What a brilliant video. So much information on so many poles. Yes it would be nice to go the whole hog and have the Air. Unfortunately I am a bit of a tight beep with money. Hate spending money if I really go not need too. I am starting the process of shopping for a new pole.
Just started back to match fishing again after a 40 year break so this is very much appreciated as just started to dip into pole fishing. Much appreciate you sharing your opinions and really find your videos helpful.
First pole I bought brand new was a heyford reptile, got it mail order from trinders tackle on the heyford fishery, it was £200 13 meters long with a spare top kit. This was mid 90s it was a beast of a pole, it was when poles for commercials and carp were just taking off. Lasted me 15 years.
Thanks for taking the time and effort to produce an extensive honest pole review. Valuable information to help make a choice. Just bought the matrix mtx 2 14.5 following your earlier review. Glad it still stands up in this review. Good value at the minute too. Thanks again. Tight lines all the best Pete 🎣
Matrix seem to be reasonably priced at the minute, the budget end of the market isn't what it was a couple of years ago, it's not easy to get a good 14 meter pole for under a grand now.
Nice comparison range for any type of fishing. Thanks for again for taking the time to produce the video. Lucky enough to own / use the Diawa tournament 16mtr pro X which covers me for everything
Enjoyed seeing all the poles out of my price range on my pension. A younger friend who fishes matches bought a £1350 Preston pole and it broke 3 times, twice in the wind. I’m glad you featured the pole I use, the Matrix MTX1. Cheap but good.😀happy new year to you and all your viewers🎉
Thanks for this video Ben, as a returning angler after 40 years I had never used a pole but did order a Preston edge monster the other day. I just need to work out which elastic to use in the top kits now. Keep up the good work. Cheers.
Nice one thanks Ben and hopefully meet on the bank some time ( probably birkwood) happy new year to you and the family , map are poor poles in my experience, upto the 501 , heavy and fragile with no spares .Will look at the 1001 margin pole again as I recall you had one .
Great information as always Ben, I’ve already recommended the channel to all my friends because you say it like it is and provide outstanding reviews for anglers of all abilities and budgets, keep up the fabulous work throughout 2023 and I wish you all the best for the year ahead.
Happy New year Ben, brought my first pole last year on your review which was the Preston edge monster 10m. So massive thanks it's been fantastic to use.
HNY and all the best for 2023 ! After many hours at the local pole alley I also decided that the Superium X Carp pole was a great buy in the 1.5k category ! Will say that the new Maver looks absolutely stunning! Shame it’s out of my price range …
yes it was helpful , just to say you voted the MX5 best! but you have never used one, taken the word from Matrix Consultance ? and I did notice you had Preston clothing on most of the time? anyway great blog and some good videos,.
Excellent personal review Ben. Your information is an excellent starting point for someone going out there for their 1st pole or looking to upgrade their current pole. Now go out there and try them boys and girls. 🎣👍
Well done on whittling down a vast number of poles in various categories. For a future video, perhaps whips should be included as they are use quite a lot especially this time of year.
brilliant and interesting amount of info thanks boss.. as a club angler venturing into open matches this year I'm seeing alot more top end poles being used every week.. this has had me arguing in my own head that I must need one.. and to be honest it would be really nice and I would bloody love one too.. but for the love I have for my £300 second hand.. bought best part 20 years ago.. old original 16m cream and black Shimano Beastmaster.. won a match the first time I used it.. against the bloke that sold it me 🤣 had it bent round bushes with double figure carp..I even fish sometimes with two 16m sections together to reach the island at East Bilney..some pegs 17/18+ metres wide.. its horrendous you can imagine but it gets me there and i even still manage to frame in matches regularly today with it.. against those people with the top end poles sometimes.. im struggling to believe I personally can afford to replace it with something modern .. and more mighty if that makes sence.. i suggest im in limbo land looking for a small mortgage lol all your vids well appreciated.. topdraw.. bigger upz Happy New year 💪💙
I have to congratulate you for your reviews. The hours you put in to help other anglers must be considerable. In my opinion the best in the UK on this subject. I bought a Daiwa landing net pole on your recommendation and have been over the moon with it. I'm in the market for an all-round newcomer pole between £200 - £500 at approximately 11.5m. Commercial fishing and local club match fishing now and again. I'm not fortunate enough to have a test centre in my area so again, have been looking at your recommendations. I think I've narrowed it to 3 poles and would appreciate your thoughts on the best all-rounder? Middy Xtreme M3 mk2, Middy Reactacore XM10-3, Middy Reactacore XT15-3. Thank you
Thanks for your kind words Jim. I would look at either Middy Reactacore XM10-3 or Middy Reactacore XT15-3 as an allrounder. If it was my money i would go XT15-3
My current pole is getting worn out. Great at short distance. Need something that easy to fix dh with at 14.5 and the odd 16. What suggestions do you have . Do not really want to spend more than 2 grand. Cheers
Great review Ben. I’ve been considering a new pole (had a Daiwa SR5 for 11yr)……and this & another vid you did a while back got me thinking. I want 14.5m and was thinking of either Superium X20 or Map Tks 301 3G …….not much diff price wise but wanted spares / top kits to be available. Any views from your experience?
