Cuddeback Trail Cameras 2026: New Pricing, Power Options & Free Accessories
Cuddeback Trail Cameras 2026: New Pricing, Power Options & Free Accessories
Is there anything new for Cuddeback trail cameras in 2026?
Well, in terms of “brand new products” the answer is no. However, if lower prices on all Cuddelink cameras and Cuddeback Tracks Cell cameras is of interest to you (it definitely is to me) then you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
Along with saving a ton of money on cameras, they also streamlined their external power options and threw in an accessory that we always recommended (but cost extra) for free. So to me, it looks like they trimmed the fat and made the meal even more affordable. All good things in my book, let's take a look at those changes in more detail.
Major Price Drops on CuddeLink & Cuddeback Tracks Cameras
At the end of the year I always talk to companies I work with and try to get the scoop on any changes for the following year. Mainly any price changes or new products coming that might affect what I decide to carry for inventory going into the new year. With the prices of pretty much everything in life going up, I anticipated that if anything, the pricing would also be raising on trail cameras.
I didn’t see this coming…
Early on in January of 2026 I got the new pricing for the year on Cuddeback products. I was shocked, but in a good way. They really got aggressive! They cut the pricing by a huge margin. I’m talking about 13%-33% on the Cuddelink camera models and a whopping 45% on both of the Cuddeback Tracks Cellular Cameras. That’s crazy!
Lower Prices Across All CuddeLink Models
I’ve used, tested, and sold a lot of different brands of cameras since we started carrying trail cameras in 2018. In that time we’ve dropped many of those brands, but do you know which one has been here that whole time? I’m sure you’ve guessed it, Cuddeback. More particularly the Cuddelink system.
Each of those other brands and models have been compared to Cuddelink, and the question has always been: “Which one gives me the most value and advantage as a serious whitetail hunter”?
Over those years the pricing and models have changed, and quite dramatically (especially on the pricing side). However, even at the much higher pricing of the past (they were 2-3x higher priced than now in 2026) the Cuddelink system was mighty hard to walk away from. For what this system allows you to do by reaching cellular dead zones and covering an entire property with 20+ cameras for either no cell fee at all or a very affordable cell plan, just made the most sense for me as a hunter.
So today, with these new prices, it’s a no brainer for me.
Cuddeback Tracks Cellular Cameras Now a Better Value
The Cuddeback Tracks Cell Cameras might be the most underrated Cell Camera on the market. I truly believe that, and I believed that when they were double the price that they are now!
What’s the #1 reason I think they’re underrated? Battery Life. These cameras get phenomenal battery life on inexpensive alkaline D batteries. We’re talking a whole year on $5 worth of batteries. In the cell camera world that’s unheard of.
Now these cameras may not have all the bells and whistles of other cell cameras, but if you’re a simple no nonsense guy like myself and just want pictures taken and sent to you, then the Tracks will do the job well.
These cameras have fluctuated in price from $110 - $120, which is right in line with most of the competition from brands like Reveal, Spypoint, and Moultrie for cell cameras. Even at that fair price I thought it was a good unit at a good value, but now with that price cut in half to $59.99 these things are a steal.
Streamlined Power Options for 2026
One big complaint from Cuddelink users over the years has been the confusing options for external power. As camera models changed and battery technology improved it led to clunky and confusing power options that would make a new users (and even veteran users) head spin with confusion. Multiple different power cord plugs, battery combinations that could be used with this model camera but not the other and only with this type of battery made for lots of confusion. I have helped many customers sort through these external power mazes.
The good news is Cuddeback has been steadily simplifying and streamlining the power options these last couple of years. This year added some more simplifying, and going forward I think even those brand new to Cuddeback will have a pretty easy time figuring it out.
Dual Power Bank Discontinued
There are still some Dual Power Bank Model PW-3563 battery packs available but they’re no longer in production. These battery packs are powerhouses (holding 12 D batteries) and gave many the ability to stretch out camera run times by adding a solar panel and rechargeable D batteries to the circuit. It also created a lot of confusion.
To get the solar and battery combo to work involved using both alkaline and rechargeable D batteries, the rechargeable D batteries needed to be purchased separately along with a charger for them. Then you would need the old style PW-3600 solar panel to keep the rechargeable D batteries charged and that required the use of a special cord with C3 plugs, which if broken, was hard to find replacements for. It was a bit of a headache.
With the addition of the PW-003 Sun and Shade Solar Panels to Cuddebacks line up, it made the Dual Power Bank less attractive and less cost effective. Since the Sun and Shade solar panel can keep your cameras running all year in the sun or shady timber, they’ve become the go to for users needing all year power. Simplifying and streamlining the long term power option.
PW-3600 Solar Panel Redesigned
With the decision to eliminate the Dual Power Bank battery pack and introduce the Sun and Shade solar panel last year, Cuddeback decided to redesign the PW-3600 solar panel as well.
The new PW-3600 solar panel features the same battery indicator button as the PW-003 Sun and Shade panel, making it very user friendly.
However, there are a few things being eliminated from the old design. The first is the yellow power port, this took the special C3 yellow cords that were meant to hook up to the now discontinued Dual Power Bank battery pack. With that power option being eliminated it made sense to eliminate it from the solar panel as well.
