I’ve always been one of those anglers that takes way too much gear with me. I’ve always liked to be prepared for any eventuality, which is fine for long sessions on the bank but most of my angling these days is short day trips and I found myself struggling with the mountain of tackle I invariably take with me, most of which went unused. This year I made the decision to scale back and focus on just what I need for a short-day trip and this is where the Thinking Anglers 600D rucksack comes into play.
It has a square compact design, made with top quality material. This version comes in a lovely traditional olive-green color but for all the camo lovers out there it also comes in Thinking Anglers exclusive Camfleck print. It also stands up straight when empty which is often not the case with some rucksacks. It has two nice strong handles on each side as well as the back to make picking it up and moving it around your swim easy.
First impressions are that this is an extremely well-made piece of kit that will no doubt last for years. The layout certainly gives you many options to personalize how you use it. I’ll show a few pictures so you can see how I’m using it currently.
First off, the main compartment gives you many options. There are two sleeves on each side, one of which I’m using for my swingers. I also utilize the main area for my rig wallet and buzzer bar case.
Inside the zipped top is another area where you could put a diary or a few rig bits.
On the front of the rucksack is a nice big compartment. I put my scales and catapult in this one but again, the beauty of this luggage is its flexibility. You may also notice the mesh behind my scales with the elasticated top for more separation of your tackle.
On each side, there are also deep zipped compartments. On one side I placed some leads and hook link material inside Thinking Anglers small clear pouches. In the opposite side I placed some other items, like a spare spod, some sunglasses, extra spools of line, even some sunscreen.
On the top of the rucksack are two straps that could be used for a rain jacket, sleeping bag or even a small unhooking mat. You may also notice the outside pouches and corners have extra elasticated straps. For the angler that likes to carry single bank sticks and alarms, you could house them here, which would free up even more room inside. The straps on the outside pouches you could place a catapult or long nose forceps.
Another nice touch I found especially useful was the extra care that went into the zips. Sometimes with cold hands it can be hard to grip a zip. This cool add on gives you something extra to grip to make closing the zips easier. It may not seem like a big thing but it has definitely helped me.
Finally, the important back strap. As you can see, it is very well padded, both in the straps themselves as well as the back panel, which stops anything digging into your back while you walk. The rucksack sits high on your back which also makes it ergonomically comfortable to carry.
This rucksack will make my mobile fishing approach easier, last for many years and help me put a few more nice carp on the bank along the way. This rucksack, along with many more quality products are available here in the USA at Big Carp Tackle and retails for $89.95.
Thanks for reading and tight lines to you all!
~ Craig