Best Rod Holdalls

For me, the Camolite 6 is the holdall to pick if you want a full set of rods made up and properly protected in one case. It takes six 12ft rods with the reels on, three up and three down, inside a sculpted rigid shell that holds its shape and takes the knocks in the car or on the barrow.

Inside, padded half baffles keep rods and reels apart, padded cups protect the butts and Velcro tabs stop anything sliding about. Three zipped compartments let you take out one pair of rods without disturbing the rest, and there's a full-length pocket for the net and banksticks plus a zipped pocket for leads.

Next to the Solar SP C-Tech, it pretty much comes down to rod length, as the Solar takes three 13ft rods inside and two outside, while the Camolite holds six 12ft rods in a hardcase. Padded grab handles and a removable shoulder strap look after the carry.

To be fair, at 195 x 40 x 25cm it's a big, heavy case once it's full, and it sits near the top on price. If you only carry two or three rods it's more than you need, but for six made-up rods I don't think anything here protects them better.

The SP C-Tech is the one I'd look at first if you fish 13ft rods. It carries three of them made up, and each rod and reel gets its own zipped compartment, with room for big-pit reels and 50mm butt rings and an anti-snag lining so hooks don't catch in the fabric.

Solar have put the two-way zips along the spine, which keeps them away from your reel line, and there are pockets and clips on both sides to take extra SP C-Tech rod sleeves when you want more rods with you. It weighs 2.52kg empty and comes with a ventilated AirStrap to make the carry easier.

For me, separate compartments really pay off in the swim, where you can unzip one rod without disturbing the other two. Is it worth picking over the Trakker NXG 5? With 13ft rods, yes, though the Trakker takes five 12ft rods inside and has big side pockets for slings and storm poles.

So, what's the catch? At 211cm it's a long holdall and one of the dearer ones here, so it only really makes sense with 13ft rods. If that's what you use, I think it's as well made as anything in this guide.

If you want five rods made up in one padded sleeve, the Trakker NXG 5 is a really well thought-out option. It takes five 12ft rods, with padded dividers and straps keeping them apart, widened tip sections for 50mm guides and an oversized reel pouch with room for big-pit reels.

The storage is where it stands out for me. There are large zipped pockets on both sides for slings, nets and storm poles, a rear pocket that takes extra NXG sleeves, a smaller pocket for net handles or distance sticks and even a loop for a throwing stick.

The carry's well covered too, with a removable shoulder strap, a balanced centre handle and grab handles placed to keep the reels upright when you load the car. Next to the Solar SP C-Tech, it takes five rods inside to the Solar's three and costs less, but there's no zipped compartment for each rod.

To be fair, it weighs 3.10kg before you put anything in it, and it isn't cheap. For anglers who want five rods and most of their bank gear in one sleeve, though, I think it's a very good buy.

The Camolite 4 gives you the same rigid protection as the six-rod model in a shorter, slimmer case for four 10ft rods. Two full-length zipped compartments hold the rods two up and two down, with padded half baffles between them and padded cups at the base.

There's a full-length side pocket for the net and banksticks and a zipped pocket for leads, and the outer is Fox's treated 500D polyester with heavy-duty double 10mm zips. At 166cm long, it's a good fit for a smaller car or a short walk to the swim.

Unlike the Sonik Bank-Tek, the rigid shell won't squash down into a packed boot, and tucking rods under the Velcro tabs is slower than dropping them into an open sleeve. To be honest, that's a fair trade, though the Korda Compac's three-rod 10ft version saves more space if you can live without the shell.

So, who's it for? I think it suits 10ft rod users who want a hardcase without the bulk of the Camolite 6, and it costs a fair bit less too. Just make sure your rods are 10ft, because longer ones won't go in.

The Bank-Tek Compact is a slim sleeve for three 13ft rods, with the rods sitting up and down inside to keep the profile narrow. It takes big-pit reels and 50mm guides, and fully padded dividers and Velcro straps hold each rod in place.

The outer is a 600D PVC-backed fabric with reinforced tip and butt sections, and the pockets are generous for a slim sleeve. One side pocket expands to take a brolly-type bivvy, the others take a net, slings and banksticks, and two more rods can go on the outside.

With 13ft rods and a short session in mind, this sleeve and a carryall can pretty much do the lot. How does it compare with the Korda Compac? It's the same slim idea at a similar price, but the Sonik has the edge on protection, while the Compac comes in more sizes and keeps its kit pockets along the spine.

For me, it's a sensible middle ground between a bulky holdall and a single sleeve. It won't protect like a hardcase, but for 13ft rods at a mid-range price, I think it's a very good three-rod option.

As the name suggests, the Compac is all about saving space. The three-rod 10ft version is only 13cm deep at 163 x 30 x 13cm, so it slides into a car boot or onto a barrow far more easily than a bulky holdall, and it packs away quickly at the end of a session.

It's quick to set up at the lake too. Padded dividers keep made-up rods and reels apart, with room for big-pit reels and 50mm butt rings, three pockets along the spine take storm poles, banksticks and the net, and two extra rods strap on the outside, with or without sleeves.

A reinforced waterproof base and wipe-clean lining are handy on a wet bank. Next to the JRC Defender II, which carries three spare rods inside and has a brolly pocket, it's the neater option if you only want made-up rods in a slim bag.

