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Posted

Korum opportunist mat bag, 2 rod quiver with landing net and brolly, chair... Job done... 

My back and osteoporosis has called time on overnighters now so I have to travel light... 

Does tickle me the amount of gear we lug about...

Posted (edited)

Itā€™s the mats that do my swede inā€¦

blooming cumbersome unwieldy things.

didnā€™t worry about it in the 80ā€™s and early 90ā€™s lol

my latest try is a Aqua atom self inflating oneā€¦

Probably got 20 mats of different t types and sizes in the shed

Edited by framey
Posted
  On 01/04/2025 at 06:00, yonny said:

Nah, you're doing it all wrong fella. The correct way is to clear it all out in spring, then slowly add it all back in, plus more, over the course of the year šŸ˜…

Yeah it's tricky to justify hauling stainless around nowadays with such decent ali, carbon and titanium stuff available. The obvious answer is your mrs buys you some new stuff šŸ˜…

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Good advice Yonny,looking at carbon stuff now...šŸ˜Š

Posted
  On 31/03/2025 at 21:23, Roughtor said:

One thing I won't get rid of is my original lockey stainless ,my wife bought it for me ,so I appreciate it even today ,when there is much light options ..to be honest ,much of my inspiration comes from the Bushcraft/wild camping crowd,they seem to have it down with minimalist ideas 

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  On 01/04/2025 at 06:00, yonny said:

Yeah it's tricky to justify hauling stainless around nowadays with such decent ali, carbon and titanium stuff available.

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I must admit I do like my Solar P1 pod and sticks, with the buzzer bar adaptors so I don't have to use the full pod. The buzzers stay on the bars unless I go single sticks, so the pod carry bag is handy.

I did have an aluminium pod years ago, a decent Dragon item (!), but discovered stainless locking screws would wear out aluminium threads, so went to stainless. I have a horrible feeling that I would break carbon.

 

  On 01/04/2025 at 15:46, framey said:

Itā€™s the mats that do my swede inā€¦

blooming cumbersome unwieldy things.

didnā€™t worry about it in the 80ā€™s and early 90ā€™s lol

my latest try is a Aqua atom self inflating oneā€¦

Probably got 20 mats of different t types and sizes in the shed

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My first unhooking mat was a baby changing mat that I covered in green parachute cloth. I tend to leave the big Monster Mat in the shed and use my Chub mat, which doubles up as Sky's bed if she wants it.

The fold up mats were a game changer, I could strap it to the rucksack, now they are mahoosive.

Posted
  On 01/04/2025 at 15:46, framey said:

Itā€™s the mats that do my swede inā€¦

blooming cumbersome unwieldy things.

didnā€™t worry about it in the 80ā€™s and early 90ā€™s lol

my latest try is a Aqua atom self inflating oneā€¦

Probably got 20 mats of different t types and sizes in the shed

Expand  

I wouldn't not have a decent mat though as much as its massive, on the odd occasion I do catch something I want to know it's well protected. 

Posted
  On 02/04/2025 at 05:24, jh92 said:

I use mine to carry some bits as well šŸ‘it takes a groundsheet, pegs and slingšŸ¤£

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This is why I like my walled mat. So much lives in it when itā€™s on the barrow or being carried. Throwing stick, distance sticks, collapsible bucket, any loose items pretty much. 
 

ideal if stalking too as you can just throw loads in it and off you walk. 

Posted

On minimal kit, I take the same basic kit whether Iā€™m doing 1 night or 4, more bait and more food but everything else is the same pretty much.
I could probably cut down further, and likely will this year for a new water with long barrow journeys. However all my kit fits on the barrow so nothing on my back. 
Under Barrow bag with spares and other things like sack, tripod, etc. bedchair on top, rucksack, food bag and unhooking mat on top, rods on top of it all. 
 

Iā€™m like a few of you, I have loads of bits of end tackle I never use but just keep in the tackle box because of the dreaded ā€œyou never knowā€ that hasnā€™t happened for 5 years+ šŸ˜‚ need to sort that out this year! 

Posted
  On 01/04/2025 at 17:36, elmoputney said:

I wouldn't not have a decent mat though as much as its massive, on the odd occasion I do catch something I want to know it's well protected. 

