The Fox Ruck Box

The last comment in the review is

"It is well made of good quality materials, with zips that are easy to grip and easy to use, and going by the average price of quality rucksacks it is pretty good value."

But is it good value? I don't disagree that it is well made, but my opinion is that rucksacks and holdalls are, in general, way overpriced.

Anyone feel the same, or do you agree that we get value for money?

Hmmmm....had to think about that one Coops, i like my gear to last and it takes a lot of stick, i simply do not look after it! now i wouldn't mind having to pay ?100 IF the gear was up to it.......a lot of the gear on the market is superb but just as much is crap and therefore a rip off so it pays to ask about before parting with the readies.
Incedently i have one of those Hutchy winged umbrella things, i use it (or did!) for occasional one nighters instead of my bivvy....it has only been used a few times and is about 12months old, the other day i got it out ready and it was distorted out of shape and practically useless, it had been kept dry and clean so i saw no reason for what happened...........now thats a rip off!! and whatsmore it kinda makes you lose confidence in all goods from that company.......aint they gone bust?

I learnt my lesson this season. My Fox rucksack finally gave up the ghost after about six years of being used at least once a week. I bought a Cypry rucksack partly because it was cheap and partly because it was all that was in the shop at the time. Second time out the stitching went on the strap attachment. I took it back paid the extra and swapped it for a Fox rucksack. Yes the the materials are good quality andd the zips are easy to use. I can also expect another six or so years of reliable service and that is worth the extra ?20.

Quality gear's an investment for the future, but there's also a lot of junk out there - maybe because a lot of the manufacturing is contracted out to companies who serve the outdoor/camping market, where consumers don't use their stuff half as often or place such high demands on it. Your average camper probably cries off in weather you wouldn't think twice about going fishing in.

Dave, you have take the full context of my remarks into account to give a fair opinion, and what I said was:

"..........and going by the average price of quality rucksacks it is pretty good value."

When you do a review of fishing tackle you can only judge it, when comparing, with other fishing tackle. What you can't do all the time is make remarks like, "this item is way too expensive compared to what you can get from the army and navy stores." Or wherever you've seen something cheaper. And you can't stick a remark about fishing luggage being generally too expensive (if that's what the reviewer believes) in every review you write.

Which is why I stand by what I said: "..........and going by the average price of quality rucksacks it is pretty good value."

Compare it with other quality rucksacks manufactured especially for fishing and you'll find that the Fox Ruck Box IS pretty good value.

But to be really objective should you not judge them against other offerings that are not sold purely as Angling items down angling channels? Personally I think a lot of angling equipment, such as rucksacks, is massivley overpriced. There again, I guess there is a relatively limited market and channel for them.

A perfect example are tackle boxes. I saw a "Fox System" box for circa ?50. I got one from Focus Do it All for ?10. Almost identical, comes with a 5 year guarantee and quality the same.

I was going to write a post about this myself. I did a quick flick through a lot of my fishing mags review sections. I could not find one review that slated a product or was even particularly critical. Something to do with advertising??

If you were to take objectivity to the nth degree than you'd have a look across the planet and compare prices. But you have to be realistic and restrict your review to the UK angling market. If you want reviews of tool boxes then you're on the wrong site. That isn't to say that your remarks are not relevant at all, just that realistically a review of fishing gear should be just that.

I can't speak for anyone else, magazine or otherwise, but the reviews I do on FM are honest opinion. It's up to the reader to accept what I say, or not, according to his level of scepticism.

I'll wager a bet that good quality fishing gear is cheaper now than say the 50s/60's(compaired to wages)....think how much things like Mitchel and Abu reels were then compaired to wages of the time.

Graham, I totally agree with your comments. Pound for pound when compared to other equivelent fishing rucksacks the fox offering is quality in the price range of comparible products. Your honesty or reasoning in the review is not in question.

It's the price range generally that I take issue with as I think, once again, anglers get ripped off by the manufacturers. When I compare a rucksack to products I can buy for one hundred pounds outside of angling, it's extortionate in comparison.

But Dave we're back to what I said elsewhere on this forum, manufacturers/retailers (of any product) charge what they think they can get for an item, not necessarily what it is worth.

That's not a rip-off, that's business. And that's how it works the world over.

And that situation with fishing gear will continue until enough anglers buy the equivalent product from a non-angling outlet and the bottom drops out of the fishing outlet market. Then, and only then, will the angling trade drop its prices to match similar product made for non-anglers.

The answer is in YOUR hands, all anglers hands, because it's simple isn't it? Stop buying gear made specifically for angling and buy the cheaper stuff.

But it's not that most anglers are not aware that tents are cheaper than bivvies, and rucksacks for hikers are cheaper than fishing rucksacks, etc, etc. It's simply because the majority of anglers want drab colours (which narrows the choice in the non-fishing market) and they want to see a well known fishing manufacturer's logo on their kit.

