Nash Failsafe Retainer Sling
5 Things To Know
- The Failsafe works as a weigh sling and retainer, then converts into a floating retention corral for carp photos in the water.
- A sculpted profile supports carp safely and is designed to help prevent fin damage.
- Locking heavy-duty zips close the sling, and a rot-proof extension cord with metal thread secures it to storm poles or banksticks.
- The Standard is 100cm long, 46cm deep and 41cm wide, and the Monster is 120cm long, 48cm deep and 44cm wide.
- Trade-off to note: Setting up the corral takes practice in a safe margin.
Featured in our Best Weigh Slings guide.
Nash Failsafe Retainer Sling Review
Holding a big carp up for the camera is the moment most likely to go wrong, and the Nash Failsafe Retainer Sling is built around it. It works as a weigh sling and a retainer, then converts in the water into a floating retention corral, so a fish that kicks during the photos can be lowered straight back into the freeflow mesh beneath you.
So, is three-in-one a gimmick? I don't think it is. The fold-out floating frame stays fixed to the central bar while you weigh and retain, and it only unclips once you're in the water.
Add a sculpted profile that helps protect the fins, locking heavy-duty zips and Nash camo mesh, and it's a well thought-out sling for anyone who takes their own photos in the margins.
How well is it built?
The Failsafe is made from Nash camo mesh around a central bar, with a fold-out floating frame that stays fixed to that bar for weighing and retention.
It's a clever bit of design, because the same frame that gives the sling its shape on the bank becomes the edge of the corral once it's unclipped in the water.
The zips are locking and heavy duty, which is what you want on a sling that may hold a fish for a short spell. A rot-proof extension cord and a metal thread let you secure it to a storm pole or a bankstick, and rot-proof matters on a cord that spends most of its life wet.
It comes in two sizes. The Standard is 100cm long, 46cm deep and 41cm wide, and the Monster is 120cm long, 48cm deep and 44cm wide. For me, 8.6 is a fair score for a well-made sling with a frame that does two jobs.
Fish Care
This is where the Failsafe earns its highest score. The sculpted profile is shaped to support a carp safely and help prevent fin damage, which is one of the main risks when a fish is lifted in a sling that closes up around it.
The corral is the real fish-care feature, though. Once the frame is unclipped in the water, the carp sits in freeflow mesh with water all around it, and if it kicks while you're holding it for a photo, you lower it straight back down rather than wrestling with it on the bank.
The floating frame keeps the mesh at the surface, so there's no sling sinking out of reach.
Wet the sling before the fish goes in, and keep retention short, since many fisheries and clubs have rules on retaining carp. Overall, I think it's one of the kindest designs you can buy for photographing a fish in the water.
Ease of Use
For weighing and retention, it handles much like any barred sling, with the frame fixed to the central bar and locking zips to close it. Zero your scales with the wet sling, lift it, read the weight and that part of the job is done.
The corral is where you'll need a little practice. The frame unclips in the water, so you want a safe, shallow margin to stand in and a clear idea of the steps before the fish is in the net.
Once it's set, you've got a floating pen to work from, and the cord and metal thread keep it tied to a storm pole or bankstick.
That extra step is why ease of use sits at 8.4, a touch below the build and fish care scores. Is it a problem? It shouldn't be, if you run through it at home before your first session with it, and I think the score is fair.
Is it good value for money?
It's one of the dearer slings, so value is its lowest score at 8.2. What you're paying for is three jobs in one piece of kit, a weigh sling, a retainer and a floating corral, along with locking heavy-duty zips, a sculpted fin-friendly profile and a rot-proof cord.
Next to the RidgeMonkey ProCare Retainer Sling, the Failsafe gives you the corral, while the ProCare keeps things simpler with YKK zips, foam floats and a stink bag travel sleeve.
If you don't take your own photos in the water, the corral is less of a draw, and the mid-priced Fox Carpmaster STR Weigh Sling covers weighing and short-term retention.
Overall, I'd recommend the Failsafe to carp anglers who photograph their fish in the margins and want a safer way to hold a carp in the water. The Monster size is the one to pick for very big fish.
Pros
- Works as a weigh sling, retainer and floating retention corral
- Fold-out floating frame stays fixed to the central bar until unclipped
- Sculpted profile supports carp and helps prevent fin damage
- Locking heavy-duty zips keep the fish securely contained
- Rot-proof extension cord and metal thread for storm poles or banksticks
Cons
- Setting up the corral takes practice in a safe margin
- Sits among the dearer slings, which pulls its value score down
Features and Specifications
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Functions | Weigh sling, retainer and floating retention corral |
| Floating frame | Fold-out frame unclips from the central bar in water |
| Mesh | Freeflow Nash camo mesh |
| Carp support | Sculpted profile designed to help prevent fin damage |
| Closure | Locking heavy-duty zips |
| Retention attachment | Rot-proof extension cord and metal thread for storm poles or banksticks |
| Standard dimensions | 100cm long x 46cm deep x 41cm wide |
| Monster dimensions | 120cm long x 48cm deep x 44cm wide |
How It Compares
See how the Nash Failsafe Retainer Sling compares with other weigh slings & sacks on overall score and current price.
| Name | Price | Overall Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Nash Failsafe Retainer Sling | £59.99 | |
| Carp Life Eclipse Camo Elite Retention Sling UK Spec | £64.99 | |
| RidgeMonkey ProCare Retainer Sling | £59.99 | |
| Fox Carpmaster STR Weigh Sling | £49.99 | |
| Nash Carp Care Weigh Sling Camo | £49.99 | |
| Avid Revolve Weigh Sling | £31.99 | |
| NGT XPR Floatation Sling | £21.99 | |
| Avid Pro-Tect Carp Sack | £19.17 | |
| Solar Tackle Worldwide Carp Sack XL With H Block | £29.99 |
Useful Information
External angler reviews
About this rating
eTackle looks for trusted, exact-match review sources and combines them where independent sources are available.
- Amazon UK : 4.4/5 from 4 reviews.
- Angling Direct : 5.0/5 from 1 review.
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