Wychwood Riot Carp Rod Review
Last Updated on 12 July 2023 by James Bevan
Wychwood isn’t really renowned for carp fishing gear but the Riot carp rod appears to be a hit with anglers looking for a well-built, budget-friendly carp rod.
But does the low price tag mean a false economy?
In this Wychwood Riot carp rod review I put this versatile rod to the test, examining every aspect of its performance, appearance, and value for money with the help of some carp rod experts.
This rod gets rated and compared to its competition so you can make an informed choice before purchasing.
Let’s get straight into how it performed.
Comparison To Similar Rods
| Name | Overall Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Daiwa Black Widow Carp Rod | 7.6 | £39.99 |
| Sonik Vader X Carp Rod | 7.6 | £50.87 |
| Fox EOS Pro Carp Rod | 7.2 | £54.99 |
| Sonik Xtractor | 7.3 | £52.95 |
| Wychwood Riot Carp Rod | 7 | £47.95 |
| Sonik Xtractor Recon | 7.3 | £59.95 |
| Sonik SKS Commercial Feeder Rod | 7.4 | £44.99 |
How The Rod Compares To The Averages
Quick Summary
The Wychwood Riot is a highly affordable, versatile carp rod that comes in test curves of 2.75, 3, and 3.25 lbs, and lengths of 9, 10, and 12 feet. While some of the rod’s features, like its cork details and progressive casting action, set the rod apart from its contemporaries, its greatest strength is arguably the value for money that it represents.
While the rod’s performance is more or less decent at best, it’s almost impossible to find quality rods worth investing in at the price that the Riot is sold at. For this reason alone, I think any beginner angler or carper looking for an affordable carp rod should consider the Wychwood Riot.
In testing, it scored an overall rating of 7.0 which is slightly below the average of 7.3 for all other budget carp rods tested.
Pros & Cons
I used the Wychwood Riot over the course of a few sessions and here’s what I found to be its benefits and drawbacks.
Pros
- Cork handle and detailing lend a nice, distinctive touch to the rod’s overall look. It does also come in a full shrink handle if you’re not a fan of cork
- With lengths of 9, 10, and 12 feet and multiple test curves available, most anglers will be able to find what they need with the Wychwood Riot
- The lightweight, carbon fibre matte black blank looks great
- The Riot’s progressive casting action enhances the rod’s casting performance, as does its Double-leg black SIC guides and anti-frap tip guide
- The 12-foot Riot comes with a 50mm butt guide
- Easy to pack away thanks to its fold-friendly rings
Cons
- Lacks the responsiveness of some of its competitors
- Lacks power and so is not really suitable for large waters
- The full shrink handle version looks very plain and uninspiring
Introducing The Wychwood Riot
Wychwood’s Riot Carp Rod is the company’s budget-friendly all-round carp rod. This model comes in lengths of 9, 10, and 12 feet and tests curves of 2.75, 3, and 3.25 lb, so most anglers will likely be able to find a rod suitable to their individual needs in the Riot except maybe the real distance casters.
While its performance isn’t anywhere near the quality of the top rods on the market, the Riot is hard to beat for the price it’s sold at.
Where Did The Wychwood Riot Carp Rod Come From
Wychwood Carp is a UK-based carping gear manufacturer that has been in the business for over 25 years to date. Headquartered in Milton Keynes, the company produces a limited range of affordable, quality carp rods with a strong focus on the UK market.
Alongside the Riot, other Wychwood offerings include the Maximiser, Extremis, and Extricator series. Where the Extremis and Maximiser are larger, more high-performance carp rods, the Riot is the brand’s generalist, budget-friendly offering that offers consistency across the board, rather than specialising in any one area.
Who’s it ideal for
I’d comfortably recommend the Wychwood Riot to any beginner carpers, as well as anglers looking for a versatile, generalist carp rod that won’t break the bank. My only caveat here would be that the rod doesn’t excel in any one area, but this is generally not a priority for those in the market for a budget-friendly rod in the first place.
It’s worth noting that some anglers do also have a preference for rods with cork handles and details, so the Riot would, naturally, be a great option for them in particular.
The Different Versions Of The Riot
Wychwood has made the Riot carp rods available in three lengths (9ft, 10ft and 12ft) and three different test curves. You can check out the different versions and what circumstances they are best suited to in the table below.
| Length | Test Curve | Ideal For | Max Cast Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 ft | 2.75lb | Smaller venues, close range fishing and stalking | 60 yds |
| 10 ft | 3lb | Smaller venues, close range fishing and stalking | 90 yds |
| 12 ft | 3lb | Small to medium venues. Good all-round rod | 110 yds |
| 12 ft | 3.25lb | Medium to Large venuew. Good all-round rod | 130 yds |
The 5 Attributes The Rod Was Tested Against
As mentioned previously in the article, there are 5 key elements that carp anglers look for in the best rods. These are as follows:
- Features
- Appearance
- Casting & Feel
- Playing Fish
- Value For Money
For more detail on the review process please visit the designated review explanation page that outlines how products are reviewed on eTackle.
