Sonik SKS2 Fishing Bite Alarm Set

How well is it built?

The SKS2 heads are compact and light, with a matt black soft-touch finish that looks understated on the pod, and the case is described as 100% waterproof.

It's a sealed case, and the ears have rod-friendly rubber inlays, so your rods sit securely without the blank getting scuffed.

Each alarm runs on two AAA batteries, which are easy to find, and the receiver is a free-standing tabletop design with a lanyard attachment point, so you can stand it up in the bivvy or hang it from a lanyard.

The bivvy lamp is a round unit with its own row of buttons along the side.

For me the build is fine for the price rather than special. It isn't in the same class as a Fox Mini Micron X or a Delkim, but the sealed case and rubber inlays are what count on the bank, and both are here.

How good is bite detection?

Each alarm gives you four sensitivity levels, so you can turn it down when the wind's pulling at the line and back up on a still night. It also gives separate forward and drop-back indication, so you know whether a fish is running away from you or dropping back towards the bank.

There's a 2.5mm power-out socket on each head for illuminated swingers or other accessories, which gives you clearer visual indication at night, and the night glow function keeps your setup visible after dark.

Detection is the same as on the SKS2 single, and I'd call it reliable rather than class-leading.

You don't get the refinement of a Delkim Txi-D V2, which is a far dearer alarm, or the Fox RX+, but for most carp fishing at short and medium range I think it's more than good enough, and the four sensitivity levels give you a lot of control for a budget set.

What are the features like?

This is where the SKS2 set stands out. Each head has six volume and tone settings, including silent, twin multi-colour LEDs and an intelligent mute mode, and the buttons are clearly marked on the front, with V, T and S for volume, tone and sensitivity.

The receiver has a range of up to 150m and replicates the colour, tone and activation of each alarm, so you know which rod it is without leaving the bedchair.

Then there's the bivvy lamp, which can come on when an alarm triggers and has its own buttons for brightness and delay time, and that's a useful extra you'd otherwise have to buy separately.

Put together, it's a more complete package than the Fox Mini Micron X set, which costs more and comes without a lamp, although the Fox heads are better made.

Is it good value for money?

For roughly the price of one premium alarm head, the SKS2 set gives you a set of alarms, a receiver and a bivvy lamp. It costs less than the Fox Mini Micron X set, and for an angler who wants to sleep away from the rods on a budget, that's a lot of kit for the money.

Where you save is on build. The heads are well specified, but I don't think they're built to the same standard as the Fox or a Nash Siren R3.

I'd also check which version you're buying before you compare prices, because the two, three and four-rod sets look almost identical in the photos but cost different amounts.

It suits newcomers buying their first full set of alarms, budget-conscious carp anglers moving on to overnighters, and anyone who wants a receiver and bivvy lamp without paying for premium alarms.