Looking for a new top end pole and went to the pole alley at todber. After all the hype I thought I’d be sold immediately on the guru 900. But seriously, wow what a disappointment! It was like a lead banana even with short 3 and match kit! It was all over the place. I bet it’s strong, I mean it will def bend, and the package is awesome. But maybe they have factored this in and seriously for me this is just hyped. I picked up the Garbolino uk 1 hp and Jesus what a pole. So strong but so well balanced. I need a pole I can fish at 16 m and can do everything. So so impressed. I will be ordering one soon. Shame is the package…only 6 top kits and no short 3’s. But it’s a pole you pick up and are blown away by. The new matrix range were incredible. Can’t believe the price for the 4000. Yes it’s not so good at 16m but Jesus, for 2200 quid it’s unbelievable, poker stiff. The 5000 was a dream, and I did consider it but I’m worried it won’t be as durable as the uk1. It was beautiful to hold but I’d not sure it could handle big edge fish with strong elastic and 300 / 400 pound weights of big carp on the cards. Whereas the uk one feels like you could run it over and it would survive, whist still being so well balanced to fish 16m all day long. The advice I got from todber was great. They said it was unproven to them as a new pole but they see all sorts of poles used on the bank at todber and if you are looking for big weights (like the 600 pound ones they get in the summer) and need that bit extra, then the matrix poles might give you squeaky bumb time. Watched this before I visited todber, and I probably wouldn’t have picked up the uk1 if it hadn’t been in your top 3. But wow guru… I love your products, but so so shocked by the 900. Serious droop going on there, was expecting something out of this world! That’s my thoughts anyway Ben. Sorry bit of a rant, but your so right about going and picking these things up for yourself at a good pole alley, as the difference can totally surprise you.
yes mate 💪big ups.. original bestmaster for the last 20 years and now a X70 in the post.. buzzing like a nine year old waiting for Xmas 😂 be lucky boss 👍
Hi Ben. Great video as always. Im after a 13m pole but will prob use it at 11metres mostly i have seen bobco got matrix mtx 1 for £350 would you recommend this. For strength and allround? Cheers.
@@Angling4U cheers ben i have just bought the superium x10. Think for 13m its a good piece of kit just ordered the 9ft supera x feeder which im very much look forward to using.tight lines and hope your shoulder is on the mend.👍
@@Angling4U I’m just getting back into pole fishing and I watch your reviews all the time because I’m after a pole to get back in to it preferably 13m with a half decent package what you recommend a superium x10-x20?
It's good of you to share your experience and I have not tested enough poles to confirm or not about your opinion. However, In view of reviews from websites (that you recommend reading), I'm surprised that Browning isn't in your list. Eg; is the Z8-3 not good at £1500, or the z9-3/Z16/18 at £2500 or the Sphere ZeroG PT at £3500? That's not to say your wrong - i'm just surprised. Also, if you know of so many reports about the MTX3 having issues (alleged mishandling), then why recommend it? Surely the other poles would have an equally bad reputation from 'mishandling' if the MTX3 wasn't any worse than the others, or do you think that the MTX3 attracts a disproportionate number of pole abusing customers? Again, I'm not saying that your wrong. It's just left me confused with scoring it high yet you've put much doubt on it.
I'd have to agree with your point on the matrix, I've only ever broke a pole twice once was using a 20 solid in a pulla kit ( the tackle shop owner recommend 20 elastic, far too strong with hindsight) and I clumsily hit a section with my foot on my first more expensive pole, an older carp pole would not have broke so easily. I don't fish every week but I know how to handle a pole and I think most anglers spending over £500 on a pole would know what their doing. So I'd hardly recommend a pole with a reputation for breaking. Good point.
@@Angling4U agreed although I've been using an awful competition 11m pole for the last 6 years I bought for 40 quid brand new and won a fair few club matches, its like using a chimney sweep so I suppose anything is an improvement 🤣
Ben am going to be even more controversial than you and say the preston superium carp pole Is better than the daiwa whisker and I was a massive daiwa fan had then for years untill preston brought out this superium range and they've absolutely nailed it with them. An going to say the carp and the x70 nothing out there to compete with them for upto 2000quid
What a brilliant video. So much information on so many poles.
