Korda Compac Carryall Dark Kamo

How well is it built?

The outer is a durable, water-resistant fabric in Korda's Dark Kamo pattern, and underneath there's a reinforced waterproof base, which is exactly what you want on a bag that lives on wet grass, muddy swims and the back of a barrow.

Inside, the lining wipes clean, so a split bag of pellets or a leaky tub of glug shouldn't leave a lasting mess.

Heavy-duty zips close the main compartment and the pockets, and the carry handles are reinforced where the load pulls hardest. The lid is firm rather than floppy, which keeps the top of the bag flat and gives it some structure.

To be fair, it's a fabric bag with a firm lid rather than a strutted one like the Nash Subterfuge, and it doesn't sit on a moulded EVA base like the Solar SP C-Tech, so the boxes inside do some of the work in holding its shape.

Overall, though, the materials are well chosen for carp fishing, and I think the 8.5 is fair.

Storage & Organisation

Organisation is where the Compac name makes sense.

Five external pockets sit around the main compartment, and the modular ones are sized for Korda's Compac boxes, so the Small and Medium take a Compac 110 or two Compac 100s, while the Large and XL take a Compac 140, two Compac 110s, or a 110 with a 100.

A zipped pocket under the lid holds the flat bits that would otherwise sink to the bottom.

The main compartment grows with each size. It's 32 x 24 x 27cm (20 litres) on the Small, 35 x 29 x 27cm (28 litres) on the Medium and 38 x 23 x 33cm (30 litres) on the Large, which leaves room for bait, a cook kit or spare layers.

Is it the roomiest carryall around? No, as the Nash Subterfuge goes up to 90 litres, but the Compac is more about keeping things in order than sheer volume. Overall, if you already use Compac boxes, I think it's a very tidy way to carry them.

Ease of Use

Ease of use is the Compac's strongest suit, and the lid is a big part of that. It's firm enough to use as a bivvy table, so you've got a flat surface for tying rigs, a brew or your phone without packing a separate table, which is one less thing on the barrow for a short session.

With five pockets on the outside, the things you reach for most don't need the main compartment opening at all, and the zipped pocket under the lid keeps smaller items together.

A removable padded shoulder strap and reinforced carry handles cover the walk from the car, and the strap comes off once the bag is strapped to a barrow.

For me, it's the way it all fits together that earns the 9.0. Pretty much everything has a place, and there's nothing fiddly in the design. Overall, it's a really easy carryall to live with on the bank.

Is it good value for money?

Is it worth the money? It sits in the middle of the premium carryalls on price, costing a little more than the Nash Subterfuge and the Fox Camolite Compact Carryall but a good deal less than the Solar SP C-Tech.

For that, you get the five pockets, the table-top lid, the waterproof base and the Compac box fit, which is a lot of carryall.

Next to Korda's own Compac Cube Carryall, it's cheaper and comes in more sizes, while the Cube adds cable ports and a tablet pocket in a squarer shape. Unless you need those extras, I think the standard Compac is the smarter buy.

Overall, I'd recommend the Compac Carryall to carp anglers who fish anything from short stalking sessions to longer stays and want one bag that keeps Compac boxes, bait and bits tidy. If money's tight, the Avid RVS Carryall covers the basics for far less.