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Gave up myself last year mate ... was really starting to notice the hill up to one of my waters was getting harder & was starting to need a stop on the way up So time to pack it in .

Not really the kind of thing I'd normally buy but for less than 20 quid I thought why not...... if they save me 100g, which they will, then I'm happy. And I can stare at them when I'm blanking.

Funny thing is I actually gave up smoking maybe 4 years ago...... apart from when I'm fishing. I can go as long as I want without a Fag, it doesn't bother me at all, but as soon as I'm heading down the lake my baccy comes out. Crazy really. That's one 50g I just can't do with out.

Crikey mate a saving of a 100 g ... your be giving up tobacco next , there's another 50g ....

I realise these are not for everyone and very tarty but South Customer Reels are doing the RAD Angling Carbon Distance Stick kits for £19.50. They're normally nearly 40 quid so if you want to treat yourself to some tartism whilst saving a little weight and money: https://www.southcustomreels.com/product-page/carbon-distance-stick-kit

Trip to Norfolk today Today's view, the bite alarm, the float paternostered roach deadbait using stonez on a weaklink, and the 9lb pike caught on smelt on sunken paternoster

not surprised! Was tempted but have things of greater importance to spend £20 on... hooks mainly!

Tackle Discounts were out of stock when I needed one, they often are, but worth waiting for if you're in no rush. I needed one pronto but even at full price the Wychwood at 90 odd quid is a bargain compared to the next lightest (Trakker RLX Superlite @ £180!!!!).

Appreciate what you are saying Yonny, it's nice to be as light as possible. But the MHR I have comes in a 5.5kg fully inclusive of poles, groundsheet and pegs. The Trakker Tempest comes in at 4.4kg PLUS the pegs, which would put it around 5kg??? Add a groundsheet to that (which doesn't come as standard) and you're not far off the weight of the MHR. The LoPro is lighter I'll grant you at 4kg (according to the ESP website) but again, that is without the groundsheet, (and again, you have to pay extra for that too) So not far off 5kg all in. At the end of the day mate, you are talking about a kilo here or there, (if that), basically the difference between taking 1 bag of bait with you instead of 2, a few less spare weights in the bag or a few less pot noodles... Also, I guarantee that if you compare the quality of the material of the three, the Wychwood's would be better. And, of course, you get the bullet proof 5 year warranty on the Wychwood. During my research, the only negative I found for the MHR was the length packed down. Not a problem for me, but I appreciate it could be for some. I found quite a few for the Tempest, (which eventually ruled it out for me). To be honest, I didn't research the LoPro because that was never on the radar mate.

I have some sympathy for British manufacturers, who design and build in this country, but too many big name brands have gone to the Far East, to get gear made while keeping the high price. Its also an environmental, human rights and other concern, the cargo ship coming all the way from China, the fuel to bring it that way, the risk of your container being one of four to fall into the sea every day. The child workers in the factories in China, at minimal wage, tuppence a day. I could quite happily see a couple of brand names slip from the tackle market! Some factories 'sell to the highest bidder'. One factory may make tackle for Fox, Nash, JRC etc. The brand that pays most gets their bedchairs before the next payer gets theirs. It is why sometimes there can be a shortage, as well as brands purposely holding gear back to create interest. You have as Yonny says, tackle brand owners making big profits in their own pocket yet not wanting to put money into R&D. Updated tackle, some of the new advances in tackle is a step backwards, some original gear is brilliant, yet newer models are frankly awful. I have a TFG oval brolly, I think it was £80, yet why should the same thing from Fox or Nash cost £200? Why should a Fox bedchair cost £300, when exactly the same from JRC is £150? The items are essentially the same, in some cases just a different badge! Carp tax, fishing line is fishing line, sea line is the same as fishing line, (example) yet the Fox, Korda brand is £20, compared to £9.99 for Sea fishing line. It is the same stuff!

Imo the innovators such as Aqua set their price point so ridiculously high that I have zero sympathy for them when their tooling is used to manufacture for other organisations that are prepared to undercut them. After all, if the likes of Aqua's prices were reasonable there'd be less point in Cyprinus undercutting them. I've heard before that prices are high due to design/development costs - that's not right. In every other industry the manufacturers invest their own profits into R&D/product development to establish long term growth. Why is it acceptable for carp brands to hike the price up instead and pocket the profit? They chose not to invest as they do in other industries and ultimately they'll pay the price. All industries use price point as a marketing tool, I understand that, but when I see what is essentially a tent for 600 odd quid my sympathy goes out of the window. It can only benefit the angler imo. These big old brands are forces to be reckoned with nowadays and their marketing power will keep them going just fine, whereas anglers that aint bothered about an Aqua badge can get quality gear for half the price. Result.

Seems strange that you can purchase it if it is only at the field testing stage???