Thinking Anglers Rucksack

How well is it built?

The olive 600D fabric is a tough, sensible weight for a carp rucksack, and the plain green finish looks smart without shouting about it. Bespoke zip pullers are fitted throughout, which sounds minor until you're trying to open a pocket with cold or wet fingers.

The hard waterproof base is the key part of the build. It keeps damp off your kit when the bag sits on wet ground, and it's what gives the rucksack the rigidity to stand up and take a mug or a phone on top.

Strong lifting handles are fitted too, and with a fully loaded bag I'd use the side and back handles to lift it rather than hauling it up by the shoulder straps.

Overall, I think the 8.5 is fair. It's a simple design, but everything that matters on the bank, from the base to the handles, is solidly specified.

Storage & Organisation

The main compartment measures 35 x 30 x 20cm inside the 45 x 40 x 27cm body, which is enough for food, a jacket, bait and a couple of tackle cases on an overnighter.

Internal and external pockets give you separate places for small kit, so you're not digging through everything to find a pack of hooks.

Each side has three elasticated bankstick holders, and both side pockets have extra elastic and webbing for the bits that don't fit anywhere else.

The top pocket has a removable EVA tray sized for car keys and a mobile phone, while its adjustable straps let you fix a small pouch or a waterproof jacket to the top.

So, why 8.0? The main compartment is on the modest side, and the EVA tray is more of a keys-and-phone tray than a full rig station. For overnighters and river sessions, though, the storage is well arranged and easy to find your way around.

Comfort & Fit Rating

The carrying system is simple and does the job.

The back straps adjust, and both the back panel and the shoulder straps are padded, so it should sit comfortably on the walk from the car park to the swim, and the straps can be set to keep the bag snug against your back rather than hanging off it.

A boxy rucksack carries its load close and square to your back, which helps it feel stable when it's packed out.

It's a straightforward padded harness, though, and packs such as the ESP Quickdraw add a sternum strap, while the Trakker NXG Scout adds lumbar padding and a breather panel for longer walks.

Is that a problem? Not on short walks, but it's why the comfort score is 8.0 rather than 8.5. For overnighters and short river sessions, I'd say it's comfortable enough, and the padding is in the right places.

Is it good value for money?

It's a mid-priced rucksack, roughly level with the Trakker NXG Scout and a little cheaper than the ESP Quickdraw.

What tips the value score up to 8.5 is the table function, as a free-standing bag that holds a phone and a brew saves you carrying a separate bivvy table on short sessions.

The 600D fabric, the hard base and the six bankstick holders also mean you're not paying for a bag that will need replacing after a season.

The Speero Compact Rucksack DPM is the obvious rival at a similar price, with five outer pockets and a Cordura body, but the Thinking Anglers bag is the one built to double as a table.

Overall, I'd recommend the Thinking Anglers Rucksack to carp anglers on overnighters and short sessions, and to river anglers who move a few times a day and like a bag that stands up neatly at the swim.

If you need a lot of room for longer stays, a larger pack will suit you better.