River Brolly Stress

[Chris Belcher]

Just a word of warning to those still searching for the perfect river brolly - just purchased the new Drennan 44 (which on paper ticks all the boxes) only to discover it has a silly long and unnecessary centre pole (assumed design cross over from the match brolly)

This means that unless your pushing it into a quagmire of mud or fishing an extreme angled bank, the centre pole length won't allow it to be pegged at the rear as its effectively floating off the deck! Big design flaw IMO and could have easily been rectified by using a 3/4 / half length centre pole (like the fox specialist) allowing for differing situations. Basically means I'll be lugging 2x more mini storm poles and/or removing the centre pole altogether!

To make matters worse Korum have just released this! (much simpler solution that rectifies the problem)

 

[Chris Belcher]

Got a reply from Drennan - remove the centre pole and use stormpoles was the answer! Still think they've missed a trick - will be using the Drennan in anger this winter anyway . . .

 

[Wayne Robinson]

Hi Chris
As the centre pole is remarkable, then it could be replaced with a shorter pole. I brought a Diawa brolly which came with a steel pole and replaced it with an aluminium one. Like the idea of the short pole on the korum brolly, it's something I'll have to look into
Regards Wayne

 

[Wayne Robinson]

Hi Chris
As the centre pole is remarkable, then it could be replaced with a shorter pole. I brought a Diawa brolly which came with a steel pole and replaced it with an aluminium one. Like the idea of the short pole on the korum brolly, it's something I'll have to look into
Regards Wayne

Bloody predictive text - pole is removable!

 

[Cliff Turner]

can't see any of the new Korums in stock anywhere ?

 

[Huanzhou Zhu]

can't see any of the new Korums in stock anywhere ?

It’s not released yet.

 

[Chris Belcher]

Hi Chris
As the centre pole is remarkable, then it could be replaced with a shorter pole. I brought a Diawa brolly which came with a steel pole and replaced it with an aluminium one. Like the idea of the short pole on the korum brolly, it's something I'll have to look into
Regards Wayne

The mechanism (as per on the fox specialist) is sound and arguably more flexible than the new 'fixed position' Korum - was thinking of just replacing it with the one from my Fox brolly and/or ringing Fox and purchasing another spare centre pole to fit the Drennan - daft though for what is an expensive brolly! Where did you get your replacement from Wayne and how long is it? Shame as the Drennan has an augered point but its just waaaay too long (see photo)

 

[Paul Wilkinson]

Have a look at the gardner ones , they come with a screw point in 3 different lengths, I replaced my fox brolly pole with one

 

[Chris Belcher]

Have a look at the gardner ones , they come with a screw point in 3 different lengths, I replaced my fox brolly pole with one

Perfect! Never knew Gardner did such things - thanks Paul - a 29" or 36" will prob do however its seems they're not adjustable? Might try a Dinsmores 30" power drive

 

[Paul Wilkinson]

I've not used my fox brolly for ages so just checked it, the gardner pole I suggested replaced the fox inner pole so won't solve your problem, so the dinsmore may be your best bet if the threads are the same

 

[Peter Smith 2]

I took a hacksaw to my brolly pole, took off 18" and now it's perfect. Cut off the top of the tube, not the pointy end.

 

[Chris Belcher]

I've not used my fox brolly for ages so just checked it, the gardner pole I suggested replaced the fox inner pole so won't solve your problem, so the dinsmore may be your best bet if the threads are the same

Yes thought that - although the Dinsmore is the same (no outer) so I may have butcher the existing centre pole with a hacksaw and drill - not sure how easy the locking collar and screw will be to reinstall however. . .not ideal for a £100 brolly!

 

[Richard Isaacs]

I use the Korum graphite brolley and adapted it to take storm poles. It’s been exceptionally good.
Don’t like the fact they’ve made the graphite ribs thinner on the new one to save a few grams. Mine are 7mm thick and I like that because they are unlikely to break

 

[Chris Belcher]

I use the Korum graphite brolley and adapted it to take storm poles. It’s been exceptionally good.
Don’t like the fact they’ve made the graphite ribs thinner on the new one to save a few grams. Mine are 7mm thick and I like that because they are unlikely to break

The Drennan 44 ticks lots of boxes Rich - they've just not considered an effective centre pole length which is annoying to me (others might not care!). May need your engineering advice pls if / when I get the hacksaw out!

 

[Richard Isaacs]

Could be easily retrofitted I’m sure

 

[Wayne Robinson]

The Drennan 44 ticks lots of boxes Rich - they've just not considered an effective centre pole length which is annoying to me (others might not care!). May need your engineering advice pls if / when I get the hacksaw out!

Hi all
Was in a tackle shop yesterday, and looked at the Drennan brolly - yes the centre pole did seem excessively long! I would remove the locking nut, cut the pole down and drill a hole in pole for locking nut - simple job.
Chris please can you give us a long term feedback, iam sure there's a lot of us who want to know if the Drennan brolly is worth the money!
Regards Wayne

 

[Gerry Giles]

can't see any of the new Korums in stock anywhere ?

Korum /Preston
said this to me today Our delivery is due tomorrow so hopefully in the shops next week.

 

[Keith Humphreys]

Personally I wouldn't buy a brolly if I couldn't remove the centre pole I currently use the Korum Graphite Brolly Shelter which is excellent.

 

[Chris Belcher]

Personally I wouldn't buy a brolly if I couldn't remove the centre pole I currently use the Korum Graphite Brolly Shelter which is excellent.

Centre pole on the Drennan can be removed easily Keith on the proviso you use 2x storm poles on the ribs to keep it upright - obvs you always need some kind of centre pole to 'open and close' the brolly but with my Fox I often just leave it in (conditions dictating whether or not I choose to use additional storm pole support) but in its shortest length angle it backwards so that its still located in the dirt (at 90+ degrees) and securing the brolly upright to maximise headroom / protected available space; without the centre pole being in the way and effectively halving the space . . . .(as per the Korum brolly image at the top of this thread)

 

[Chris Belcher]

For any brolly fans that might be interested in my dull thread - see attached (was drying it out so thought I'd take some graffs!). Went out yesterday (carping) on a small lake in the hooligan winds and rain (for a couple of hours at any rate) and the Fox was solid . . . not sure the Drennan would have been.

This is primarily because 3x spars and the mini side panels can be pegged down (5x pegs in total) on the Fox vs the 2x spars and no side panels on the Drennan; the centre pole can be retained without removing AND angled back on the Fox adding even more stability. Drennan is def smaller and lighter than the Fox albeit not as well made and with thinner material. See image 6 for packed sizes - the Drennan bag is only as long as it is because of the damn centre pole but its diameter is thinner.

You can clearly see the centre pole issue with the Drennan 44 - its physically impossible to make it 'sit back upright' like the Fox and if you do try its nothing more than an unstable windbreak and off the ground (image 4)! A bit better when I swopped the Drennan centre pole for the Fox one (which is weirdly slightly heavier than the Drennan albeit shorter- image 5) but overall still not as stable as the Fox nor the coverage. You can fish the Fox with an upright centre pole and no storm sticks in mild weather, maximising coverage (image 3) - you would not be able to do this with the Drennan forcing you to remove the centre pole and use mini storm poles (in this case 30" rather than 42") pretty much every time you need to use it . . . . . . .the hacksaw is coming out - as previously mentioned, daft for a £100 brolly!

However will still persevere with the Drennan - it is a better size for rivers in general and its way easier to open and close with the simple button release but just wish they'd thought about the other design details a little better (a la Korum) before going to market