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Search for the ultimate roving luggage setup

Brian Penfold

Brian Penfold

Senior Member & Supporter
I know that this has been a previous topic but I thought I’d revive it a little. I’ve spent ages looking for ideal luggage set up for me and have been disappointed and dismayed with the market - and spent too much money in the process! I travel light, and have miles of river available to rove - so lightness is a must. I also want the luggage to pack my tackle set up - and not force me into adopting the manufacturers idea of what I’m supposed to carry - Korum Blox, Korum ITM etc - I’m also not a carp angler ( which many manufacturers seem to believe we all are); I also don’t need something that is over engineered and designed to protect the things I carry from a small nuclear explosion with more padding than my camera bag(s) which I travel around the world with!

I have 2 general roving setups - one where I’m going for be focused on trotting for chub etc and one where I’m going to be predominantly on the lead/feeder with two Avon style rods. If I’m going to be relatively static going after barbel I do have a Korum Progress Rucksack and chair which works ok, although the strap gave way the second time I used it - so it’s now fixed with stainless rivets and plates.

I’ve refined what I need to carry

Two float rods (sliced tip and heavier one) if predominantly trotting + 12 feeder rod.

Or

Two Avon rods + I may take a float rod


NGT small tackle box
Small Korum blox with feeder bits if mainly trotting or large Korum blox if feeder fishing.
Additional hook box.
Couple of small middy float tubes.
Two/three reels.
Scales and sling
Sunglasses
Landing net handle
Couple of bank sticks
Some bait and a flask.

I think I’ve managed to sort carrying the rods etc. My latest buy was a Thinking Anglers slim quiver. Lots of carry options - slim and lightweight- will carry any combination of rods I need - so almost perfect - but the carrying handle is rubbish - about 6cm padded (why) and difficult to carry! I’ll look to modify that!

Rucksacks: I’ve tried Drennan, Korum (ITM, Progress, Transition, roving etc), Greys, Fox, - but the unloaded weight of these is more than my tackle! My latest purchase was a Thinking Anglers compact rucksack - which I thought was spot on for size, but I took it out yesterday and the straps are atrocious - they twist in use, the chest strap is too high and cuts across the throat, and all the external pockets too shallow for a Korum small blox - so that has to go in the main compartment - just about filling it - with no room for any other bulky items - this again has pockets on the inside so the free space in the internal compartment is limited.

So I keep looking - but would welcome any recommendations!
 
Very interested in your post and look forward to seeing the replies, as like you I am looking at a roving set up.
If like me you like to have a chair to park your bum there is no better in my opinion than the Fox Duralite Low (weighs 2.9kg). Its far more comfortable than the Korum light chairs.
I'm very interested in opinions on Rucksacks for roving
 
Carrying three rods doesn't sound to me like roving - of the items that won't go in a rucksack, I carry one rod, a net handle and a bank stick - but that's your choice entirely.

Going by what you say about the Thinking Anglers rucksack, with which I totally agree, you might like the Korda Compac 45 litre, which is actually not much larger and you don't have to fill it of course. It's the most comfortable of all the sacks I've used (Korum, Korda, Drennan and TA) and it's not heavy. No idea about the NGT tackle box, but a Fox Edges medium and Korda Tackle Box fit in the larger outer pocket. It also has loops on the top for things like a waterproof or unhooking mat. And it has a sternum strap.

Not sure why you listed bank sticks and landing net handle among your contents - of the ones I've tried, only the TA has external loops for the former and the latter isn't going to fit in any rucksack anyway. If you were only carrying one or two rods these could all be carried in one hand... depending on how big your hands are!

Good luck.
.
 
If you want a rucksack then Fox Specialist Compact Fishing Rucksack is what I use after trying many of the ones you mention.
I don't take a chair when roving but use one of these instead Nitehawk Swivel Bucket Seat: https://www.nitehawkproducts.co.uk/...kIOJzcVIbCtk88dbuL0v6-Xd9jVgxoCQ3kQAvD_BwEand it is possible to dispense with the rucksack if and just use this if you cut down what you take to just essentials and it doubles as a comfyish seat also. Also you can't rove effectively if you are carrying more than one rod set up in my opinion.

​

 
I use similar to you - TA slim quiver and Saber (copy of TA compact) rucksack. I like the rucksack and find the quiver handle really good. I find it balances well. Tricast 2 or 3 piece landing net handle for really long walks as it is super light. Usually 1 rod, 2 rod rests and a brolly (only on really wet days).

I don’t use ‘tackle boxes’. I have hooks, bits and hooklink materials (a small selection) in a soft Speero pouch and small bits in a neoprene pouch nicked from an airline. It’s a bit like a soft pencil case. Then small scales, compact camera etc and not much else. 2 head torches and a handful of leads and a few wafters in tiny plastic tubs (very cheap on eBay) - the supplied ones are too big and contain mostly air ! And I really don’t need 50 wafters for a 3 hour session…..