The Wychwood Riot Carp Rod Review
So having set the scene with where the rod came from and what criteria the rod was tested against let’s now get into how it performed.
First off, let’s see how an expert has rated this rod…
More Details
The Key Attributes Scrutinised
Features & Specifications
The handle
The Wychwood Riot boasts a sturdy black anodised laser-etched butt cap at the base of its comfortable cork handle.
While the rod’s cork details warm up nicely in the hand in the colder weather, they are less grippy than a rubber handle would generally be when wet.
The reel seat
This rod comes standard with a DPS reel seat and line-friendly clip. The reel seat feels reliable and is very sturdy once the reel is screwed into place.
The eyes/guides
Wychwood’s Riot Carp Rod comes fitted with lightweight, double-leg black SIC guides set in a fold-friendly ring pattern and an anti-frap ring tip.
The 12-foot model features 50mm guides, while the shorter versions are fitted with 40 mm guides instead.
The blank
The Riot is made with a slim, lightweight carbon fibre blank which is finished in matte black.
The blank transfers a nice amount of power up its length without feeling too stiff, and the details on the blank, including the Wychwood logo, are fairly tasteful.
Features & Specifications Summary
- Available in 9ft, 10ft and 12ft lengths
- Test curves available: 2.75lb, 3.0lb & 3.25lb
- Progressive casting action
- Double-leg black SIC guides and anti-frap tip
- Slim, lightweight matt black carbon fibre blank
- 50mm butt guide on 12ft models
- Fold-friendly ringing pattern
- Black DPS reel seat
Here’s what the experts said about the rods features:
"All the blanks are slim and lightweight, with a good-looking matt finish, built-in line clips and laser-etched butt caps"More Details
Appearance
The Wychwood Riot’s unique look is certainly something that set it apart from other budget carp rods on the market currently. Its cork handle and details are unusual for a rod sold at its price point, and, I would argue, make it appear to be more of a premium model than it is.
Finished in matte black, the Riot’s blank is sleek and elegant, and Wychwood’s distinctive logo is tasteful enough that its placement on the rod doesn’t detract from its appearance in any way, working instead to complement the Riot’s other finishings.
Here’s what an expert said about the Riot’s appearance:
"Visually, these rods tick all the boxes, especially the cork-handle versions, which look like they cost twice as much"More Details
Casting & Feel
One feature that makes the Riot stand out is its progressive casting action; this, combined with the rod’s double-leg SIC guides and anti-frap tip ring makes for a fairly good casting experience overall.
The longer versions of the Riot handle larger casts better, which is to be expected, but the 9-foot model is competent enough that any version of the Riot should be sufficient for fishing mixed venues.
This is what an expert said about how the rod casts and feels when handled:
"They're actually really good casting rods even though the model I've got is a ten foot three-pound test curve they can still hit quite decent distances"More Details
Playing Fish
Thanks to the Riot’s lightweight, slimline carbon fibre blank, the rod feels responsive and balanced in the hand when playing fish. Its 9-foot version is especially suited to stalking carp at close range.
Ultimately, the Riot feels good when playing fish in general; it doesn’t provide the elite sensitivity that you’d get from a high-end rod, but you get what you pay for.
Here is a quote from an expert on how the rod performs when playing fish:
"They are nice to play fish on even if they don't set the world alight!"More Details
Value For Money
As far as value for money is concerned, the Wychwood Riot is difficult to beat. This is a rod that can easily be applied to different venues and styles with relative ease and comes at an incredibly accessible price point.
Combine this with the rod’s decent build quality and durability and I’d argue that it’s likely to be worth the investment and then some for most carpers. Those who are just starting out and more experienced anglers looking for an affordable rod should find plenty to like with the Riot.
Here’s how an expert scored the rod on value for money:
"Starting at under £50 and encompassing 9, 10 and 12ft options, this is a complete lineup for the modern carper"More Details
Final Thoughts & Conclusions
The Wychwood Riot is one of the brand’s more versatile, budget-friendly offerings. Its performance is far from being elite, but this is to be expected for a rod sold at its price, and it’s ultimately a more than respectable offering across the board that plenty of carp anglers will be able to get lots of use out of.
If I had a choice of budget carp rods I would probably opt for the Black Widow but if you prefer the distinct look and indeed a cork handle, this decent offering from Wychwood is well worth a look.
Thanks for reading.
