Sometimes it’s the little things that can make all the difference; and such is the case with this quick release adaptor from Prologic. OK, you can’t use it on the hook, so in that respect it’s not going to catch you any more fish, however, if we are talking about time-saving devices which allow you to set up and break down your tackle much faster on the bank, then look no further.
For review purposes, ‘it’ should be ‘they’, as I’ve been using a number of these adaptors for some time now, and for a number of different uses. I use them on my storm poles, on bank sticks, and even on my landing net pole. To be honest the applications are endless – if it has a standard thread, you can use an adaptor on it!
Quick release adaptors/connectors (call them what you will) have been around for quite a while, it’s just that I’ve never come across any that I felt were up to the job. I’ve used some of the bayonet type in the past, but I found the fittings left a lot to be desired and before long you had an element of play. This was ok if using on storm poles or such like, but if using on banksticks or buzz bars, they could hamper indication when the idea is to have everything quite solid. When I say used, it should actually be borrowed, as my mate spent no small amount on a set of four to make his four rod set up nice and smart, though when I borrowed his alarms & buzz bars (and thus the adaptors) for a week on Birch Grove, I have to say they left me less than impressed – within the hour I’d whipped them all off in order to get a solid set-up!
The Prologic Quick Release Adaptor
I think this is why I like the Prologic design so much; not only are they extremely strong and durable, but the ball bearing locking system removes the ability to spin, twist, or play. They are, quite simply – solid! They are made from a high-grade precision cut alloy and so can be used for even the toughest of jobs, I’ve been giving them stick for ages now, and they are still just as good as they day I had them, and the fittings just as tight.
As I say, they might not directly put any more fish on the bank, but when I think about it, they’ve certainly given me a helping hand. Over winter I’ve been doing quick overnighters, arriving after dark and leaving pretty much at first light. Setting up in the dark is never great when you’ve got to erect shelters and set rods up, but these adaptors have shaved loads of time off the job. It takes less than a second to pull the collar down on the connector to release it – far quicker than a bayonet fitting. This means all my storm poles are secured in a couple of seconds, and as I’m also fishing bank sticks on this water, the alarms are attached in seconds also. All of which means the rods are out in double quick time.
The same goes for packing away, and a session I had about a fortnight ago proves perfect testament to their effectiveness. I was fishing a quick overnighter using my brolly, and to cut a long story short, the conditions caught me out; the wind turned really nasty, changed direction completely, and started slating horizontal rain right in and all over me. There was no way I could turn the brolly around on the swim, and with no front on, it was just a case of chucking my gear right under the bed, pulling my bag over my head and seeing it out till morning. Come the morning the rain was still coming down with the temperature barely above freezing, not helped by a biting wind hacking right into me. It was ‘proper’ grim. No surprise then that the pack up was a mare from start to finish. Even after a brew my hands were freezing, and after only a few minutes spent breaking down rods, rigs, and end tackle, my fingers were already numb, to the point where I was struggling to feel them whilst zipping up my tackle pouch. If I’d then had to start unthreading bank sticks, buzz bars, storm poles and whatever else, I think I’d have screamed! As it was, it took less than a minute to break down the shelter, alarms and banksticks – all thanks to the quick release adaptors. To be honest, they paid for themselves on that session alone.
They’ve received quite a lot of attention on the bank too, where friends or other anglers have seen how quick various elements tackle go together. I fished a bit of a social at the weekend with a mate I’ve not seen for ages. Again I did not arrive till I’d got the kids off to bed, and jumped into the next swim just so that we could have a natter and catch up. He’s an engineer by trade – and a bloody good one too – and as he helped me set up various odds and ends, the adaptors immediately caught his eye. I told him how I really rated them, though I knew full well he’d make up his own mind irrespective of what I might have to say on the subject! He was still messing with one of them some twenty minutes later after I was all set up and in, and after intense scrutiny, not to mention a thousand testings of the locking mechanism, he finally declared all matter of fact “They’re bloody good, these!” … I could have told him that!
The Prologic Quick Release Adaptors in use on my brolly’s storm poles
Anyway, they must be good as he rang today to tell me he’s bagged a couple of sets for himself. Praise indeed! He got all technical on me (as he often does) and started telling me how mega-expensive air hoses in the automotive industry use similar fittings, though to be honest, as Izaak was screaming for his dinner in my other ear, I didn’t hear the rest of it!
Suffice to say they are just the job; strong, durable and extremely effective. I have to point out that I’m not really a fancy gizmo man, and certainly no tackle tart – perish the thought! However, I have to say that I’m properly taken with these. You know how you sometimes find something so good that you can’t remember what you did before it came along? Well that’s what these adaptors are like – they are just so easy to use, and save me so much time, that I can’t imagine being without them again!
The adaptors come in sets of three, priced at just £5.99, which I find incredible considering how useful I’ve found them to be. The bonus of course is that at this price you can bag a few sets to do storm poles, landing nets and banks sticks, etc.
© Julian Grattidge
April 2008
