the scale pegged their weights. about three times out of four, it was dead on, and nine times out of ten, it was within one ounce on 3lb and 5lb weights. it is possible, however, to throw the calibration off if you're careless while turning the scale on (resting it on your lap or applying any force to the chain) but if you simply hold the scale up and keep it still when you turn it on, it calibrates pretty accurately and consistently. i attribute the weighing inaccuracies to me moving with the scale in-hand while turning it on. once i figured out how to get a good calibration, it was dead on every time.
by tournament day i was confident the scale was good enough. every time i turned the scale on to weigh fish, i would first test it with the 3lb weight to ensure an accurate calibration. having had plenty of practice at this point, i got accurate calibrations every time. my biggest enjoyment using this scale was the ability to be mobile. in the past, we've had hanging scales that required a sturdy floor stand. being able to climb right up onto the live wells with this scale in hand was very convenient. my second biggest enjoyment was the comments i kept getting about the scale i was using. one guy commented that he didn't trust the weights i got on his fish, so i welcomed him to pull out his scale and we'd compare. the total weight across five fish was one ounce difference (18lb 9oz on my scale vs 18lb 8oz on his). that both surprised and upset him, as he thought his fish were bigger than that (don't we all?).
i did not use the included culling system, but i can see it being handy. i also did not use the weight bins for storing and calculating weight totals, because while we set the scale to display weight in pounds-ounces, the running total weight is only measured in 1/100th pounds. i can confirm that the bins work though, and would be very handy if you chose to use them.
overall, i am very pleased with this product. the touch screen requires a bit of pressure to operate, and the functions take a bit of memorizing to get used to. the backlight is handy but shuts off pretty rapidly. the temperature readings are inaccurately high, probably affected by being in the sun or if you're holding it in your hand for a while. but hey, we all have our quirks :) for $40, i don't think you'll find a better (or more versatile) handheld scale.
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