On Test: Sensas Crazy Power 434 - 03/02/2010

As if near-freezing temperatures weren’t enough to contend with, our session also coincided with winds approaching gale-force hammering the entire country. It certainly wasn’t going to be easy but Tom and I are made of stern stuff – hopefully our poles would be too! Sensas’ latest Crazy Power 434 was my chosen pole. To elasticate I simply removed the No1 section from a standard match kit and fitted No12 Sensas latex through it. This gave me a pleasing 2.59 metres to play with, which I hoped would be perfect for the residents of Little John Lakes. As ever, a three-hour match and the obligatory £1 side bet were issued to add a bit of interest. I had somehow agreed to visit one of Tom’s favourite venues, though, and I could sense the northern monkey was quietly confident of clawing back my 2-0 lead!

With the wind howling across the lake I plumbed two spots – 13 metres towards an aerator and seven metres out slightly downwind. This allowed me to use the same rig on both swims; a 4x16 Carpa Chimp with a 0.12mm hooklength and size 16 Gama Pellet hook. Importantly, I had three feet of line above the float plus three No8s bulked halfway along it to help stabilise the rig. Feeding was modest amounts of 4mm pellets and maggots together. The pellets were purely fed for attraction, however, because presenting one on the hook properly was going to be nigh-on impossible. Double maggot was my chosen hook bait because fish seem to hold on to them for longer. This would also allow me to leave half the bristle showing and lay on up to 12 inches of line, again to compensate for the adverse conditions. It is not very often that you get to ‘test’ a pole in a gale and after just an hour I was starting to question our sanity! Several times I had a carp on one end pulling my tip one way while the wind dragged the butt section the other. The pole took on an alarming ‘S’ curve a couple of times and I doubt many poles could have endured that much abuse. I have seen countless poles smashed to smithereens in weather like this so it was a proper test of resilience. The 434 is reassuringly strong. I particularly liked the extra-reinforced wrap at the base of most of the major sections. It looks cosmetically pleasing and, more importantly, provides extra muscle where it’s most needed.

As we fought the conditions the one thing that kept me motivated was trying to whup Tom’s backside! Thankfully it was mission accomplished because I ended up with a netful of fish from fin-perfect goldfish(!) to carp over 5lb. We hadn’t exactly caught loads but we had certainly given our poles a thorough workout. The Sensas 434 gets a resounding thumbs up from me, especially as it comes with no fewer than eight top kits. If I were after a strong, well-balanced, bagging pole and had £750 to spend, this would be very high on my list.

• Jon Arthur

TECH SPEC

Sensas Crazy Power 434

• Stated length: 14.5 metres (with mini extension)
• Actual length: 14.7m (with mini extension)
• Match-kit length: 3.2m
• Match-kit length with No1 section removed: 2.59m
• Match-kit elastic rating: No14
• Power-kit elastic rating: No18
• Package: 14.5m pole, cupping kit, mini extension, Competition pole bag, four UK power top twos, two free UK power top twos
• Other features: Joker Card spares guarantee
• RRP: £750
• SSP: £599
• Spares: UK power top two £49.99; Big Fish top three £49.99; match top three £59.99; Competition top three £99.99; Short No4 £49.99; Super Strong No4 £49.99; Super Strong No 5 £69.99; Super Strong No 6 £99; Competition Extension 14.5m/16m £199; Match Extension 14.5m/16m £99.99