|
Nick Gilbert
Commercial XT Float Range
The Nick Gilbert Hand Crafted pole floats have steadily built a big following amongst the match angling fraternities. This Kent based one man show has taken off so well that there is a minimum of a three week waiting list on all orders for all hand crafted floats. So with many anglers not wanting to wait for three weeks or pay over £2.00 for a pole float, Nick soon realised like every angler who has had a pole float break whilst playing a fish. A reliable range of mass produced pole floats, that have all the features of the hand crafted versions but at a price to compete with the less than satisfactory options that are currently available from leading mass produced pole float brands in the U.K was definitely in order.
UKMA had a chat with Nick about his decision to release a mass produced float range and he explained “I have been working with one of Europe’s top float manufacturers who have produced a range of hand assembled floats built to my spec. The advantage of these is they are available from stock ready to post within 24 hours of receiving an anglers order. These floats have been tested and already taken several ton plus match winning weight and have a far superior build quality to what is available when buying a the mass produced float ranges currently available in your local tackle shop”.
With Nicks words in mind, UKMA have had our first look at the new Commercial XT Float Range, here’s what’s on offer.
NG XT Decker
Body Type - balsa
Body Shape – Rounded Diamond
Eye Attachment – Stainless Steel Spring Eye & Side Eye
Stem – 0.8mm black glass
Tip - 1.7mm diameter, hollow plastic tip
Tip Colours – Red & Yellow
Sizes Available – 0.2g, 0.3g, 0.4g, 0.5g, & 0.6g
Price - £1.50 each
This is the pattern for all open water, on the deck bait presentations. Based on one of the best hand made floats ever made, these diamond shaped floats have a stainless steel spring eye and side eye at the point of the diamond for added stability.
|
 |
NG XT Decker HD
Body Type - hard high-density foam
Body Shape – Rounded Diamond
Eye Attachment – Stainless Steel Spring Eye
Stem – 1mm Glass
Tip - 1.7mm diameter, hollow plastic tip
Tip Colours – Red & Yellow
Sizes Available – 0.2g, 0.3g, 0.4g, 0.5g, 0.6g & 0.8g
Price - £1.70 each
The combination of heavy glass stem, long tip and rounded diamond body gives this float superb stability, making it the perfect option for on the deck carp bagging. These float are described by Nick as being virtually unbreakable in normal use. |
 |
NG XT Gimps
Body Type - Balsa
Body Shape – Teardrop or pear
Eye Attachment – Stainless Steel Spring Eye
Stem – 1mm Glass
Tip - 1.5mm diameter, hollow plastic tip
Tip Colours – Red & Yellow
Sizes Available – 0.2g, 0.3g, 0.4g, 0.5g, 0.6g, 0.8g & 1.0g
Price - £1.50 each
This float has a teardrop shaped body making it a great all-rounder that will cope with most conditions. The Gimps are ideally suited for angling situations when using small hook baits including soft pellet, maggot, casters and corn are the order of the day. |
 |
NG XT Power Pencil
Body Type - Balsa
Body Shape – Slim-line
Eye Attachment – Stainless Steel Spring Eye
Stem – 0.8mm black glass
Tip - 1.7mm diameter tip
Tip Colours – Red & Yellow
Sizes Available – 0.2g, 0.3g, 0.4g, 0.5g, 0.6g, & 0.8g
Price - £1.50 each
This float has been re-designed to Nick’s own specification and re-built with carp in mind. It now has a long hollow plastic tip and strong glass stem, making it perfect for short range bagging and all open water past work. |
 |
NG XT Margin
Body Type - Balsa
Body Shape – Rugby Ball
Eye Attachment – Not Applicable/ In-line
Stem – 1.0mm glass
Tip – 2.0mm diameter, strengthened hollow plastic tip
Tip Colours – Red & Yellow
Sizes Available – 0.1g, 2g & 0.3g,
This very tough little float is designed for use in shallow margin when searching for big chunks close in but this style of float has also proven very popular with anglers who target big fish up in the water on heavy terminal tackle and strong elastics. |
 |
NG XT Inline Dibber
Body Type - Balsa
Body Shape – Snowman
Eye Attachment – Stainless Steel Spring Eye
Stem – 0.8 mm black glass
Tip – Balsa
Tip Colours – Red & Yellow
Sizes Available –2g & 0.3g,
Based on the tried and tested Dibber shape but with the side eye removed and now in-line to eliminate float breakages on violent takes, These are the perfect for fishing hair rigged pellet up in the water or on the far shelf on snake lakes. |
 |
First Impressions
Finding total reliability in the majority of mass produced pole floats available to us mere mortals has been near on impossible for most of us, until know. What Nick has done is demanded a quality of build from the manufacturer that is normally associated with hand crafted floats and by using the correct materials has been able to release a range of readily available pole floats that are both of a reasonable quality and good value for money.
On first impressions I was truly impressed with the build quality, finish and materials used in the production of the NG Commercial XT Range of pole floats and if I didn’t know better, I would have said they were hand made they look that good. With that in mind, over the coming months, the UKMA team will be testing these floats, where they work best, which is out on the bank and in the water catching fish, to see just how good they are, watch this space for the on the bank field tests coming soon!!
For more information on Nick Gilbert Floats or any of the products in the range, please click the image below
|
