Nytro Impax Elasticated Whip

How well is it built?

The Impax uses a lightweight, durable composite G-fibre blank. That makes sense on a whip aimed at beginners and young anglers, because a composite blank should cope better with knocks, drops and being trodden on than a thin carbon one would.

It's telescopic, so there are no loose sections to lose, and the 1.6mm elastic is pre-fitted in the tip, so there's no bushing or threading to do yourself. It's finished in red and black with a black butt cap, and it looks smart enough for a whip at this money.

To be fair, a composite whip at 4m won't be as light or as crisp as a carbon one, and you'll notice the extra weight if you hold it out for a full day.

That's why it scores 7.5 for build, which I think is fair for a whip that's made to survive beginners rather than to win matches.

Performance & Handling

The 1.6mm elastic is the key part, because it stretches as a fish runs and cushions the 3lb hook length. That's what lets a whip like this handle F1s and small carp as well as roach and skimmers, whereas a decent F1 on a flick tip whip and fine line is a lot harder to land.

The 4m length gives you a bit more reach than a 3m whip, which helps on commercial margins and on canals where the fish sit a little further out.

Being composite, the blank is softer and heavier, so it's more forgiving than crisp, and you won't get the fast strike of a carbon flick tip whip.

For me, that's fine for the anglers it's aimed at. It should handle silvers well and cope with small carp on the elastic, but I'd net F1s and carp rather than swing them in, and the 7.5 reflects that softer, heavier feel.

Ease of Use

This is the Impax's big strength. Because the elastic is fitted and the rig is already tied, setting up is just a case of extending the whip, baiting the hook and lowering the float in.

All the terminal tackle is in place before you start, so there's nothing for a beginner to get wrong.

The telescopic design makes setting up quick, as you just pull the sections out from the tip down, and it packs away just as fast at the end of a session.

The supplied disgorger is a nice touch too, as beginners often forget one, and the barbless hook makes unhooking easier for young anglers.

Could it be any simpler? I don't think so, and for a first whip that's exactly what you want. That's why it earns a 9.0 for ease of use, the highest of its four scores.

Is it good value for money?

So, is it good value? When you add up the whip, the elastic, a ready-tied rig and a disgorger, you're getting a complete starter kit for very little money, and there's nothing else you need to buy before your first session apart from bait.

It costs a bit less than the Daiwa Ninja Tele Whip, which is the better-built whip for silverfish, but the Ninja needs a rig and has no elastic.

The Guru A-Class Whip is cheaper still, but the Impax's pre-fitted elastic and extra length give it the edge if you're likely to hook F1s or small carp.

The composite build is the reason it scores 8.5 rather than 9.0, as keen anglers will want something lighter before long.

Overall, I'd recommend the Impax to parents buying a first whip, young and new anglers, and anyone who wants a cheap, ready-to-fish whip for silvers, F1s and small carp on commercials, ponds and canals.