Accessories

Matt Godfrey climbs on to a platform and barrow system that has caught his eye this month, the Rigger Plus!

When this arrived in the office, I immediately set it up. I have actually seen plenty of these Rigger barrows and platforms out on the bank, but never given one a close inspection. The actual platform is fully capable of carrying all sizes of seatbox. I personally have a Rive Seatbox, one of the biggest on the market when fully opened up, and this sits on the Rigger Plus with ease. The dimensions of 950mm x 750mm give you ample space to place your box, carryall, and lots more gear such as rollers, buckets and clothing when you’re looking to barrow your gear to your swim too. On the leg front, the system comes with six legs: two 900mm, two 670mm and two 470mm. When setting up on uneven ground or out in the water, you are left with an ultra-stable setup. I’ve quite literally jumped up and down on this while it’s been set up in the water, and it doesn’t flinch an inch. The variations in leg length also mean that you can get set up comfortably without legs sticking up high behind you. You can place the longer legs in the front, medium in the middle, and the shortest at the back – perfect when wading in water that gets progressively deeper.

There are no fewer than 17 different accessory points on this platform too, allowing you to get comfortable with nets, trays and attachments where you want them. This year, I’ve fished the Division One National on the River Trent, and noticed that a lot of anglers had the Rigger platforms and used them as a stand to place their bait and attachments on while they simply stood up to fish. I tested the platform that was brought into the office and did exactly that myself in one match! As a barrow, the Rigger Plus performs brilliantly, with the 400mm wheel assembly combating even the roughest of ground. When loaded evenly, the barrow is well balanced and having just the one perfectly positioned wheel makes steering easy. In the past, I’ve owned plenty of platforms and barrows that have all been very good. However, with time, use and abuse, it seems to be the small parts that fail. On the Rigger, a great deal of attention has been applied to these areas. The wheel spindle is made from stainless steel, and the actual wheel and tightening handles are solid steel with large easy-grip steel turning handles. This means it’s easy to give yourself a solid grip that will never budge, but at the same time you can’t overtighten or break the screws.

The mudfeet that come on the legs are ‘dished’, giving them a sensible surface area to place on soft ground, without taking up too much room. Throughout the system, all parts are fully zinc plated, giving guaranteed corrosion protection. The platform itself is powder coated after zinc too, giving it a slick look and extra-protected finish. The system is easy to assemble, and doesn’t take up much room at all. On the weight front it isn’t light, but I certainly think that this is credit to the product as a quality piece of kit built from quality materials. All in all, a product that gets a big thumbs up from me… it’s simple, sturdy, more than big enough for every item of tackle I use, and definitely built to last!

TECH SPEC:
Rigger Plus Platform And Barrow

Platform dimensions: 950mm x 750mm

Legs supplied: Two 900mm, two 670mm and two 470mm

Features: All parts zinc coated, platform powder coated after zinc, 17 accessory points, 400mm wheel assembly, comfortable handles

RRP: £169.99

Buy now from: www.rct-rigger.co.uk