There's a choice of formats as well, from a two-rod 12ft up to five-rod 12ft and 13ft versions. To be fair, a slim padded holdall won't protect like a hardcase, but if space in the car is tight, I think it's the one to get.

The Defender II is a straightforward carp holdall that takes three 12ft rods made up plus three more without reels. Large reel compartments and internal dividers keep things organised, and a lightweight strengthening pole helps it hold its shape.

The outer is water-resistant 500D polyester with heavy-duty zips, and there are two big external pockets, one for a brolly or bivvy and one for a buzzer bar or banksticks. A padded shoulder strap and webbing handle take care of the carry.

Weekend carp anglers who keep a second set of rods ready will get the most from it, and it's a step up from the NGT Quickfish, which shares the three-plus-three layout. A full-length zip opens it right up, so a made-up rod lifts straight out. Loaded with six rods, spare reels, a brolly and bars, though, it's heavy on one shoulder.

To be fair, the padding isn't on a par with the Fox or Trakker holdalls, but it costs a lot less. For anglers who want room for spare rods without spending big, I think it's great value.

The Drennan Specialist Double is aimed at specimen and feeder anglers who like to arrive with two rods already made up. It's built from tough 600 denier fabric with a fully padded, lined interior, a padded divider between the rods and a reinforced waterproof base.

Inside there's a pocket for spare feeder tips and two more for leads and feeders, and two outside pockets keep terminal tackle and tools handy. Velcro straps on the outside take a brolly or a third rod, and it opens along a full-length zip.

It's a good match for a roving session on the river, where a padded shoulder strap and carry handle are all a two-rod set-up really needs. Against the Matrix Aquos Ultra, it's the one to choose if you want rods ready to fish, as the Matrix carries six to eight rods broken down in tubes, though the Matrix does cost less.

So, what are the downsides? At 196cm it's long, and it only holds two made-up rods, so it's not one for carp anglers who fish three. For barbel, tench and feeder anglers, though, I think it's very well designed.

The Aquos Ultra is a match and pole angler's holdall rather than a carp one. Instead of made-up rods, it takes six to eight rod tubes in the main compartment, and a large outer pocket keeps brollies and landing-net handles separate.

It's made from hardwearing 600D fabric with oversized zips on every compartment, and it's slim at 195 x 28 x 12cm, so it sits neatly in the car. Padded adjustable shoulder straps and a carry handle make it easy to move.

Feeder and pole anglers get a tidy way to take a whole set of tubes to the peg, and it should sit on a trolley alongside the seatbox without any fuss. The whole bag unzips and opens out, too, so you can see every tube at once and lift out the one you need rather than dragging the lot onto the bank.

Protection comes mostly from the tubes you put inside it, so it isn't one for made-up carp rods. For match anglers who carry rods in tubes, though, I think it's a tidy, well-priced option.

The Scope Quiver is a different take on a holdall, built around a quiver base unit that your rods, brolly and accessories fit around. It clips to Nash's 9ft and 10ft Scope Rod Skins with D-clips on the spine and strap, which makes it a neat way to carry short rods for stalking.

The centre compartment rolls down and clips closed around storm poles, nets and retainers, and its waterproof PU-backed material stops water from wet nets leaking through. A stiffened base board stands up to storm pole points, and slide pockets take net poles or distance sticks.

If you already own Scope Rod Skins, it's an easy add, taking four Hi Protect Skins or six Soft Protect Skins, or up to eight rods with the Tip Tops connectors. Starting from scratch? A couple of Trakker NXG Rod Sleeves clipped together is the simpler route if you just want your rods covered.

The catch is that most of the rod protection comes from the skins you pair it with. For stalking and short sessions with short rods, though, I think it's a really handy way to carry everything in one go.

The NXG Rod Sleeve gives one made-up rod its own heavily padded cover, in 10ft, 12ft or 13ft lengths. Widened padded tips take 50mm guides, and an oversized padded reel pouch has room for a big-pit reel.

There's a large zipped pocket for leads or a spod, a twin-direction heavy-duty zip, webbing loops for a shoulder strap and 32mm side-release clips, so you can join several sleeves together. A D-clip at the top lets you hang it up for storage.

Flexibility is the real appeal, as you only carry what the session needs, two rods for a quick overnighter or three for a weekend. Next to the Nash Scope Quiver, it's a far simpler way to cover a rod, though three singles will cost more than one budget holdall like the NGT Quickfish.

On its own it's a light, simple sleeve, and the 12ft weighs 0.8kg. To be fair, a few sleeves are slower to carry than one holdall, but for stalking, a spare rod or building up a set one sleeve at a time, I think it's very good value.

The NGT Quickfish is the cheapest holdall in this guide by a long way, and it's built for anglers putting together their first carp set-up. It takes up to six 12ft rods, three made up and three left as spares, and it's padded throughout.

There's a large external equipment pocket and more pockets for leads, PVA, alarms and small bits, so the basics travel together, and a shoulder strap for the carry.

Juniors will get on with it too, and it makes a handy spare holdall to keep in the car. It opens out flat, so it's easy to see where each rod goes. Should you stretch to the JRC Defender II? It has the same three-plus-three layout and a tougher 500D outer, but for most beginners the money's better spent on rods, alarms and bait first.

So, what do you give up? The padding is thin and basic next to the Fox or Trakker holdalls, so I'd be careful putting expensive rods and reels in it. For a beginner on a tight budget, though, I think it's great value.