Long Term Test: Preston Durafloat 6 Pole Floats - 02/07/2009

In the warmer months and in water of five feet or more all I usually want from a pole float is a strong design, a sensible thickness of bristle, a standard body-down shape and a long carbon stem. The Durafloat 6 ticks all those boxes.
All of the Durafloat family are super strong because the stems and tips are joined together inside the body. Like all of my carp patterns, though, I further strengthen them with a coating of Hard As Nails polish to add a second skin. Being hollow the tip is nice and buoyant, but importantly it is not too thick so I can still try and read what’s going on.
The only thing I don’t like about this float, or any other for that matter, is the spring side eye. I personally believe spring eyes can pinch the line if it ever gets trapped so I prefer to carefully pull them off and use silicone on the bristle instead. To be honest, nobody else I’ve spoken to has had this problem so it’s very much a confidence thing.

From 4x16 and larger I tend to shot them with bulks about two feet from the hook and one or two No10 to No8 droppers. There really is no need to be more complicated than this. The 4x14 size is a bit different as it’s my number-one model for paste, cat food and big cubes of meat in most depths of water. I simply shot this with a bulk of No8s around 12 to 18 inches from the hook and let the large hook bait become the last ‘dropper’ that acts on the float bristle.

When you’re after big weights in deep water you need a float that’s reliable and won’t let you down. For me, it’s the Durafloat 6 every time!

• Jon Arthur