Tripod Rod Rests
Each month the TSF team compares a group of similar tackle head to head. Here we look at nine readily available tripods.
Tripod-style rod rests are an essential item of tackle for many modern beach anglers. They often come with two heads and two butt cups that allow you to fish two rods side by side. Although many manufacturers also supply additional supports to carry more rods, or even single cups for use with just one rod.
Stability is a major factor when choosing a new rod rest. After all you don’t want to be constantly picking your rods of the deck every time they blow over in the wind.
Another important consideration is with the weight of the tripod, especially if you do a lot of hiking to your favourite marks, as is the way that the tripods pack away. A good tripod should have minimal components, be manufactured from lightweight aluminium and fold away in a slim manner so that it easily packs into a rod holdall. Take a look at our list from some of the major manufactures and make up your own mind.
Useful Contacts
Ian Golds, tel: 02392 486922
Fladen, tel: 01305 821111
Mustad, tel: 01527 587428
Leeda, tel: 01527 587450
Imax, tel: 02920 791700
Ultimate, tel: 01132 704945
Zebco, tel: 08707 502325
Swift, tel: 01392 444428
Powerstorm, tel: 01709 724700
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Ian Golds Super Match Tripod
Length: 6ft
Material: Aluminium
Heads: Plastic
Cups: Plastic
Colour: Silver
RRP: Around £29
Barney says…10/10
I have used these tripods for some considerable time now, and as of yet cannot find fault with them. The basic package you get when buying one is uncomplicated and good value for money, the best part is that there are plenty of add-ons available. These include almost anything that an angler might wish for, which inevitably ends up with each individual tripod being customised to suit the angler’s particular requirements. They have withstood the test of time and most importantly, they give the user a good solid base, on any terrain, in which to place his/her rods.
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Fladen Beach Tripod
Length: 5ft
Material: Aluminium
Heads: Metal
Cups: Metal
Colour: Silver
Price: Around £20
Barney says…5/10
The truth is that this particular tripod does not really cut it with the ever-increasing demands of the modern day discerning sea angler. It is ok for the very basic uses, such as pier or the holiday angler scenario, but it does not stand up to use with serious beachcasters. Strong tides, gusty winds and weed, or even all three, will topple this short-legged tripod over, as a good solid base cannot easily be achieved with it.
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Mustad Deluxe Tripod
Length: 6ft
Material: Aluminium
Heads: Metal
Cups: Metal
Colour: Silver
RRP: £34.99
Barney says…9/10
This is definitely a good example of how a tripod should be, and there are no problems in getting it to sit firmly on any ground. The legs can be angled so that the best stability can be achieved, and the chance of a rod slipping from the heads is very remote. The tripod packs up neatly and it slips into a quiver with no worries for easy carriage. Although it is a little heavier than some others, I do not feel that this is too much of a problem, and when you add it up with all the other gear that you might carry, the difference is negligible. Nevertheless, it’s still a point worth noting.
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Leeda Twin Head Tripod
Length: 6ft
Material: Aluminium
Heads: Plastic
Cups: Plastic
Colour: Silver
RRP: £14.99
Barney says…6/10
This tripod is functional, light and good value for money. Although it’s not rated as high as some of the others in the test, it does, however, possess the necessary qualities which make it certainly worth considering. There are a few nuts and bolts that might become lost in the sand if one was in too much of a hurry, but with a little care this should not be a problem. If all you want is a basic tripod which works, you won’t go far wrong with this one.
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Imax Tripod
Length: 6ft
Material: Aluminium
Heads: Plastic
Cups: Plastic
Colour: Silver
RRP: £29.99
Barney says…9/10
This is a great tripod because it’s light, functional and folds up neatly for simple transportation. But I also agree with Daz and Dave where the heads are concerned. To get the very best out of this tripod, it would be necessary to angle it so that the heads are always facing down-tide. This way, the rods will actually wedge themselves solidly in place, although if there was a violent bite, the rods could possibly bounce themselves out of the heads! This is the main reason for it dropping a point on the score.
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Ultimate Hengelsport
Length: 5ft
Material: Aluminium
Heads: Plastic
Cups: Plastic
Colour: Green
RRP: Around £25
Barney says…7/10
This is another of the shorter tripods, and for this reason alone, it’s a little unstable. But not only are the legs short, for some reason, they have tethered the legs together! This only adds to the chances of it falling over in wind, weed and stronger tide conditions because the legs cannot be widened for stability on firm ground. But despite this problem, it would suit the novice angler, as well as circumstances where it’s necessary to keep the rod tips low.
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Zebco
Length: 6ft
Material: Aluminium
Heads: Plastic
Cups: Plastic
Colour: Silver
RRP: Around £29
Barney says…8/10
This is a good example of a tripod that can be solidly based on any ground. This is because of the extendable legs allowing for a wide stance to be achieved. It’s also possible to get the rod tips extremely high, which would certainly suit scenarios such as big waves containing weed! The leg lock kit, which comes with this tripod, is very basic, and the plastic hooks that it clips into might easily be broken, rendering the legs lock useless. The best advice is to not bother with it!
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Swift Parker Pro Match
Length: 6ft
Material: Aluminium
Heads: Metal
Cups: Metal
Colour: Silver
RRP: Around £40
Barney says…9/10
Following on from the test which we did some time back on this tripod, I still believe that this is a great example of how a rod rest should be. Although it has many bits and pieces, they all serve a purpose, and what’s more, they do it well. However, the only reservation that I have is the plastic pipe clips which lock the brackets/trace bars in place on the legs. These clips stretch when they are clipped into the wider legs for transporting, and eventually the fitting becomes loose. Nevertheless, it’s still a top tripod!
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Powerstorm Rock Steady Beach Pod
Length: 46ft
Material: Aluminium
Heads: Plastic
Cups: Plastic
Colour: Black
RRP: £49.99
There can be no doubt that this tripod is solid, sturdy and quite robust. But these qualities usually come at a price, and with this one, it’s the overall weight and bulkiness. It would suit a hardy rock angler and would withstand quite a hard life, but even then the weight of it might become a bother if a long hike is involved. Maybe it might pay to shed a few of the extras on it if you do need to walk a long way to a mark.
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