I was lucky enough for Korum to give me one of these mats about a year ago, and I mean lucky.
At the time the mat was just a prototype, fully functioning and no different to the product that lies on your tackle dealer's shelves today. It is no different for the simple reason that the prototype was spot-on; myself and other testers finding nothing of any significance that could improve it.
Right from the first day I used it (the Standard version) for barbel fishing I was amazed at how small it was for carrying. It rolled into a diameter of about 4 inches and slipped easily into the bankstick pocket of my holdall. Or you can fold it and store it in your rucksack.
Now that's not an insignificant thing for a barbel angler who likes to carry as little tackle as possible, yet still wants to care for his fish. Now I could do a little roaming and not have to hump a big, and often heavy, mat around to lay the fish on.
Very comfortable for sitting on too if you don't bother with a chair.
Folds to a very compact size
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And the mat didn't compromise on its fish-caring ability either. Once out of the bag and the valve opened it self-inflated in seconds and provided as good a cushion for the fish as you can get. Remove the valve, press down on the mat as you roll it back up to squeeze the air out, slip it into its carry bag, and you're on your way again.
I see a lot of barbel anglers who don't use an unhooking mat, and I'm sure the reason is due to them not wanting the inconvenience (and weight with some mats) of carrying one. Korum may not realise it but I reckon they'll save some barbel (and other species) from not a little damage by introducing this compact mat that weighs little and folds to a very convenient size.
I can honestly say that it's a long time since I've been so impressed with such a simple piece of kit. Top marks without any hesitation.
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Frothey