The second change is one that some users might not be as happy about. On the old PW-3600 there were 2 slots inside the panel for batteries. The panel only came with one battery but that 2nd slot gave you the option to add another for more storage capacity. In some ways it made sense, after you pay for the second battery you would have around $80 invested. That’s roughly $15 less than the larger PW-003 Sun and Shade solar panel which has 2 batteries included. However, keep in mind that the Sun and Shade panel also has 2x the panel surface area which will be able to charge and maintain those 2 batteries much better than the smaller PW-3600 panel would in low sunlight locations.
The new PW-3600 panel now only has one battery slot for the battery that’s included with the panel. While the 2nd slot option was nice, this streamlining does make sense. In my experience, if the PW-3600 is in a good sunlight location it can power your camera continuously for years. So adding the second pack isn’t needed, if it’s in a location where sunlight can’t keep it running with one battery then you would be better off with a Sun and Shade panel or a battery pack like the Dx6 in that location.
Focused Power Lineup for Simplicity
I talked a lot about streamlining and simplicity for the Cuddeback power options in 2026. What does that leave us with for external power options now? While there are a few other special options for powering your cameras, these 3 are the best bets for 99% of users and locations.
- Dx6 Battery Pack
- PW-3600 Solar Panel
- PW-003 Sun and Shade Solar Panel
To simplify your choices think of it this way:
- Dx6 - Good for those who only use cameras during deer season
- PW-3600 - Good for sunny areas for long run times
- PW-003 Sun and Shade - Good for anywhere (even timber) for long run times
Fewer overlapping products. More clarity. Better reliability.
Free Armored Power Cords Now Included
Who doesn’t like useful stuff that’s free and saves you $8? While I’m sure it’s going to hurt our sales for armored power cords as an add on product, it was a much needed and logical thing for Cuddeback to do (well done).
What Is an Armored Power Cord?
If you’re wondering what the armored cord is, we have them here on our website. They’re called the PW-005 External Power Metal Cable. Basically it’s a metal wrapped flexible power cord for your Cuddeback External power options. It’s chew proof, so those pesky squirrels won’t cut your power.
Included FREE with External Power Options
In years past all the external power options came with a standard power cord. This was easily snipped off by hungry squirrels and even curious deer (I had this happen multiple times).
Typically we would recommend adding the armored cords right off the bat, but in 2026 all power options will come with these armored cords at no extra cost (saving you $8)!
Free armored power cords now included with:
- DX6 Battery Pack
- PW-3600 Solar Panel
- Sun & Shade Solar Panel
What These 2026 Changes Mean for Hunters
I don’t think there’s a scenario where we can have too many trail cameras, at least not that I can think of. I could always use more cams to cover more ground.
With lower prices on Cuddelink and Tracks Cell cameras, getting all those spots covered will be more affordable than ever. With the money we saved on cameras we can now add external power to keep our cameras running all season and with the free chew proof power cords we don’t have to worry about a cut cord.
All these things add up to more value for our money and more valuable intel for us.
Are Cuddeback Trail Cameras Worth It in 2026?
Yes. More than ever before.
There’s no other trail camera (cellular or non-cellular) that allows you to cover a large property remotely as well or for less money than Cuddelink does. Some simple math tells a big story.
For example: I have a property with a 10 cuddelink camera system on it. Most of the property doesn’t have reliable cell signal, so that rules out most cell cameras right off the top. But let’s say you could use the competitors' cell cameras here for comparison. Let’s say the competitor's cell plan comes out to $8/cam/month. That would be an $80 monthly bill. With Cuddelink I’m paying $20/mo total. And that’s for convenience, since it’s only 2 miles away from home I could easily go pull the card on the home camera for free if I wanted to. At that rate you could buy another camera plus a Dx6 battery pack every other month just from the cell plan savings alone.
If you have some spots where you only want one camera, say on a fence row or deep on public land, then the Cuddeback Tracks is a really economical choice. At only $59.99 it’s at or below the price of many non cellular trail cameras (you can use it as a non cell cam as well), and it’s much lower than most competitors cell cameras. But where you will really see the difference is in battery cost savings.
Here’s an example: To get through most of a deer season (4 months or so) with my Reveal Cell camera, I needed to use Lithium AA batteries. That camera takes 12 AA’s, at $2/battery it costs $24/season just in batteries alone. With my Cuddeback Tracks I ran it for 2 deer seasons on the same $5 worth of alkaline D batteries. That’s $2.50 per year, but to be safe I would budget $5/year in battery costs. You could have many more Tracks cell cameras in the field for what you save in batteries vs many other cell camera brands.
Final Thoughts: 2026 Is a Big Year for Cuddeback
With the big price reductions in 2026 all of the Cuddeback models have become extremely affordable. They have a model that can cover every scenario for pictures, whether that’s a large or small private property, properties with poor cell service, or scattered pieces of public ground.
Combine that with the streamlined and simplified external power options. Plus the very logical addition of free armored power cords with each power option and we have a camera systems that are set up to perform all year long.
If you’re looking to upgrade your trail camera system this year or add onto your existing Cuddelink system, the 2026 pricing and power upgrades make Cuddeback an extremely attractive option going forward.
If you ever have questions about Cuddeback cameras or power options for them, feel free to reach out!
I'm more than happy to help.
God Bless and Good Luck this Season!
- Brandon
Author
Brandon Urmanski
Business Owner
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