Drennan Specialist Double Rod Hardcase

How well is it built?

Drennan have kept this one simple, and I like that. The outer is a tough 600 denier fabric, the inside is fully padded and lined, and the base is reinforced and waterproof, so a wet bank isn't a worry when you put it down.

The photos show a plain green case with the Specialist badge, a shaped reel section and a slim tip end, and it looks neat and well finished. A full-length main zip runs along it, and you carry it by a padded shoulder strap or a carry handle.

There's nothing flashy going on, and I think that's a good thing on a case like this, because there's less to go wrong. Overall, it's solidly made, 600 denier is a good, hard-wearing weight for a rod case, and it looks built to take plenty of rough handling on riverbanks.

Protection

For two rods, the protection is very good. The interior is fully padded and lined, and a padded divider sits between the rods, so the reels and blanks aren't rubbing against each other on the way to the swim.

The reinforced waterproof base adds a bit more strength at the bottom, and the 600 denier outer should shrug off brambles and the odd scrape on a rough riverbank.

Spare feeder tips get their own internal pocket, which keeps those fine, fragile tips away from heavier gear like leads and feeders.

Overall, I think it looks after a pair of barbel or tench rods very well, and I don't think you'd want for much more. If you're moving several carp rods at once, the extra baffles and compartments of the bigger carp holdalls make more sense, but for two rods this is plenty.

Ease of Use

Ease of use is the one area where it drops back a bit. At 196cm it's a long case, and because both rods sit behind the same full-length main zip, you open the whole thing up to get either one out, which is a bit of a faff when you only want one rod.

The storage is useful, to be fair. Inside there's one pocket for spare feeder tips and two for leads and feeders, outside there are two pockets for terminal tackle and tools, and external Velcro straps take an umbrella or a third rod.

That's handy on a roving session where you want to travel light.

The carrying options are basic, with a padded shoulder strap and a carry handle. For me, it does the job without being especially clever, and overall that's why it scores a little lower for ease of use than the more thought-out carp holdalls.

Is it good value for money?

Price-wise, it sits in the middle of the pack, close to the Sonik Bank-Tek and the Korda Compac, but it's aimed at a different angler. Is it worth it for coarse and specimen fishing?

I think so, because the 600 denier outer, padded divider, waterproof base and feeder tip pocket are exactly the things a two-rod angler needs.

If you fish three or more rods for carp, it won't suit you, and something like the Korda Compac makes more sense.

For a two-rod barbel or tench setup, though, it's very hard to fault on price, and with the Velcro straps taking a third rod or a brolly, it stretches a little further than its two-rod label suggests.

Overall, I'd recommend it to barbel, tench and specimen anglers who use two made-up rods on rivers and lakes, especially feeder anglers who want their spare tips, leads and feeders packed in with the rods.