Solar

The Solar Pro Loc stainless have been my choice of bankware for the last year. Can I see myself changing to anything different? Honestly… no!

Having received the Pro Loc range over a year ago for a review, I was super-keen to give them a proper testing. Well, they’ve stayed in the bag ever since. For me and bankware it was never about the looks, it was about usability and robustness. The Pro Loc range both looks stunning and also has a really solid feel that gives you ultra-confidence in all fishing situations.

Having been designed and manufactured in the UK, there are a few distinctive features that I really love about the Pro Loc stainless, such as the ultra-unique knurled collar thumbscrews and collars. Solar has created a special mechanism whereby it is literally impossible for the screws to fall out, therefore avoiding the risk of ever getting lost. Fantastic for me as I’ve lost countless thumbscrews in the past. The knurled thumbscrew means you can also really lock the bank stick into position without having to use a tool or re-tightening every so often. The collar’s similar design allows for a far easier install and perfect alignment of buzz bars and alarms depending on the setup you have chosen for the session ahead. These are the dream for anyone who is really picky about having everything perfectly aligned!

Speaking of everything being aligned, I also love the flat profiled inner arm of the buzz bar. Essentially, this removes any chance of rotation when extending the length of the buzz bar. This means that, once happy with the width of your alarms, you just need to tighten the thumbscrew and everything is in line. No faffing about whatsoever.

Like I mentioned previously, the Pro Loc range feels super-sturdy and robust. Even when placing into solid ground, you can really put some force on the bankware to get it into position. This is helped by the ground-probe engineered points. The design makes it so much easier to get the banksticks into position due to the piercing design. Even after all their use, the points are still sharp. Once in the ground they aren’t moving! There have been a few situations recently where I’ve been fishing locked up because of snags and when the unexpected bite has happened, the bankware has held its ground and proved ultra-reliable!

The whole range comes in a variety of sizes. The adjustable banksticks come in four different sizes – 9in, 12in, 16in and 20in. I’ve found I often opt for the 9in and 12in for the majority of my fishing. However, there have been occasions where I’ve needed the longer option due to the situation of the bank. To accompany the beautifully engineered banksticks are the equally impressive buzz bars, which are available in a two or three-rod variety. The majority of my fishing sees me using three rods so I always use the three-rod buzz bars. The two-rod version comes in a front and back, the back being slightly narrower to fan out the rod tips when in position. The three-rod buzz bars come in small, medium and large. I prefer the medium on the back and large on the front. I’m not all about the super-carpy look of having my rods super-tight together, I much prefer them being slightly apart to make placing the rod down and picking them up smoother without disturbing the other rods.

Overall, I really don’t see these leaving my setup any time soon. I’ve been impressed since I received them and they haven’t once made me think otherwise.

Joe Palethorpe’s verdict: “Good looking, hard wearing and super-strong, the perfect bankware setup for me!”