Accessories

Just What I Want! Our features editor, Matt Godfrey, has been using Preston Innovations pole rollers for 12 months now… here’s what he makes of them!

I have never been fussy about what kind of pole roller I use. In 2005 I bought one of the original green Preston Innovations V-Rollers, and guess what… it’s still in my carryall now! Preston still makes them too – the official product name is the Super Pro V Roller. It comes into play whenever I have a bit of awkward banking behind me, and need to get the pole high or over an obstacle. The legs that extend twice over allow me to make the roller five feet high. It’s been in all kinds of weird places over the years – hedge tops, on boats, and between all kinds of fences to allow me to ship back properly!

Last September, however, I got a glimpse of the new Competition Pro Flat Rollers, but I didn’t really like them… why would I need some of them? However, a couple were sent into the office, and one particular day when I went out pole testing, I decided to use one. That night, I placed an order for two of the XL versions! The roller was simply brilliant to use… lightweight and compact, but then incredibly stable and very functional. The Competition Pro rollers all feature short upright rollers that look a little bit strange at first. However, I can vouch that the pole never comes out of them. These remain upright all the time, meaning that the roller has fewer moving parts that can often get damaged or go wrong – I’ve broken a few on other rollers trying to fold them away in the past, to be honest. The roller bearings within are designed with a hard-wall inner tube, allowing ultra-smooth rolling performance on both vertical and upright rollers.

The leg system is really easy to use, as it’s fully self-locking. If you want to fold out the legs you just pull them out. If you want to fold them away, you fold them away! There are no buttons to press or clips to undo – that’s a bit like me, simplicity that works! The legs are extendable too, giving you loads of adjustment on rough ground or if you need to get the rollers high up. But what if you want them really low too? Ahaa! That’s where the lay-flat design comes into play. When all four legs are folded away, the corner bases on the roller sit perfectly flat. You can lay these on the bank if you need a low ship, or they’re ideal to place on the top of tall banks behind you. I’ve used them like this a lot on natural venues with steep banks.

And then there are the finishing touches for you tackle tarts out there! A spirit level… who really needs one of those? I’m sure some want one! It’s great really, though – you can get the roller perfectly level in a matter of seconds. Beneath this in the centre of the horizontal roller is a clip hook, which allows you to hang a weight or bucket filled with water beneath it to prevent to roller blowing over in windy conditions. I’ve got to be honest, I’ve never used mine and never suffered from it blowing over… touch wood. So, there you have it, after not being too fussy about pole rollers, I’ve written this little lot about them! The old faithful V-Roller still has a place in my armoury, but for me it’s the Competition Pro Rollers from Preston Innovations all the way.

Tech Spec: Competition Pro Flat Roller: Height 470mm, width 585mm, full extended height 730mm RRP: £64.99

Competition Pro XL Flat Roller: Height 570mm, width 710mm, full extended height 930mm RRP: £79.99

Competition Pro Super XL Flat Roller: Height 670mm, width 885mm, full extended height 1,145mm RRP: £89.99

Key Features

Roller bearings

Spirit level

Self-locking telescopic legs

Fixed upright rollers

Lay-flat design

Centre post

www.prestoninnovations.com