Yes it would be nice to go the whole hog and have the Air. Unfortunately I am a bit of a tight beep with money. Hate spending money if I really go not need too.
I am starting the process of shopping for a new pole.
Check out our 2023 version
ua-cam.com/video/PZXgP5ixT1k/v-deo.htmlsi=zTYY-TMo_RW-GrS-
Just started back to match fishing again after a 40 year break so this is very much appreciated as just started to dip into pole fishing. Much appreciate you sharing your opinions and really find your videos helpful.
Glad to help
More than just a little helpfull made me decide thanks Just ordered my new pole ! :-)
What did you go for
First pole I bought brand new was a heyford reptile, got it mail order from trinders tackle on the heyford fishery, it was £200 13 meters long with a spare top kit. This was mid 90s it was a beast of a pole, it was when poles for commercials and carp were just taking off. Lasted me 15 years.
Thanks for taking the time and effort to produce an extensive honest pole review. Valuable information to help make a choice. Just bought the matrix mtx 2 14.5 following your earlier review. Glad it still stands up in this review. Good value at the minute too. Thanks again. Tight lines all the best Pete 🎣
Thanks
Matrix seem to be reasonably priced at the minute, the budget end of the market isn't what it was a couple of years ago, it's not easy to get a good 14 meter pole for under a grand now.
Nice comparison range for any type of fishing. Thanks for again for taking the time to produce the video. Lucky enough to own / use the Diawa tournament 16mtr pro X which covers me for everything
My pleasure
Enjoyed seeing all the poles out of my price range on my pension.
A younger friend who fishes matches bought a £1350 Preston pole and it broke 3 times, twice in the wind.
I’m glad you featured the pole I use, the Matrix MTX1. Cheap but good.😀happy new year to you and all your viewers🎉
Same to you Robert thanks for watching
I have the original Middy XK55 16m, when it was the flagship pole of Middy. Brilliant piece of kit.
strong as well
Thanks for this video Ben, as a returning angler after 40 years I had never used a pole but did order a Preston edge monster the other day. I just need to work out which elastic to use in the top kits now. Keep up the good work. Cheers.
Have a look at our Angling 4 u back to basics some great videos on there
As per usual very informative and helpful, thank you!
Check out our 2023 version Phil
ua-cam.com/video/PZXgP5ixT1k/v-deo.htmlsi=zTYY-TMo_RW-GrS-
Nice one thanks Ben and hopefully meet on the bank some time ( probably birkwood) happy new year to you and the family , map are poor poles in my experience, upto the 501 , heavy and fragile with no spares .Will look at the 1001 margin pole again as I recall you had one .
Great information as always Ben, I’ve already recommended the channel to all my friends because you say it like it is and provide outstanding reviews for anglers of all abilities and budgets, keep up the fabulous work throughout 2023 and I wish you all the best for the year ahead.
Really appreciate that fella
Happy New year Ben, brought my first pole last year on your review which was the Preston edge monster 10m. So massive thanks it's been fantastic to use.
Love it Kevin
Very good honest assessment. Will help anyone who is on the lookout for a new pole!!! Thanks
thanks Tony
Nice one Ben. Really useful. Looking to upgrade soon so this really helped. Thanks!
my pleasure
Always good to hear opinions; the air z pro is now over £5k though; £4k is either a bargain or pole only ….
HNY and all the best for 2023 ! After many hours at the local pole alley I also decided that the Superium X Carp pole was a great buy in the 1.5k category ! Will say that the new Maver looks absolutely stunning! Shame it’s out of my price range …
Yeah Mavers are lovely matey
yes it was helpful , just to say you voted the MX5 best! but you have never used one, taken the word from Matrix Consultance ? and I did notice you had Preston clothing on most of the time? anyway great blog and some good videos,.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the 13m guru power package before I pull the trigger
Ill get to it bud
Nice informative vid, great to see you cover lots of price brackets for all anglers. 😁👍
thanks Ashley
really helpful as I am looking at buying my first pole in the next couple of months.
Anytime Colin
Excellent personal review Ben. Your information is an excellent starting point for someone going out there for their 1st pole or looking to upgrade their current pole. Now go out there and try them boys and girls. 🎣👍
Thanks Paul
Do agree about the Preston monster 2 margin top kits, very long could be shorter but excellent margin pole 👍
yeah a great pole
Well done on whittling down a vast number of poles in various categories. For a future video, perhaps whips should be included as they are use quite a lot especially this time of year.
