On Test: Browning 11m Thallium Force - 05/03/2010

Jon seemed confident that we would still l catch at Tunnel Barn Farm, but because this is one of his local venues it didn’t bode well for me – especially as I lost last month’s battle on home turf! To make matters worse, Jon won the toss for pegs and chose Peg 29 on House Pool, leaving me on Peg 30. Still, I had a job to do, and after Jon had kindly helped clear my swim, after my puny icebreaker bounced off the 3in-thick ice, I opted to fish one line just past 10 metres to the furthest edge of the ice hole. Maggots were the bait and I decided to feed very little and play a waiting game. In these arctic conditions I didn’t expect the resident carp to be climbing up the pole, however reliable the venue might be!
My weapon was the 11m Browning Thallium Force and the first thing that struck me was the quality of its finish. The pole feels smooth from tip to butt, with none of the roughness that you sometimes associate with cheaper poles.

A firm squeeze of every section tells of a very strong pole, too, and with extra reinforcement around the joints this is a pole that I would be more than happy to use in the most testing of situations. One factor that normally separates cheap poles from expensive ones is balance because lower-end poles often suffer from feeling top heavy and sloppy. This is not the case with the Thallium Force, however. Even at its full length of 11 metres, the pole remains relatively stiff and responsive.

As expected, we had to wait a while for our first bite, but after half an hour it was first blood to me as a chunky 1lb F1 came to the net. Jon soon followed suit with a small stockie and then started catching small silver things that looked very much like roach! A particularly impressive feature of this pole, considering its price bracket, is the fact that it is supplied with two of Browning’s clever Tension Puller Kits. These allow you to store excess elastic on a storer bung, yet still give you the fish-landing capabilities of a puller kit. This is very useful, especially on venues where you never quite know what you’ll hook next.

A couple more F1s soon followed their brother into the net, and I managed to sneak in front of the master, but how long would it last? When the light began to drop, we were just about to wind down and do some pictures when Jon slipped the net under another big F1 approaching 2lb. That last-gasp fish, along with several quality roach, helped him take the lead once again. Gutted!

They say a bad workman blames his tools, but I must say that I was really impressed with the Thallium Force. It offers great value for its modest £349 retail price and, unlike many ‘budget’ poles, you get the feeling that Browning has put some thought into its design and feel, rather than just turning something out and keeping costs as low as possible. If you are in the market for a pole in the £300 price bracket, I seriously suggest that you take a look at this.

• Tom Scholey

TECH SPEC

Browning Thallium Force

• Stated length: 11m
• Actual length: 10.93m
• Closed length: 1.78m
• Top-three kit length: 3.3m
• Top-three kit length with No1 section removed: 2.62m
• Elastic rating: No20
• Tension Puller Kit length: 2.99m
• Tension Puller Kit length (fitted with 3mm bush): 2.65m
• Package: 11m pole, two Tension Puller Kits, cloth bag
• Other features: Precision points
• RRP: £349
• SSP: £299
• Spares: Tension Puller Kit £87.50;
• Power top two £62.13