Solar P1 Review

ABOUT THIS POST

HI EVERYBODY. JUST TO INFORM YOU ALL THAT I AM IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM ATTACHED TO OR SPONSORED BY ANYONE. I PAY FOR ALL MY BAIT AND EQUIPMENT AND JUST WANT TO RELAY AN HONEST OPINION ON THE PRODUCTS I BUY. SO THESE ARE MY VIEWS ON MY LATEST ACQUISITION. IN THIS INSTANT I WENT AND BOUGHT THE NEW P1 POD FROM SOLAR.

MY STORY

WHILST ON OUR LIFELONG FISHING JOURNEY, WE ARE OFTEN PRONE TO MAKING THE FUTILE GESTURE OF TRYING TO SCALE DOWN OUR EQUIPMENT. NOW ONLY A TRUE FISHERMAN WOULD UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS TASK. I AM GUESSING ITS AKIN TO ASKING A TOP MUSICIAN TO LEAVE A FEW SONGS Off HIS BEST SELLING ALBUM !. NOW MY RODS ARE SORTED AND I AM PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH MY REELS SO NEXT STOP IS ROD POD. I APPRECIATE THAT HAVING A POD IN YOUR FISHING ARMOURY IS A MATTER OF PREFERENCE AS EACH FISHING L0CATION IS DIFFERENT AND PROVIDES VARYING CHALLENGES. SO FIRST AND FOREMOST I WAS LOOKING FOR A SET UP THAT IS AS VERSATILE AND COMPACT AS POSSIBLE. SOLAR HAVE HAD RECENTLY INTRODUCED THEIR NEW GENERATION OF BANK WARE ONTO THE MARKET IN THE FORM OF THE CAD DESIGNED PRECISION ENGINEERED P1 RANGE. UPON PURCHASING THE P1 MY FIRST IMPRESSION ON PICKING UP MY GREEN CANVAS BAG EMBLAZONED WITH THE P1 LOGO WAS JUST HOW SMALL THE BAG WAS. SO THAT AUTOMATICALLY TICKED A BOX WITH ME AS THIS WAS THE MAIN POINT OF THE SCALING DOWN THING.

THE SET UP

SETTING UP THE P1 WAS  SELF EXPLANATORY AND MOST OF THE CAD DESIGNED PARTS, ALTHOUGH SOME BEING TIGHT (WE WILL PUT THAT DOWN TO BEING NEW) ALL SLOTTED IN JUST FINE. THE TAPER - LOC FEATURE ON THE P1 WORKS LIKE A DREAM ENSURING THAT ALL THE ALARMS, HOCKEY STICKS ETC ALL LINE UP PERFECTLY WITH MINIMAL ADJUSTMENT. THIS IS A GREAT PLUS AS I AM PROBABLY NOT ALONE IN SPENDING MANY A FRUSTRATING TIME TRYING TO LINE UP ALARMS USING VARIOUS WASHERS ETC JUST TO GET IT RIGHT. WHILE SETTING THE P1 UP YOU OFTEN CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THE SUBTLE CARBON DETAILING THAT GIVES IT A NEW AND UNIQUE LOOK COMPARED TO PAST SOLAR PODS. THE UPRIGHTS WHERE THE BUZZ BARS SIT SCREW IN WITH MINIMAL FUSS, BUT MINE DID HAVE A COUPLE OF VERY SHARP EDGES (AS IN CUT YOUR FINGER SHARP) WHICH MAY SEEM LIKE A SMALL DETAIL TO SOME, BUT WHEN YOU ARE PAYING TOP OF THE RANGE PRICES I WOULD EXPECT A TOP OF THE RANGE FINISH.. THE POD ITSELF COMES WITH THE CENTER BAR AND TWO UPRIGHT BRIDGE SECTIONS AND 4 X 9” LEGS AND PADDED STORAGE BAG. BUZZ BARS, STAGE STANDS, STABILIZERS AND VARIOUS SIZE BANK STICKS ARE ALL AVAILABLE AT EXTRA COST.

NOW ANOTHER FACTOR THAT TICKS A BOX ON THE P1 IS THE FACT THAT I CAN LEAVE MY ALARMS AND HOCKEY STICKS ATTACHED TO THE P1 BUZZ BAR AND WITH A SLIGHT TURN OF THE SUPER GRIP COLLARS IT FOLDS DOWN. ENABELLING THE WHOLE SET UP TO SLOT NICELY INTO THE BAG SUPPLIED. THUS PROVIDING ME WITH A VERY QUICK SET UP TIME. NOW I USE ATT ALARMS AND THIS WORKS A DREAM. BUT I CANNOT VOUCH FOR THIS WORKING WITH ANY OTHER MAKE OF ALARM!.

IS IT EXPENSIVE ?

COST OF THE P1 IS £299 FOR THE BASIC SET UP WHICH
INCLUDES CENTER BAR, TWO UPRIGHTS AND 4 X 9 INCH LEGS PLUS CARRY BAG. THE BUZZ BARS ARE £45 EACH. SO IS IT EXPENSIVE ?. YOU REALLY CANT SAY, AS SOME PEOPLE PAY A FORTUNE FOR A PAIR OF SHOES AND ONLY WEAR THEM ONCE. ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I DON’T THINK I WILL EVER NEED ANOTHER ROD POD ! 







SUMMING UP

I USED THE P1 IN VARIOUS FISHING CONDITIONS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND OVERALL I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT THE P1 OUT PERFORMED ANY POD I HAVE HAVE PREVIOUSLY OWNED. THAT IS NOT TO SAY THE P1 WILL SUIT EVERYBODY AS WE ALL FISH DIFFERENTLY AND THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF THIS THING CALLED FISHING WE ALL LOVE. BUT AS FAR AS MY FISHING GOES IT TICKED MOST OF MY ESSENTIAL BOXES BEING COMPACT, VERSATILE, EASY AND QUICK TO ASSEMBLE, AND YES IN MY EYES IT LOOKS THE NUTS !!

The P1 proved solid on all surfaces.

looking good to go.