Luggage

Spending so much time on the banks, we are fortunate enough to notice certain trends and what surprised us is the amount of people not using rucksacks. Okay, so barrows have exploded on the scene but have we all forgotten just how useful a rucksack can be? Forget pushing a ton of gear around and think about reducing what you take to spend less time sorting through terminal tackle and more time putting carp on the bank. If Carlsberg did luggage, the chances are it would be labelled Aqua and with two awesome rucksacks in the exciting new Black Series range, we thought we would take a closer look. Built from the ever-trusty Endura fabric, with reinforced base and straps, both items are built with longevity in mind.

On arrival in the office, The Tackle Bag System got us excited as a pukka little luggage accessory that can not only minimise your tackle but also actually allow the angler to fish far more effectively. Designed by anglers, for anglers, it has been developed around the rigid rig board while leaving plenty of space to house pop-ups, leads or terminal tackle. It really is only limited by your imagination and can be tailored to suit your style of carp fishing. Made from the ever-durable DPM Cordura material and complete with heavy-duty webbing carry handle and zips, this is a product designed for use and one which will continue to deliver time and time again.

Following on from the extremely successful launch of the Camolite luggage range, the boys behind Fox are proud to release several new additions, from simple but necessary small accessory pouches all the way through to a feature-packed large ruckall. We thought we would look further into the Low Level products because these are designed to easily slip under your bedchair, allowing you to maximise space when out on the bank. Priced at £64. 99, the Low Level Carryall is simply, as the name suggests, a low-profile carryall system to accommodate tackle items.

There are certain items that all carp anglers need, and some form of luggage is certainly one of them. Whether you go down the local commercial for a few hours or regularly spend longer durations on the bank you need a means of getting your kit to the venue. Although it may look goliath at first, the Organiser Carryall can be broken in two, meaning you can leave the irrelevant gear in the car or even at home. With two large compartments complete with clear lids for convenience, the carryall can hold a large volume of tackle, which will remain protected thanks to the soft JRC lining and strategically placed padding.

Winter generally means shorter sessions, trying to optimise your time in order to nick a bite and get back home in the warm. Well, efficiency is key and with this awesome little short-session food bag allows you to organise yourself so you can make the most of your time on the bank. Internally there is an insulated lining with adjustable divider and milk insulator, allowing you to ensure your food remains the right way up and keeps cool throughout the day. A removable brew kit pouch is a great addition, allowing you to keep everything in just one bag.

This has to be one of the most complete luggage systems ever, with a huge combination of modular combinations available. Each piece is designed with one or more of the others in mind, with several smaller items combining with the larger ones to create the ultimate luggage ‘system’. Total Carp is the first magazine to receive the entire set and we’ve been hugely impressed right from the get-go. As you’d expect from Aqua, quality is in abundance, with the trusted Cordura featuring throughout.

I’m continually impressed with the new Nash luggage and, as a lover of this style and size of carryall, I paid particular attention to this one when my mate Alan Blair handed me it at the Carp In The Park event. It wasn’t actually for me, sadly, it was for review purposes, but needless to say it hasn’t made it back into the office just yet!The neat construction allows a host of configurations and the removable two top sections make sliding it all under a bedchair while maintaining complete access a doddle. When out taking these photographs of the Cube, I literally had to ration the features that I snapped with the camera, there were so many. Easy access to all compartments, foil linings to keep bait or food fresh, chunky zips, even an internal cooler-pack pouch – Nash seems to have it all covered with the Cube.