Best Fishing Rucksacks

With 55 litres in a slim 58 x 48 x 20cm body, the Trakker NXG Deluxe Rucksack slides neatly under a bedchair. Its lid opens into a self-supported table, and the removable EVA rig tray fits in several positions or comes out on its own.

Storage is generous, with a full-length side pocket that has a padded divider for alarms and buzz bars, loops for banksticks and three big external pockets. Padded straps, a hip belt, lumbar support and a breather back take care of the carrying.

Carp anglers who move swims during a session but also do overnighters will get the most from it. Next to the Nash Scope OPS Recon, it costs a fair bit less and holds its own on storage, although the Recon is the tougher build, with 900D fabric and a base that folds out as a seat.

To be fair, at 3.3kg empty it isn't a light bag. For mobile carp fishing with room for a proper session's kit, though, I think it's the best all-round rucksack in the guide.

Built around a fold-down work surface, the Nash Scope OPS Recon is a mobile carp rucksack that doubles as a workstation. Its back panel and straps zip open, then the panel clips to the base as a level stand for the supplied magnetic tray.

Toughness comes from 900D fabric and a stiffened PVC base that turns into a waterproof seat or kneeler. Each extra-deep side pocket takes Nash modular pouches and has three sets of loops for banksticks and alarms, and four webbings carry a roll-up mat.

Stalkers and swim movers on short sessions are who it's made for. Next to the Trakker NXG Deluxe it costs more but adds the seat and magnetic tray, while the Carp Life Eclipse Camo Elite 60L suits long stays off a barrow far better.

To be fair, it's the dearest rucksack in the guide, and the Expansion Packs cost extra. For mobile carp fishing off hard banks and staging, though, I think it's a superb piece of kit.

Sixty litres in total, with a 40-litre main compartment, makes the Carp Life Eclipse Camo Elite 60L the big hauler among the premium rucksacks. It measures 53 x 35 x 48cm and comes with a 36 x 26.5cm rig tray that has a pocket of its own.

Extra-strong webbed PVC covers the base and outer pockets, the zips are waterproof and 8mm padding runs all round. Padded front pockets suit a Bird Torch, receiver, scales or a power pack, and the two side pockets hold medium Bits Pouches.

Long-session anglers who want one bag for everything are its natural owners. Next to the Nash Scope OPS Recon it costs less and is built for long stays rather than mobile sessions, while the Solar SP C-Tech All In One Ruckbag is smaller but doubles as a carryall.

To be fair, it's a deep, heavy load on your back with just shoulder and chest straps. For long sessions where it rides on the barrow most of the way, though, I think it's excellent value for the space.

Part rucksack, part carryall and part barrow bag, the Solar SP C-Tech All In One Ruckbag is a modular carp bag with a 30-litre main compartment. Its main section is 42 x 32 x 23cm, and three side pockets run alongside it.

G-Tex recycled fabric, water-resistant zip covers and a reinforced waterproof base make it one of the toughest-built bags among the premium picks. The Self-Ventilating straps come off completely, six sleeves hold banksticks and an EVA Magnetic Tray is in the box.

Anyone who switches between mobile and static sessions will get the most from it. Next to the Carp Life Eclipse Camo Elite 60L it holds much less, while the Korda Compac Rucksack 45 costs a good deal less and is the simpler, more comfortable pure rucksack.

To be fair, 30 litres isn't much space for a premium bag. For anglers who'd rather own one bag than a separate rucksack and carryall, though, I think it's a smart, beautifully made choice.

Made for anglers who carry their kit rather than barrow it, the Korda Compac Rucksack 45 Dark Kamo holds 45 litres in a 45 x 42 x 32cm body. Its main section is 31 x 42 x 24cm, with a zipped inner pocket for keys and a wallet.

Four side pockets take Compac 100 or 110 EVA pouches, and the front pocket fits a Korda box of terminal tackle. A fully padded back, chest straps, a waterproof base and a wipe-clean lining round it off.

It'll suit walkers and overnighters who like a tidy pouch system. Next to the Solar SP C-Tech All In One Ruckbag it costs a lot less and has more room, while the Korda Compac Rucksack 30 is the smaller choice for day sessions.

To be fair, it's a plain rucksack rather than a workstation. For carp anglers who want a well-built, sensibly sized bag at a fair price, though, I think it's a superb all-rounder.

Small but very well organised, the Korda Compac Rucksack 30 Dark Kamo is a 30-litre day pack. It measures 36 x 44 x 30cm, with a 36 x 28 x 20cm main compartment and twelve pockets inside and out.

Pouch pockets on the sides suit Compac 100, 110 or 125 EVA pouches, an inner sleeve fits a Large Korda Rig Case and outside loops carry banksticks and alarms. Water-resistant fabric sits over a reinforced waterproof base, with a padded back and an adjustable harness.

It's aimed at day-session anglers and stalkers who travel light. Next to the Korda Compac Rucksack 45 it gives up 15 litres for a smaller, neater pack, while the slightly dearer Trakker NXG Scout adds a removable rig tray and more room.

