Browning Z8 Power Pole

Poles – there are literally hundreds to choose from! Browning seems to be pulling no punches with its fantastic Xitan range, though. Alex Bones tests the £1,699 Z8 Power.
When I took Browning’s flagship Z12 out for a spin last year I was exceptionally impressed. Not only was the pole’s performance outstanding, the spares package and entire concept was faultless.

When the Z8 landed at Match Fishing HQ the taste buds started tingling; not only is this pole billed as having many of the same features at the ‘12’ it comes in at a pound under £1,700!

For the test it was to be a day of reckoning at Stockton Reservoir – a venue that’s home to plenty of silvers and, more importantly for this test, large carp, too!

Browning launched this pole due to popular demand and, with the changing nature of anglers’ venue choices and stock-levels, strength combined with top-level performance has been the requirement. And it’s exactly this that the Z8 offers – by the bucket load!

It features similar, slick classy graphics to the more expensive Z9 and Z12, but falls into the most fiercely fought prize category among modern pole manufacturers. For that reason, Browning’s attention to detail and spares package that allows you to tailor it to your exact requirements, allows it to peep its head above some rivals commanding the same investment.

To make this model stronger Browning has used a slightly different Nano-carbon mix that adds considerable strength without assuming significant weight gain. This is also crucial where balance is concerned – often a detail overlooked by anglers becoming too obsessed with a pole’s weight instead.

In Browning’s words: “It’s a do-all workhorse of a pole for those who are little heavy-handed and give their poles a hard life! It’s also suitable for everything from small fish to demanding commercial fisheries or river fishing.”

The Test
A true all-rounder at a price to please, but what of its actual on-the-bank performance? Well it lived up to expectations! I always try to subject the poles we test to more intense circumstances than you may otherwise ‘normally’ experience. This way any weaknesses are revealed and the manufacturer will pick up the tab – not you! I couldn’t break it and took fish to double figures on the session. A deep reed-lined margin offered the perfect opportunity, but it didn’t buckle under pressure – not even the slightest hesitation. Several carp later and the Z8 was victorious; perfectly manageable, strong and a serious contender for anyone wanting pro performance and brute strength at an affordable price.

SLK Top Kits
You can specify, at the time of ordering, which kits you prefer – all of which come pre-bushed and are exactly the same length!
There are standard, power and puller top kits in the range.

What You Get
The package is comprehensive, to say the least, and includes 16 metres of Z8 along with pole protectors for sections 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, nine SLK (top kits) of your choice, two power third sections, one short third section, a cupping kit with three cups and a six-tube pole holdall with full set of tubes for pole and top kits.

16m Not For You?
The Z8 is also available in a 14.5m package for £1,399. This spares list does vary slightly from the 16m package – you get one less power third section and seven top kits instead of nine.

Features
You get plenty of other bonus extras too, including overwrapped joints and strengthened stress points for durability, a diamond surface finish, section alignment points, Xitan pole protectors, single-length kits, precision points for accurate feeding and much more!

Price (RRP):
16m package £1,699
14.5m package £1,399


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