I'll look at it Dave
Great watch Ben ! Pretty pleased with your choices as have the Superium x50 and Margin.
Great poles although spare tops etc availability bit dodgy !
Cheers David
Excellent vid Ben as ever ,honest and impartial as ever
I do my best Gary
I enjoyed the video,
Good thing to have if any one is considering a new pole, and can't waggle one in an alley,and price ranges...
👍
exactly bud
Hello ben the garbolino uk 3 power competition is a good pole in the 1500 - £2000 would say it's on par with the whisker if not slightly above it
different style of pole I would say garbo stronger
Thanks once again. This is interesting and a great help.
Anytime
brilliant and interesting amount of info thanks boss.. as a club angler venturing into open matches this year I'm seeing alot more top end poles being used every week.. this has had me arguing in my own head that I must need one.. and to be honest it would be really nice and I would bloody love one too.. but for the love I have for my £300 second hand.. bought best part 20 years ago.. old original 16m cream and black Shimano Beastmaster.. won a match the first time I used it.. against the bloke that sold it me 🤣 had it bent round bushes with double figure carp..I even fish sometimes with two 16m sections together to reach the island at East Bilney..some pegs 17/18+ metres wide.. its horrendous you can imagine but it gets me there and i even still manage to frame in matches regularly today with it.. against those people with the top end poles sometimes.. im struggling to believe I personally can afford to replace it with something modern .. and more mighty if that makes sence.. i suggest im in limbo land looking for a small mortgage lol all your vids well appreciated.. topdraw.. bigger upz Happy New year
💪💙
My pleasure Jason
Great informative video Ben 👍. Just one observation though, you said the Superium X20 is 13m when it's actually 14.5m, great pole.
My bad
Middy reactacore poles are my favourite. Always make good gear like 5g rods.of which I have 5.
yeah the 5g are beautiful rods
Thanks Ben I always appreciate your views.
Thanks michael
Who sells the daiwa air z pro for that price?
was on offer my bad
I've got the x50 and can't be more happier , can fish comfortably all day at 14.5m or 16m, fishing at 13m is a luxury
a great pole
I have to congratulate you for your reviews. The hours you put in to help other anglers must be considerable. In my opinion the best in the UK on this subject. I bought a Daiwa landing net pole on your recommendation and have been over the moon with it. I'm in the market for an all-round newcomer pole between £200 - £500 at approximately 11.5m. Commercial fishing and local club match fishing now and again. I'm not fortunate enough to have a test centre in my area so again, have been looking at your recommendations. I think I've narrowed it to 3 poles and would appreciate your thoughts on the best all-rounder? Middy Xtreme M3 mk2, Middy Reactacore XM10-3, Middy Reactacore XT15-3. Thank you
Thanks for your kind words Jim. I would look at either Middy Reactacore XM10-3 or Middy Reactacore XT15-3 as an allrounder. If it was my money i would go XT15-3
@Angling4U thanks Ben. Appreciated 👍🍺
This maybe will help you
ua-cam.com/video/0ShDYt0DMh0/v-deo.html
My current pole is getting worn out. Great at short distance. Need something that easy to fix dh with at 14.5 and the odd 16. What suggestions do you have . Do not really want to spend more than 2 grand. Cheers
Superium x70
Thanks, great effort to help anglers make an informed choice
thanks Peter
Great review Ben. I’ve been considering a new pole (had a Daiwa SR5 for 11yr)……and this & another vid you did a while back got me thinking. I want 14.5m and was thinking of either Superium X20 or Map Tks 301 3G …….not much diff price wise but wanted spares / top kits to be available. Any views from your experience?
Looking for a new top end pole and went to the pole alley at todber. After all the hype I thought I’d be sold immediately on the guru 900. But seriously, wow what a disappointment! It was like a lead banana even with short 3 and match kit! It was all over the place. I bet it’s strong, I mean it will def bend, and the package is awesome. But maybe they have factored this in and seriously for me this is just hyped. I picked up the Garbolino uk 1 hp and Jesus what a pole. So strong but so well balanced. I need a pole I can fish at 16 m and can do everything. So so impressed. I will be ordering one soon. Shame is the package…only 6 top kits and no short 3’s. But it’s a pole you pick up and are blown away by. The new matrix range were incredible. Can’t believe the price for the 4000. Yes it’s not so good at 16m but Jesus, for 2200 quid it’s unbelievable, poker stiff. The 5000 was a dream, and I did consider it but I’m worried it won’t be as durable as the uk1. It was beautiful to hold but I’d not sure it could handle big edge fish with strong elastic and 300 / 400 pound weights of big carp on the cards. Whereas the uk one feels like you could run it over and it would survive, whist still being so well balanced to fish 16m all day long. The advice I got from todber was great. They said it was unproven to them as a new pole but they see all sorts of poles used on the bank at todber and if you are looking for big weights (like the 600 pound ones they get in the summer) and need that bit extra, then the matrix poles might give you squeaky bumb time. Watched this before I visited todber, and I probably wouldn’t have picked up the uk1 if it hadn’t been in your top 3. But wow guru… I love your products, but so so shocked by the 900. Serious droop going on there, was expecting something out of this world! That’s my thoughts anyway Ben. Sorry bit of a rant, but your so right about going and picking these things up for yourself at a good pole alley, as the difference can totally surprise you.
