I’ve been in the market for some alarms for a while now, so thought I’d take the plunge with the revolutionary new ‘i-3’ from ACE (Advanced Carp Equipment) In the interests of a fair review, I’ve had ACE kit before, I’ve always been impressed and I’ve carried on using it, so will the new i-3 be the same?
I’ve never been an expert on ‘top end’ systems, having never owned any alarm costing more than £50, so I’ve had to get out on the bank and try them out a few times to make sure I don’t miss anything and give a false impression. I have always been a faithful user of another well known brand of alarms, and I’ve never seen any reason to change; my existing set up tells me when I have a carp interested in my baits and even when they (occasionally) pick it up, so what makes these better than all the others??
Opening up the packaging is always exciting when it comes to new tackle; the ACE i-3 is no different. Presented in a striking black box, the alarm is nestled snugly in pre-formed plastic containers to ensure it does not get damaged in transit. The first pleasant surprise is that there is a hard cover included so no need for added expense to protect the alarms in your tackle bag or on the bank. It’s of a revolutionary split design which drops over the top of the alarm and snaps shut at the base; not only does it fully enclose the front of the alarm, it also prevents the alarm being turned on accidentally and wasting precious battery life.
Picking up the alarm for the first time, I thought that it felt quite heavy, but instantly gained the impression that it was packed with ‘stuff’, and not just unnecessary weight. The instructions supplied are clearly and concisely laid out, but being a bloke, I didn’t need them, and quickly picked up most of the main functions. However, to get the very best from this system, I have to admit that reading them might be a good idea, you will be amazed what you find out…..
Turning the alarm on is accomplished by flicking the 3 position switch to either ‘day’ or ‘night’ modes to suit you.
The ACE alarms have a couple of different methods to alert you if a hungry carp picks up your offering. The TGS (Tacho Generator Sensing) interprets line movement in one of two ways; actual line movement across the sensor, or by picking up tiny vibrations. The i-3 then uses a minute DC motor to generate a voltage proportional to the amount of line movement to give an audible warning and LED indication. Unlike many other systems, this alarm has no reed switch or magnets to go wrong.
On the front of the i-3, there are 4 main controls. These are finger friendly and, unlike some alarms, actually turn very easily until you reach your desired settings. Whilst being easy to use, they are also small enough to be unobtrusive. The first of these is the ‘volume’ control, indicated obviously by the ‘V’ embossed on the knob. It goes from silent to an ear splitting shriek that could be heard miles away; ideal if you are fishing alone and you are almost deaf! Seriously, it has great range and is adjustable to suit all angling situations.
The next one to consider is the ‘tone’ control. Again, this is simple operation to change the pitch across a huge range to allow you to differentiate between alarms spaced any distance apart. From squeal to growl, whichever you prefer is available and it easily allows you to hear the difference between alarms when fishing with more than one.
The ‘R’, or roller sensitivity, gives you the option of gearing the system up for either flowing or still water. At its minimum setting, the line has to move approximately 3” before anything is registered on the i-3, which is ideal for moving water, extreme range or windy conditions to prevent false alarms. The highest sensitivity gives indication when as little as 1.75mm of movement occurs across the roller. This makes catching shy biting fish much easier. The scale between high and low sensitivity covers any situation you find yourself in.
Vibration sensitivity (VS) overrides the roller allowing the TGS to pick up tiny line vibrations. This is extremely effective when fishing ‘locked up’ as the slightest indication a fish is anywhere near the bait gives the angler time to react without risking problems as the hooked fish makes for a safe haven deep in the snaggy area. It signals a take even before the rod tip or indicators move! It can also be advantageous when fishing slack lines when looking for ‘liners’ in an attempt to detect carp in the swim.
There are several other features to explore; by pressing the ‘function’ button on the side of the alarm, the sounder is muted for 30 seconds to enable you to set the indicators after casting without disturbing other anglers before automatically resetting to ‘live’ mode so you never forget to turn it back on. Holding the ‘function’ button whilst turning the ‘tone’ control lets you pick from 6 LED colour options; red, green, yellow, blue, white and purple to suit any lighting conditions you may encounter. Once you find the colour you need, simply press the ‘function’ button 3 times to engage the LED. No more alarm swapping because you can’t see the LED! The LED’s are exceptionally bright, can be seen in direct sunlight and have a much wider face than other alarms so it can be seen even when sitting directly alongside your rods.
A discreet pair of ‘night lights’ sit either side of the rod seat to give a subtle glow in darkness so you can see where to put your rod after recasting without the need to ruin your night vision by shining a torch…………a nice touch.
The last small blue LED on the alarm is a low battery warning; how many times have you got to the bank only to find that the batteries have faded in your alarms? Well, never again, the
i-3 takes a standard ‘square’ battery so no need for more expensive power sources. The low battery warning has three stages to alert the user to a failing battery; all explained clearly in the instructions so you don’t miss it.
The last couple of things are what you would expect from a top quality product; fully encapsulated electronics, completely weatherproof, a stainless lug to attach it to bank sticks or pod, a non-slip rod seat and finally the impact case which, for a change, is included, all go to make this one of the most comprehensive al
arm systems I’ve ever reviewed or used. It may be one of the more expensive on the market, but believe me; you definitely get what you pay for with the ACE i-3 and, in terms of build quality, it will last a lot longer than many competitors’ products. Retailing at around £149.99each, the revolutionary ACE i-3 is available from all good tackle stockists, a list of which can be found online at www.acecarp.com. I will certainly make it the mainstay of my carping attack for this and many more seasons to come.
Clint Walker, 2010
