Is it Justified

[Stealph Viper]

Following on from my Recent "Are Bite Alarms Necessary" thread, I thought i would like to look further in to the Bite Alarm and the Brigade that follow them.

Now after some very good comments on my previous Thread (see the above) i can see why people do favour using Alarms even during short sessions (it's because they're lazy) only kidding honestly.
However, what i would like to know this time is :

What makes you purchase that particular alarm, especially in the top range of the market, does a Alarm costing £120 really do a much better job than an alarm that costs £80 (for example) does it help to put more fish on the bank, is it just a fashion statement, is it because "Mr Famous" uses them ?

If i buy Delkims / Fox what do i get for the extra expense that makes it worth while?

 

[cg74]

From my personal prespective I tend to ignore, or at least take EVERYTHING mr Joe big name famous angler says with a rather large sack of salt.
Take Martin Bowler, after watching his Catching The Impossible set on channel 4 recently, it really highlighted just how false/staged (can't think of better words) many of their captures are.

So I look at what offers me the best value for my money, mr famous can go catch what is in the waters he fishes and I'll try to catch what's in mine (unaided, guided or ghillied)
And he can do so with his tackle and I'll do so totally uninfluenced by his catches, well equally effected by his catures as he is by mine.

With that in mind, I try to evaluate each item on its merits to me.
Alarms:
Do others offer greater longevity than mine, NO.
Will I sell mine once an upgrade is called for, NO so depreciation is an irrelevance.
Do Delkims etc result in more fish on the bank or increase my enjoyment, NO.

So why would I want to pay more???????

 

[The Scarlet Maggot]

It comes down to the old kudos tax me thinks...

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Sv,

I recently replaced my old Fox STR's that I'd had for quite a long time. I was getting a little concerned that the 'sensitivity' wasn't quite up to scratch and couldn't be set 'finely' enough.

So, after a lot of research, and some helpful advice from anglers I respect here on FM I opted for the Delkim Txi Plus.

To be totally honest, yes, there is more than a hint of fashion statement about the purchase, as I got them in the 'latest' Purple Haze, but then at my age and development I don't have to worry about cost (another benefit of being 'Single') and having worked for many years.

I replaced my old Shimano baitrunners as well for a set of Daiwa Big Pit reels, so now I worry about leaving the rod pod outside if I'm going for a few hours sleep in the bivvy, (tongue in cheek b.t.w.)

 

[Stealph Viper]

I am confused about the concern over the Sensitivity feature on your old Alarm, is it the Alarm that lacks the sensitivity or is the set up you are using that lacks sensitivity when registering a bite or a possible take ?

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I am confused about the concern over the Sensitivity feature on your old Alarm, is it the Alarm that lacks the sensitivity or is the set up you are using that lacks sensitivity when registering a bite or a possible take ?

I was happy enough with my rigs SV as I'd used similar ones for quite a while before, so the 'sensitivity issue' I put down to the alarms.

It was the sensitivity dial knob (can I say knob still?) on 2 of the alarms. It just didn't seem to be as 'adjustable as it used to be, and sometimes I lost that 'confidence' that is so important when you are fishing a long session.

Also, they were getting on in age a bit, so it was 'time' for a change.

 

[sagalout]

Horses for courses. I use the fox warrior alarms at £18 each.They wake me up, I don't think a more expensive alarm would get my attention any better, but I don't require remote receivers, I sleep next to my rods

 

[Stealph Viper]

Now, with a cheaper alarm with say just Volume Control or perhaps Volume and Tone Controls are you missing Bites ?

Is the sensitivity a gimic then to fool Carp Anglers in to believing that they're missing an opprtunity without one.

The Gardner TLB and the Steve Neville alarms both have a Cult following and neither have any Gimics, just the Volume On/Off ............... are these alarms not as good as the Fox and Delkims then ?

 

[sagalout]

Dunno about sensitivity, the carp I catch try to rip the rod of the rests.

 

[bill2]

I really can't imagine that a lack of sensitivity would be an issue for any commonly available alarm you could buy. Allthough perhaps if you fish in strong currents then oversensitivity might easily become an issue. Perhaps this is what these alarm features are concerened with? Personally, after killing a few alarms that 'drowned', I bought some ATTx's after seeing them left in a glass of water for days at a time and still working perfectly. Had them for a while now and they are just excellent!

 

[captain carrott]

sensitivity controls are only any use for people who use alarms on running water,

if you only fish for carp on still waters then you can use the cheap stuff perfectly happily.

if on the other hand you're going to be using them on running water the more advanced features have a use. as does the running tension wheel on your baitrunner.

volume controls should on the other hand, be mandatory and all alarms should be designed to switch on at minimum possible volume and require you to actively turn them up.

it should also be legal to shoot people who don't turn their alarms off when they're goign to pratt about for 10 minutes setting their swingers to exactly the same height.

 

[Roto Fryer]

there is no such thing as wind!!!

 

[noknot]

I use the TLB's and have found them to be excellent alarms, Just on/off as SV has stated, if you need less volume, you can use rubber bungs and are very sensitive and 100% waterproof and bombproof, unlike some more expensive alarms. As SV pointed out, some rigs and indicator set up's are definitely more sensitive than others, as for wind this can also be combated by the way you set up.

 

[Tee-Cee]

What about the practical side of the alarms?

Surely as much consideration must be given to waterproofness,general sturdiness and length of battery life as to sensitivity,volume etc??

I am NOT saying the latter points are not important because they obviously are,but if I had to buy new again(I bought the Fox ES)I think I would give more thought to ALL factors rather than what is sounds like.....
For example the batteries in my alarms are very expensive(perhaps they all are?)and not necessarily easy to obtain and don't seem to last long(perhaps this is normal?)but the waterproofness is excellent in heavy rain(when was that!)

Anyway,just a thought....

 

[noknot]

TC, You wold love the TLB's

 

[Tee-Cee]

Thats probably very true noknot,BUt what the hell are TLB's??

....don't keep up with latest fashions or new products to that extent these daysso if you can enlarge on this it would help.........and IF they are that good(I'm sure other posts will shoot you down!!) I would go have a look in a tackle shop....ALSO,what are the big benefits over other makes that lead you to saying these are the best?

Thanks anyway!!

 

[Cakey]

SV its the same as buying a car ,you buy what you can afford with as many twiddley bits as you like
so some buy shitrons some buy fords some buy vauxhalls etc
hows your 2cv by the way ?

 

[ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)]

SV its the same as buying a car ,you buy what you can afford with as many twiddley bits as you like
so some buy shitrons some buy fords some buy vauxhalls etc
hows your 2cv by the way ?

Oi !!!!!!!!!!!!

My "shitron's" got inside roof bars ......... Your Bongo hasn't!! :wh

 

[noknot]

Hi TC,

I did not say they are the best, but I think for the money they are fantastic reliable alarms:

Gardner Tackle : TLB Compact Head [TLCOMR - TLCOMW] - ?62.50

 

[Cakey]

my Bongo has compartment under the seats that my rod bag fits into

out of sight !