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Aqua Products Endura Carryall (Small) - Baggage without the baggage!
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Written by Julian Grattidge
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Thursday, 09 February 2012 21:23
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I'm very particular about my luggage for carp fishing, and those who I fish with will tell you that I take lightweight angling to the extreme. All my overnight gear and tackle has to fit into one small carryall in order that I can carry my quiver, carryall, bedchair and extras all in one trip - and for a fair distance if required - all without giving myself a hernia!
It's the extra mile I have to go to in order to maximise my chances as my rods are rarely in for more than eight to ten hours at a time on an overnight session and I try to get two in a week. The result is that I don't fish with a front on my bivvy or use groundsheets, wraps or whatever else - I just deal with whatever the weather is doing at the time and get on with it. The bottom line is that I'll always be home again in a few hours, so for me it's all extra weight and extra time to sort out. So I simply cut it all out in order to get every extra minute with my rods in the water, and it's a system that works extremely well for me.
What I'm getting at, is that my carryall plays a vital part. It's not just used for the transportation of my gear to and from the swim; it has to perform a vital function whilst there, as bar my stove and water bottle, everything stays in the bag, thus it has to allow me to get into any section easily and at a seconds notice. I like to keep everything in the bag mainly as it allows me to move or pack up quickly end efficiently, but also because when it's wet underfoot and you're not using a groundsheet - not to mention a front on your shelter - the carryall acts the first and last line of defence against the elements for all of my kit.
I've used countless carryalls over the years. They've all had good points and bad, but none have ever been perfect. My last was almost there, but still lacked in a few areas, and so the search continued. Happily, I can report that after getting my hands on the small Endura carryall from the guys at Aqua, my search is at and end.
Firstly, it's robust enough to abuse. It handles all the messy swims I throw at it and keeps everything dry and secure. The underside has a reinforced waterproof base, so even when chucked down for a night on sopping wet grass (or worse!) it stays bone dry inside. Secondly, it has a mix of pocket types. It has a well proportioned front pocket with excellent padding, which houses my buzz bars, bank sticks, alarms, swingers, and suchlike. The side pockets on either end are again, well proportioned and padded, and house all my brew kit and overnight essentials. They all have robust zips with edge over flaps to give excellent protection and they suit me down to the ground.
At the rear is a full length pocket with a simple but very effective flip over Velcro flap. The neat trick here is that at the bottom it's got little ventilation holes, so I find it perfect for housing all the gear that might get wet or damp during my session, like bivvy pegs, weigh scales, etc, so that when my kit gets home and is stored away, it can air the stuff inside the pocket and dry it out without me having to strip everything out. Nice touch. Internally there's one big space, which is ample for housing my kettle, stove, water bottle, tackle case, coats and clothing, etc. The carry handles are typically robust, and the fully adjustable padded shoulder strap is of the same quality construction, finishing off a properly well made bit of kit.
Whilst obviously the carryall won't catch the fish for me, what it does do is refine my approach that little bit further, allowing me to set up and break down even quicker, which in turn allows me to get the rods in faster and keep them there for longer. It's had no small amount of abuse thrown at it for many months now and it's stood up to everything I've thrown at it with ease, be it rain, hail, frost, snow... whatever!
Also worth mentioning is the removable internal security pouch, which can be put to use in any number of ways. My digital camera fits snugly into mine, giving a smaller overall pouch than my other camera case so again, another bit of kit reduced!
Endura small carryall features;
• Size 590 mm (w) x 320 mm (h) x 290 mm (d)
• Endura material
• 2 external mesh pockets
• 4 external deep padded pockets
• 1 removable internal security pouch
• Moulded neoprene shoulder strap
• Oversized zips on main compartments
• Security key chain (internally)
• D ring (external)
• Reinforced base
They say you get what you pay for, and in this instance I would have to agree, a quality bit of kit that's perfected another area of my approach.
Priced at £69.99. Available from your local Aqua stockist or direct from the Aqua Website
Julian Grattidge
February 2012
Northwestcarp.co.uk