Chair (Aeronium) stays in the car on long walks/ roving trips and I just sit on my (roll up) unhooking mat.
 
Korum ruckbag and chair from the latest kit, no it doesn't have chest straps and any other flappy straps that just get in the way and the chair isn't your sofa but they do the job

All tackle for chub/barbel fit into a korda basix box and that includes floats where the rig board should sit (2 tubes of floats when trying to go light and roving?)

Mat strapped to my bag

Anything else fits inside or the side pockets

Rod, net and bankstick in hands

It's not even my roving kit, that's my kit for a full days session, only thing that changes is the tackle box depending on what species I'm going out after. May take a brolly if it's really needed.
 
I got a small rucksack from army surplus that carries my bit box (Korda tackle box as it’s a mini tardis) lead pouch, catapult, food, bait, scales, float tube etc. then I use a guru fusion unhooking mat which doubles up as a shoulder bag as it folds in half and zips up, and has a side pocket, so carries my landing net (with korum quick adapter), weigh sling and bank stick (if I’m legering), bait water if needed along with anything else. Then I just carry my rod and net handle when moving . Weighs next to nothing, super fast to tackle up and down, and really comfortable.

Find the army rucksack is more comfy on my back for long periods, can actually forget I’m wearing it.

If I use a chair I’ve got the matrix accessory chair which comes with shoulder strap and screw threads on the front legs to hold a bait waiter and back rest etc should I feel the need, it’s also super light. When I’m roving I rarely take a seat though.

I use the same basic setup for everything except carp and pole fishing. If I’m stick float fishing for roach I’ll ditch the leads, feeder I’ll ditch the floats etc.
 
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Jason Murray said:
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Jason - I bought one! It was called the Korum Blox Roving vest. To say it was rubbish was an understatement- I think I posted a review somewhere else. Good idea - executed poorly. I’m ex military and have worn lighter flak jackets!! It had a solid plastic former on the back and front sides- it has a zip that would not lock and no secondary fastening - so would naturally slide down within a few minutes. The pocket was designed to take a huge blox box - totally impractical. I even wrote to Preston/Korum design team and told of the issues I had with it! Eventually bought a new new Orvis vest as my 15 year old one had fallen apart.
 
Steven Hodges said:
If you want a rucksack then Fox Specialist Compact Fishing Rucksack is what I use after trying many of the ones you mention.
I don't take a chair when roving but use one of these instead Nitehawk Swivel Bucket Seat: https://www.nitehawkproducts.co.uk/...kIOJzcVIbCtk88dbuL0v6-Xd9jVgxoCQ3kQAvD_BwEand it is possible to dispense with the rucksack if and just use this if you cut down what you take to just essentials and it doubles as a comfyish seat also. Also you can't rove effectively if you are carrying more than one rod set up in my opinion.

​

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Thanks Steven, its the product Ive been looking for years, and after look around the website, I thing I will get this since it is more comfortable to carry.
www.nitehawkproducts.co.uk

Nitehawk Camo Swivel Hunting Bucket Seat Backpack

www.nitehawkproducts.co.uk www.nitehawkproducts.co.uk
 
I had a TA rucksack and it was awful when on your back. Clearly only designed to sit on a barrow rather than on someone back.

I then moved onto the ESP camo range one and it's so much comfier. I've walked miles with it on my back. Even when I'm carping and have all my other gear on a barrow it's on my back.

How do you protect your rods though?

I hate just having rods strapped onto the outside of my quiver. I have TA ones for my carp gear but they are too bulky for Avon / quiver rods or even a float rod.

Any suggestions?
 
Steven Hodges said:
If you want a rucksack then Fox Specialist Compact Fishing Rucksack is what I use after trying many of the ones you mention.
I don't take a chair when roving but use one of these instead Nitehawk Swivel Bucket Seat: https://www.nitehawkproducts.co.uk/...kIOJzcVIbCtk88dbuL0v6-Xd9jVgxoCQ3kQAvD_BwEand it is possible to dispense with the rucksack if and just use this if you cut down what you take to just essentials and it doubles as a comfyish seat also. Also you can't rove effectively if you are carrying more than one rod set up in my opinion.

​

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I've been eyeing those bucket seats up for a while. What's the fabric like, is it waterproof-ish or absorbent?
 
Fishing a flooded river yesterday I scaled down to this. The bucket (17l) doubles as a seat and contains a few leads, ready tied rigs, bait and the minimal number of tools eg. forceps, scissors etc.
20241222_091105.jpg
 
Brendon Mullins said:
I had a TA rucksack and it was awful when on your back. Clearly only designed to sit on a barrow rather than on someone back.

I then moved onto the ESP camo range one and it's so much comfier. I've walked miles with it on my back. Even when I'm carping and have all my other gear on a barrow it's on my back.

How do you protect your rods though?

I hate just having rods strapped onto the outside of my quiver. I have TA ones for my carp gear but they are too bulky for Avon / quiver rods or even a float rod.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Korum folding quiver
 
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