And the situation isn't media driven, because people are not that stupid, it's personal choice.

I'll say here and now, as I have before: if anyone wants the best value rucksack or bivvie (tent), then look at outlets outside angling.

But it won't make a scrap of difference.

And the continual cries of 'Rip-off!' will carry on as normal, even though the answer is in the hands of the angler.

Graham,
If everyone does as you suggest and goes to non angling outlets then the price would drop on the angling products because the companies producing the goods would direct their wears in other directions (the resent Relum move for instance) then we would loose the specialist products that it took so long for anglers to have available. Vicious circle I think.

Sorry to pi$$ on everyone’s fireworks here! but in getting back to the product in question The Fox Ruck Box, I must agree with some and disagree with others. Lets look at non fishing luggage, I've never come across a piece of luggage whether it’s a bivvy or more importantly to me a big carryall or rucksack that has suited my needs as much as purpose designed fishing luggage. I’ve had the Fox Jumbo Caryall for two years now and to be honest, although not cheap, extremely suitable to my personal needs. It has all the right heavy duty zipping and straps, gives me all the internal compartments required for my needs and oodles of strong pockets that cater for smelly carp sacks on the exterior through to buzzer compartments on the top. Now I haven’t come across any other luggage outside of my sport that caters for these needs. Well it wouldn’t would it? So in our game, you only get what you pay for. If you want a seat box that you can attach an industrial drill and screwdriver set too then yeah you go to B&Q, if you want a seat-box that allows you to attach a roach pole then buy it from a tackle dealer blah blah blah…

At the end of the day its personal choice and yes it is unfortunate that we pay through the nose! I don’t have issues in paying out over the odds for tackle that suits my requirements, I have issues with the same products within the tackle industry being charged at extortionate separate price tags.

With regard to the Ruck Box, I’ve just bought one, off my own back and not from seeing this article. It’s a superb piece of kit, well worth every penny to me and a severely needed upgrade from my fox carryall. Compartments galore and as stated, turns into an excellent bivvy table and seat box. I compared my purchase to the other offerings in the market from Giant and Chub and even the Fox 110 Royale (with cheese) and this knocks them for dead. Take a look as this piece of kit. It has a serious thumbs up from me! Well reviewed Graham based on the end product and extremely impartial too.

I've got a theory that they try and sell us bigger holdalls, rucksacks, quivers etc in the belief it'll encourage us to buy more gear - a bit like the saying about your lifestyle expanding to fit your income.

Stuart Dennis said "I don’t have issues in paying out over the odds for tackle that suits my requirements, I have issues with the same products within the tackle industry being charged at extortionate separate price tags."

Bang on mate. That was the point I was making. On the strength of your comments and Graham's review I might just buy the Fox Ruck Box.

What I don't want to do is pay an awful lot of money for a "name" item only for it to let me down in pretty short time, as with my previous Hutchison ruck sack that wasn't worth anything like it's near ?80 price tag given it's poor quality finish. It literally fell to pieces in a little over a year.

That's the kind of overpriced product that gets up my nose and does not represent value for money.

Dave, although I spend a lot of money on my tackle, I do spend wisely. I can honestly say that I put my local tackle dealer through his paces in getting about ten different ruck sacks etc off the shelf and examining them thoroughly.

My own evaluation of the product was based on what I wanted out of the item, but this would suit anyone. A few years ago I had intensive surgery done on my back, so when I fish for 30 hours and beyond, I take my bedchair and another chair for lounging on. If there’s a few of us sitting round cooking or chatting or whatever it really comes in handy. Also at night in me bivvy, I like everything to be at hand so I normally take a bivvy table too.

With this product, I don’t need to take a chair or table and the way it’s all laid out is just superb mate! This has hit my objective spot on and has also cut right back on the kit I would normally take.

Yeah…definitely take a closer look mate!

One more point and again my personal view. I too won’t pay loadsa money on an item just because its got a name stitched on it. But I’ve got to say that when it comes to Fox luggage kit, they have really broken the barriers of late. This is the second item of ‘BIG’ luggage that I’ve had off them in two years and I can’t fault em. (TO DATE THAT IS!!!)

Afraid i went the other way mate and bought the Nash Speedload 90. I must have looked at a dozen or so rucksacks before I settled on the the speedload. It was expensive but it swallows my kit and compartments it beutifully with the solid frame as well. And I just love all the little green pouches!
I know, i'm turning into a tackle tart and why not, we all earn it the hard way.


I'll knock a review of it together if your interested Graham.

Graham,there are some eminently suitable tool boxes available that are well able to suffice for my fishing needs and dont cost ?50 to boot. Your point about specifically built products is correct but that does'nt mean that we cannot adapt to our own specifications.
But this thread is about rucksacks.
Mind you , Woolworths do a great toolbox for ?4.99, and they are supplied in green.