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  On 02/04/2025 at 05:24, jh92 said:

I use mine to carry some bits as well šŸ‘it takes a groundsheet, pegs and slingšŸ¤£

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  On 02/04/2025 at 06:37, greekskii said:

This is why I like my walled mat. So much lives in it when itā€™s on the barrow or being carried. Throwing stick, distance sticks, collapsible bucket, any loose items pretty much. 
 

ideal if stalking too as you can just throw loads in it and off you walk. 

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If I am barrowing my gear to the swim, yep, The Monster Cabrio mat definitely does make a good tackle carry on the barrow, but with the back and hip problems lifting fish up causes so much pain as I have to reach over and down, so the standard Chub mat is the one.

 

  On 02/04/2025 at 06:42, greekskii said:

Iā€™m like a few of you, I have loads of bits of end tackle I never use but just keep in the tackle box because of the dreaded ā€œyou never knowā€ that hasnā€™t happened for 5 years+ šŸ˜‚ need to sort that out this year

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I said that, then when I tried to go to just 'essentials', or the 'never know', I suddenly found that I needed them, so back came the tackle box. 

You know the one, 'I've got spare identical rigs in the rig bin', so you rely on them, then run out after a few fish, or blunting hooks, so you retie some more on the bank. Then there is the occasional of 'I'm sure they are sussing it', so you tie something completely different.

Posted
  On 01/04/2025 at 15:46, framey said:

Itā€™s the mats that do my swede inā€¦

blooming cumbersome unwieldy things.

didnā€™t worry about it in the 80ā€™s and early 90ā€™s lol

my latest try is a Aqua atom self inflating oneā€¦

Probably got 20 mats of different t types and sizes in the shed

Expand  

What do people think.of those pop up walled mats ,like the Carper,or NGT,Korum and Fox versions ..?

 

I quite like the look of the Carper version with handles ..

Posted
  On 02/04/2025 at 08:18, yonny said:

Same.

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Spot on ,exactly the same as well..

 

If I do more than a 24 I got a lidl cool bag that I leave in my car as a hub ,is that the right word lol,so I return to it every 24 hrs ,

 

Also water is really heavy ,so I only carry 2 litres, so I have back up or use a farmers tap ,I also use on occasion a sawyer water filter ,but only now and then ...

Posted
  On 02/04/2025 at 10:15, Roughtor said:

What do people think.of those pop up walled mats ,like the Carper,or NGT,Korum and Fox versions ..?

 

I quite like the look of the Carper version with handles ..

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I've got the older version of this

https://www.anglingdirect.co.uk/sonik-bank-tek-unhooking-cradle?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwwLO_BhB2EiwAx2e-3yno14iH5CajoaE3702KPdYpQ_02gpsqOtzE1fkvA_KY62lR_nS8DRoCNh8QAvD_BwE

Brilliant bit of kit, I use it to carry all sorts of kit šŸ¤£

Posted
  On 02/04/2025 at 10:19, Roughtor said:

Also water is really heavy ,so I only carry 2 litres,

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1litre of water is 1 kilogram, so yes, that's a fair weight. I do always keep water in the car, a 5litre container for Sky so if she needs it on a walk or drive she has it available. That's my usual backup when we are fishing. Stupid thing is fresh water in the bowl is often ignored, and she has a preference for lake water.

 

Posted
  On 07/04/2025 at 11:38, Roughtor said:

I'm looking at the speed flex pop up bivvy/shelter for overnight sessions ,instead of using my MHR brollies..

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Not sure it's worth it mate. The Speedflex is 4.5 KG vs the 3.75 KG of the MHR.

Might save you 30 seconds set-up time but not sure that's worth the extra kilo.

Posted
  12 hours ago, Roughtor said:

I gotta reign that bivvy fetishism in šŸ˜Š

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Me too.... I bought a Pioneer Ultralight last year.... not used it once.... it's just sitting there.

Like you I chase the weight. I'm always looking to save a few grams here or there (in fact I just bought a titanium cup for silly money (šŸ¤¦ā€ā™‚ļø).... that's how anal about weight I am). I have several shelters but I always use either the mk1 Tempest Brolly or mk1 Lo Pro.. just because they're light. I still have an original Supa Brolly kicking about somewhere... also mega light.

One thing that winds me up.... as new versions are released (Tempest mk2 and RS, Lo Pro mk2 etc etc) they ALWAYS put on weight. Thicker material etc. I hate that!

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