To be fair, 30 litres won't stretch to an overnighter, so longer sessions need the bigger Compac. For short sessions and roving between swims, though, I think it's an excellent little rucksack.

Swim-hopping is what the Trakker NXG Scout does well, packing 45 litres into a fairly compact 45 x 42 x 26.5cm body that weighs 2.2kg empty, so it's a light pack to start from.

Up top, a removable EVA rig tray with a magnetic corner sits in its own pocket, and six elasticated holders take your banksticks. The padded straps adjust for height, with tension buckles above, a padded lumbar section below and a breather panel down the back.

Next to the Korda Compac 30, it gives you half as much room again for short sessions and day trips. The ESP Quickdraw is the pick if you want your unhooking mat clipped to the bag, but the Scout carries more and has the rig tray built in.

To be fair, the polyester build isn't as tough as the 900D Nash Scope OPS Recon. For mobile anglers on short sessions, though, I think it's a superb all-day carry.

A 40-litre pack for travel-light carp anglers, the ESP Quickdraw has one standout trick, as a Quickdraw Unhooking Mat clips straight onto its outside and travels with the bag.

End tackle and hookbait pots go in a detachable divided case on top, three zipped pockets wrap the body, and elasticated side pockets hold banksticks with buzzer bars still fitted. The 600D camo body has a reinforced base, padded straps and a sternum strap.

It's made for stalking and short sessions where you move onto showing fish in one trip. Compared with the Trakker NXG Scout, it gives up a little room for that mat system, while the Thinking Anglers Rucksack is the boxier choice if you'd rather have a bag that doubles as a table.

To be fair, the mat clips only make sense if you own a Quickdraw mat or plan to buy one. For travel-light stalkers, though, I think it's a really clever one-trip carry.

Olive 600D fabric and a compact 45 x 40 x 27cm shape define the Thinking Anglers Rucksack, a carp pack built for overnighters, short sessions and river fishing.

Thanks to its boxy shape and hard waterproof base, it stands up on its own as a bivvy table. You also get three elasticated bankstick holders per side, a removable EVA tray in the top pocket for keys and phone, and padded adjustable straps.

Pick it if you want one bag that carries the kit and acts as a bedside table on an overnighter. The ESP Quickdraw is more about carrying the mat, while the Speero Compact DPM gives you five outer pockets and a Cordura body for a little less money.

To be fair, the 35 x 30 x 20cm main compartment is fairly modest for longer stays. For overnighters and river sessions, though, I think it's a really practical two-in-one.

Cordura is the draw with the Speero Compact Rucksack DPM, a 45-litre carp pack in 600D Cordura with military-specification zips, nylon clips and reinforced stress points.

Its low, wide 55 x 34 x 32cm body carries five external pockets and a mesh lid pocket, and it's fully padded with an adjustable harness, a grab handle and a wipe-clean base. It also links into Speero's modular clip system, though the extra bags are sold separately.

Tough fabric is the reason to choose it. Against the Thinking Anglers Rucksack, it gives you five outer pockets and a Cordura body for a little less money, while the Nash Scope Soft Protect 30L is the smaller, more tech-friendly option with its padded body and lid tray.

To be fair, the 55cm width makes it bulky on tight, overgrown paths. For anglers who want Cordura toughness at a mid price, though, I think it's a smart buy.

Day sessions and trips of up to 24 hours are what the Nash Scope Soft Protect 30L is built for, and this compact, padded rucksack doubles as a tech bag for a camera, laptop or power pack.

Behind a three-sided top zip, the main compartment takes two 5-litre buckets, the lid has an EVA work tray, and the side pockets fit Subterfuge pouches. Duraflex clips under the base carry an Expansion Pack or unhooking mat.

Who's it for? It's aimed at stalkers and surface anglers who travel light. The Speero Compact DPM holds half as much again for a little less, and the NGT QuickFish 65L is far bigger for much less, but this Nash is the one built around protecting a camera or laptop.

To be fair, 30 litres is small once you go beyond a day session. For stalking and keeping kit and tech apart, though, I think it's a very clever pack.

Organisation on a budget sums up the NGT QuickFish, a 65-litre rucksack split into six compartments, from a 39.5-litre main section to a 13-litre top compartment, all in a 47 x 48 x 35cm bag.

Three bankstick holders sit on each side, the top lid has elasticated bankstick straps, and there's a zipped mesh lid pocket plus adjustable loops for a net or brolly. A waterproof vinyl base keeps the bottom dry.

It makes most sense for beginners and anglers on a tight budget, especially on overnighters where space matters more than finish. Next to the Nash Scope Soft Protect 30L, it holds more than twice as much for far less money, though the Nash is the tougher, better-padded bag.

To be fair, the build and carry are basic, as you'd expect at the price. For anyone who wants maximum space for minimum spend, though, I think it's the best budget rucksack you can buy.