RidgeMonkey ProCare Retainer Sling

How well is it built?

The ProCare is built around a polyester body with aluminium bars, which keep the sling's shape when it hangs from the scales without adding much bulk. The Standard size weighs 470g and the XL size weighs 500g, so neither adds much to a barrow that's already loaded with kit.

The zips are where the build really stands out. There are two full-length YKK zips, which are about as dependable as zips get, and an integral security clip holds them shut while a fish is retained.

The weigh straps are heavy duty with large fixed loops, so the scales hook straight on without anything sliding about, and there are carry handles at both ends.

To be fair, nothing about it is flashy, just good materials in the places that take the strain. Overall, I think the 8.8 is deserved for a sling with branded zips, metal bars and fixed weighing loops throughout.

Fish Care

So, how kind is it to the fish? The free-flow mesh drains quickly when you lift, and it lets water pass straight through when the sling sits in the margin, so a retained carp has fresh water around it.

The foam floats keep the sling on the surface, which stops it sinking and should help hold the fish upright.

The dual zips and the security clip matter for the fish as well as for you, because a carp that can't push its way out won't end up flapping on the bank.

The elongated front zip and the reflector bands let you line the fish up with the opening at release, so it can swim straight out with very little handling.

As with any sling, wet it before the fish goes in, and keep retention short, as many fisheries and clubs set their own rules on retaining carp. I think 8.6 is a fair score for a sling that's this considered.

Ease of Use

This is where the two-in-one design pays off. With fixed weighing loops and carry handles at both ends, you can lift a fish from the water, weigh it and carry it to the mat in the same sling, rather than moving it from one bit of kit to another.

Zero the scales with the wet sling first, and the reading is just the fish.

After dark, the front Hi-Viz reflector bands show up under a head torch, which makes the sling easier to find in the margin and to see which way round it is.

When you've finished, the mesh drains and dries between uses, and the stink bag travel sleeve keeps a damp sling away from the rest of your gear on the way home.

Is any of it fiddly? I don't think so. Fixed loops, end handles and a clip on the zips keep things simple, and the 8.8 reflects how little there is to think about on the bank.

Is it good value for money?

It's one of the dearer slings you can buy, and that's why value is the lowest of its four scores at 8.2.

What you're paying for is two slings in one, with YKK zips, aluminium bars, foam floats, fixed weighing loops and a travel sleeve, plus an XL size for carp of up to about 100lb.

Next to the Nash Failsafe Retainer Sling, the ProCare is the simpler design, while the Nash adds a fold-out frame that turns into a floating corral. If you want to spend much less, the NGT XPR Floatation Sling also weighs and retains, though its fittings are plainer.

Overall, I'd recommend the ProCare to carp anglers who want one sling for weighing, short-term retention and photos, and who would rather pay once for good zips and fittings. If you only ever weigh fish, a plain weigh sling will cost you less.