Great video, managed to get an x70 for £1500, it’s great but I have the superium margin and find myself using that a lot more 👍👍
always the case especially in summer
Happy New Year, lets hope we all have a good one
Nice one fella, have you held the cadence comp match?
Do Shimano still make poles? I love the Technium and the Catana
the new Aero range is out x5 x7 & pro
AT yr best m8 thank you loved it
Glad you liked it ta
yes mate 💪big ups.. original bestmaster for the last 20 years and now a X70 in the post.. buzzing like a nine year old waiting for Xmas 😂 be lucky boss 👍
love it
Really great review, thanks.
cheers John
Nice one Ben top job again thanks 🎉
Cheers Paul
Really good video mate 👏🎣
Cheers shaun
Hi Ben. Great video as always. Im after a 13m pole but will prob use it at 11metres mostly i have seen bobco got matrix mtx 1 for £350 would you recommend this. For strength and allround? Cheers.
Yeah there a strong pole fella
@@Angling4U cheers ben i have just bought the superium x10. Think for 13m its a good piece of kit just ordered the 9ft supera x feeder which im very much look forward to using.tight lines and hope your shoulder is on the mend.👍
Hi
At 13m and 14.5m, which pole is lighter and stiffer, the Superium Carp or x70? Quite torn between these 2, I mostly do carp fishing.
Thanks
Definitely the X70 although if you mainly do carp fishing then maybe consider the Superium Carp as it's built stronger.
x70 mate
Extremely helpful Ben
Thanks
Brilliant review
Thanks
@@Angling4U I’m just getting back into pole fishing and I watch your reviews all the time because I’m after a pole to get back in to it preferably 13m with a half decent package what you recommend a superium x10-x20?
It's good of you to share your experience and I have not tested enough poles to confirm or not about your opinion.
However, In view of reviews from websites (that you recommend reading), I'm surprised that Browning isn't in your list. Eg; is the Z8-3 not good at £1500, or the z9-3/Z16/18 at £2500 or the Sphere ZeroG PT at £3500? That's not to say your wrong - i'm just surprised.
Also, if you know of so many reports about the MTX3 having issues (alleged mishandling), then why recommend it? Surely the other poles would have an equally bad reputation from 'mishandling' if the MTX3 wasn't any worse than the others, or do you think that the MTX3 attracts a disproportionate number of pole abusing customers? Again, I'm not saying that your wrong. It's just left me confused with scoring it high yet you've put much doubt on it.
I'd have to agree with your point on the matrix, I've only ever broke a pole twice once was using a 20 solid in a pulla kit ( the tackle shop owner recommend 20 elastic, far too strong with hindsight) and I clumsily hit a section with my foot on my first more expensive pole, an older carp pole would not have broke so easily. I don't fish every week but I know how to handle a pole and I think most anglers spending over £500 on a pole would know what their doing. So I'd hardly recommend a pole with a reputation for breaking. Good point.
Ive got one very happy with it
Is the guru heavy because its 16 metres and the air z pro 15.5 metres?
nah because the guru is a carp pole in disguise
Map?
Top opinion about the map great poles bur spares are like hens teeth don't no why not answers cheers
I think it's a supplier thing. They have really struggled with there distribution since lockdown
Anyone tried the advanta 13m?lot of kit firbthe money
I haven't but if the price is too good to be true then it usually is
@@Angling4U agreed although I've been using an awful competition 11m pole for the last 6 years I bought for 40 quid brand new and won a fair few club matches, its like using a chimney sweep so I suppose anything is an improvement 🤣
Ben am going to be even more controversial than you and say the preston superium carp pole Is better than the daiwa whisker and I was a massive daiwa fan had then for years untill preston brought out this superium range and they've absolutely nailed it with them. An going to say the carp and the x70 nothing out there to compete with them for upto 2000quid
Hi. Would you know which of the two (Carp and X70) is lighter at 13m and 14.5? Thanks
they are fab