MAP Z-36 Carbon and Elite White seatboxes
THE PACKAGE
• Shallow drawer unit
• Deep drawer unit
• Shallow tray unit
• Stacker lid with carry
handle
• Padded carry strap
• Seatbox cover
Z-36 CARBON SEATBOX
It had to happen… go-ahead match brand MAP is the first in the UK to launch a seatbox with a frame made from high-modulus carbon.
The Z-36 is stunning. Its seamless rounded frame is built and finished almost exclusively by hand, in a dedicated production facility with product testing to ensure it meets stringent quality control.
The benefits of carboninclude, of course, strength and lightness, two big advantages for match anglers. The box’s 36mm rounded legs offer total stability on any terrain.
PAY AROUND
£1,249
TECH SPEC
• Round profile 36mm legs with telescopic inners and threaded screw inserts for accessories
• Lightweight carbon frame
• Sliding footplate with twist-locking pins
• Large footprint swivelling mudfeet
• Padded pole seat with pole support
• Water-resistant seals on all drawer and tray units
• Divided drawer units
Z-36 ELITE WHITE EDITION SEATBOX
The Elite Z-36 White Edition seatbox is similar in many respects to its more expensive stable-mate, with 36mm rounded legs that many anglers insist upon.
The white frame features machined aluminium blocks that make it very light, yet super-strong.
A unique under-frame stacking system allows deep and shallow tray units to be stored in any order without the need of a runner on the bottom tray.
PAY AROUND
£749
Berkley Connect fishing main lines
THE new Connect range from line manufacturing giants, Berkley, comprises of two monofilaments, a fluorocarbon and a braid to cover all the needs of specialist and carp anglers.
The CM90 Weed Green monofilament (£19.99) suits venues with plenty of weed growth and features an increased sink rate to get the line down quicker. It is also low-stretch with no line twist or memory making it easy to cast. It comes in 1,200m spools with six breaking strains from 8lb to 20lb.
The CM70 Muddy Brown monofilament (£12.99) is a high performance co-polymer boasting great knot strength and shock resistance. Supplied on 1,000m spools in breaking strains from 8lb to 20lb.
The CF600 (£49.99) is a 100% PVDF fluorocarbon and offers near invisibility under water. It sinks quickly and remains pinned to the deck so is ideal when faced with spooky or pressured fish. It comes on 1,200m spools and in a choice of five breaking strains from 10lb to 20lb.
Drennan Margin Crystal floats
PAY AROUND
£1.85
These new Drennan Margin Crystal floats look nailed on to become the best-selling patterns of the year.
They are the product of Drennan’s unique precision blow-moulding technology, and are built to the same exacting specifications as the award-winning Drennan Crystal Dibbers and In-Line Crystal Dibbers.
The 2.5mm diameter hollow Glow Tips make the antennae extremely visible, and they work exceptionally well for fishing in the margins, along the far bank of snake lakes and islands, or shallow up in the water.
Their transparent polymer bodies ensure the float is inconspicuous to wary fish. Incidentally, these bodies are produced on machines specially designed and modified to blow-mould on this miniature scale.
A thick 1mm glass stem offers strength and stability, while a double-wound spring side eye protects the line and cannot be ripped out from the body like a traditionally fitted side eye.
The floats come in four sizes from 0.2g up to 0.5g, allowing them to cover depths up to 6ft.
The highly visible Glow Tip is available in red or yellow, and is of sufficient diameter to support heavier hookbaits such as sweetcorn, pellets and worms.
VERDICT
Having used the 0.3g size last weekend on a snake lake, I can vouch for the toughness of these floats. Fished tight up against the far bank, my Drennan Margin Crystal got dragged backwards through weeds and reed stems by upwards of 40lb of hard-fighting fish. Then it was propelled forwards at ‘elastic-powered pace’ through water, grass stems and a hand- towel, before finally coming to rest nicely tangled around my pole-tip when I got a little too close into the far bank and found myself hooked up to it.
However, not a scratch or blemish could be seen when I wrapped the rig around the winder, and this was after five hours of abuse. Any reservations I may have originally had about the float flipping back over the line while shipping out proved completely unfounded too.