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Tbh I'm way past all this. It's why you don't see me on the Latest Purchase thread. I've been fishing way too long to see any need for short rods or buckets with trays. There really isn't that much tackle that genuinely influences your ability to catch carp imo. You need rods that can reach the area you want to fish, line that can deal with the topography of your chosen water, a very sharp hook, and a half decent bait. The rest is all just "stuff".... none of it really matters. The way I see it the cheapest way to set yourself up is do some research and get the ABSOLUTE BEST gear for your type of angling, regardless of cost, and stick with it for many years. That might sound silly to some but saving up and spending a fortune on the best gear once is cheaper than upgrading poorer gear over and over again for 10 or 15 or 20 years (I learned this the expensive way). You'll find if you have the absolute best gear, you very rarely come across anything that's a genuine upgrade. I'll often go 2 or 3 years without any significant purchases. A few quid here and there on hooks, line and bait. Job done. I'm genuinely not really tempted by all the gear sitting in tackle shops, it's just dross that will empty your bank account.

My spending has reduced at lot recently, I do keep thinking I need new rods I only have budget ones but they do everything I want them to do. I got a new barrow a couple of years ago which I which I'd gone for a bigger one because now I'm doing more over nighters I'm having to do two trips, it's not a long push just a pain. I think when I make any future large purchases I'm going to go for better quality gear that hopefully last longer without replacing. I have decided I'm going to treat myself to some new alarms next that won't be for a while because I will have to save up and not tell the wife what they cost. I'm going to go for delkims, I've always had budget alarms so I want some decent ones.

tbh, it would be nice to treat myself to a few other unnecessary bits and pieces but the rate that my ticket price is increasing and the cost of fuel to get there makes any other purchases prohibitive😬

i have upgraded or replaced a few items it was needed though my original plan was to klarna a few things, glad i never now. reminds of when i was at barston a few years back guy out with the mrs and kids had the whole catalogue with him, i set my gear up and his mrs started to list off what i didn't have with me like you shouldn't be angling without all the carp gear, cradles and that all set up ready to use, think he had been telling her a few porkies. lol.

I'm with Elmo - just can't seem to stop buying stuff, especially since the first lockdown but I'm trying to rein it in a bit - or closer to the truth - what else could I possibly buy lol Stuff sounds well needed to me Elmo - go for it!

You need to get tucked In behind a lorry to save on fuel, I got Into work today in the slipstream of a big old lorry must have saved me tenner 😬

What were really saying is we have been naughty boys and we have to call it a day..................for a while at least!

Funnily enough my only "big" purchase last year was to have my small water rods rebuilt. Water was starting to get in under the whipping resin. 180 quid all in and they'll last another 15 years easy. They're irreplaceable and the next best thing would cost north of £1500 so 180 notes very well spent.

I think if you buy the best you can afford then no problem in upgrading when required. I always used to make sure my house was heated my kids were clothed and fed and then if any left I would buy what i needed. if it meant 1 rod a year then so be it I think I got my first matching carp rods in the mid/late 90’s lol. my problem is getting rid of what I have upgraded from especially with 4 grandsons

sell me one mate 🤣

I'm completely in the right job for that and now you've said it makes a lot of sense, I will see if they have the right products for it and if i am allowed to borrow some 😂

I think a lot of guys tried to replace angling with buying tackle during lockdown. It was the only fix we could get 🤣 So on a completely unrelated theme, when is someone gonna release a carbon barrow? It'd cost a fortune no doubt, but I'd be first in the queue to buy that one!

I whole heardedly agree I think I was using buying stuff as a substitute for actually getting on the bank, what I should spend my money on probably is more bait, I finally worked out 20kg of boilies will help me catch more than a 9ft spod rod set up, and that was the turning point, I would buy more bait but I've already got enough for a while, but its made me think I need to get prebaiting, I am actually doing a night tomorrow, first one in ages and naturally it's the night when it drops to zero degrees 😳 I think from now on i am just going to buy the essential bits and maybe only things that will help me to make my barrow and kit lighter and try and prebait a few spots regularly

I only tend to buy new gear when I actually need it. My bivvy being the last big 'splurge' to replace one that was dying from use, starting to leak and wasn't big enough in the winter for Sky and me. I don't like getting up and kicking and tripping over a big dog who has taken the only available space on the floor to keep dry. Rods I have been thinking about, because The Ones are starting to feel a bit soft, but they still land fish, despite a bit of worn varnish. Reels, I like my Beastmasters, they still do what I need. I can repair a lot of bits and pieces myself, re-mesh a landing net rather than buy a new one. I'm with @yonny in that get the right gear for what you do saves money in the long run, so my essential purchases tend to be PVA and gas canisters.

I’ve upgraded a few bits over the past few years but that’s just down to wear and tear and me chasing other species over the past few years. I caught a PB roach last month on a rod that is 22 years old and a reel that is 19 years old…… still my go to set up when fishing for smaller species…… my rod actually snapped (it’s more than paid for itself over the years) but it’s that good a rod instead of shelling out a couple of 100£ for a new one I got it repaired…….. I genuinely cried when it smashed giving it the big un after bream and roach…… it was like loosing an old friend 🙄🙄🤣🤣 It is tempting to buy new shining things but as Yonny has said is it better than the kit you already have I see so much half decent tackle for sale due to upgrades I think what you upgrading to gold plated reels 🤔🤔🤣🤣

It's come to my attention that many of us anglers like to buy lots of tackle, some of which is surplus to requirements 😂 This week I've nearly bought a 9ft spod set up largely because it would take up less space on my barrow than my 12ft one which will have a 12ft Rod holdall attached to it anyway and by starting that you know it ends with a 3 rod 9ft set up to match 🤔 I'm looking at new buckets that will fit into the main compartment of my barrow, I nearly bought the small ridgemonkey one because it has a tray so far I am undecided on which way to go but I will get new buckets 😳 I've asked for a few bits for my birthday so I must resist, I am hoping to get a cult tackle rod bag so my rods get better protection and also a compact cool bag so I save some more space and weight, really what I need to do is sort out all my stuff stop buying more toot I don't need I thought maybe if anyone is thinking of buying something they don't really need maybe you could mention it here kind of like an amnesty for carp anglers 😂

I have some good rods, but the clapped-out low test fiberglass rods I bought 20 years ago stay in the arsenal likewise the Ultimate (same brand) alarms. I'll use a Delkim if I'm on the main lake and it's windy so I can squelch wave noise, but I really like those cheap Ultimates, and those soft 1.75 rods (or whatever they are) are perfect for close work on the river.

I would have to design and make one first and knowing how little time I already have could take a while 😂

That is a banging point I'd go for that too - you can get almost everything else carbon 👍

I'm still in the phase where some of my kit will go wrong so there will be times I need stuff but I my main rods are fine for me good enough rounders for the time being, half the time I buy stuff that isn't what I hoped or that I won't use that much, I think from now on it's buy good stuff rather than loads of toot

I’m pretty much with you on this. However, time waits for no man and as I’ve aged I’ve had to invest in a decent Bedchair and Chair; opting for the Solar SP C-Tech versions for both. Not cheap but I’ve been impressed with the quality and my back has thanked me for it. In actual fact, I believe the chair to be a real aid-I can watch the water for hours in comfort!