I need to get at least one new battery for my rage this year, whats your opinion on the Optima marine batteries?
I currently have the stock interstate batteries which are nice but I forget to add water to them.

thanks for you help

I hate dealing w/ adding water too so i put 2 sealed Trojan AGM group 24s in my Heat... they are awesome batteries... i've got a pretty good sized stereo (true 1600 watts) and i can blast it for a solid couple hours on 1 battery and still fire the motor on that same battery.

http://www.trojanbattery.com/Products/24-AGM12V.aspx

I have run AGMs (absorbed glass mat) and they are great.
Great reserve capacity, and they seem to last a long time. For our boats with the max group 24 size battery trays, I would say they are state of art.
I went with regular Interstate marine batteries last year. They aren't much. Cheap, light, yes, and you get what you pay for.
I have run Optima blue tops. Good first year, after that, they didn't seem to hold a charge very well. It's been a few years ago, maybe they are better now.
I have a hard mounted digital charger on my boat, and it's made all my battery issues better. I just plug it in the night before we go out, and everything is good to go. It really is nice to have when overnighting at the dock. Just plug into shore power 110V, and you can run lights, stereo, fans, sink, transom shower, TV/DVD player, all night long. I haven't done it, but it would probably work fine with a small gas generator too, like the Hondas, if you are away from a 110V source.
Regards,
Steve
Steve

Steve what brand of AGM have you had the best luck with?

i have heard mixed reviews.

got interstate group 27 marine deep cycle for 89 bucks the toher day at gander mountain.

I've got 4 Optima Blue Tops... when they work, they work great, when they die I get new ones. They have a 2 year free replacement warranty and in the AZ heat they barely last 2 years.

My optimas crapped out this weekend not trilled to buy 2 at $180 each

Ive had great luck with the optimas and cant find a better battery for a high powered sound system.

That's a good question. I bought them at O'Reilly's Auto Parts.
I think it was their "house label" brand, whatever that is.
They were dual use marine group 24 AGMs. I got a decent deal on them for $299 + tax for the pair.
When my "duracells" die, that's what I call the Interstates, I will definitely get another pair of AGMs.
Mittens, I hear you...the Interstates are a good price. That's why they are in the battery boxes now.
lil red, Chico and Zeus, same experience with the Optimas. When they work, they really work. Then around year 2, mine wouldn't hold a charge. I was using the blue tops. Maybe the yellow tops are better?
Regards,
Steve