When you catch a large specimen carp, you are going to want to weigh it as catches like this don’t come along often. But, not all carp scales are made equal, some are less accurate and less reliable than others, and getting the wrong weight or no weight at all of your trophy fish is simply not an option.
Our Best Carp Scales
In this article, we take a look at some of the best digital and mechanical carp scales on the market so that you can be sure you have a reliable and accurate carp scale in your tackle box for when you land that fish of a lifetime.
- Reuben Heaton Digi Scale – My Best Overall Digital Scales Pick!
- Reuben Heaton Standard Angling Scale – Best Overall Mechanical Scales Pick!
- Fox Digital Scale – My Most Versatile Digital Scales Pick!
- Saber Digital Folding Scale – My Best Budget Digital Pick!
- Saber Carp Fishing Dial Scales – My Best Budget Mechanical Pick!
- Korda Limited Edition Scales – My Best Quality Scales Pick!
- Avid Digital Scale – My Best Functionality Scale Pick!
Reuben Heaton Digi Scale – My Best Overall Digital Scales Pick!
The best carping fishing scale on the market in my eyes is the Reuben Heaton Digi Scale. This is a digital scale that is reliable, accurate, easy to use, and affordable.
The thing I love about these scales is how small they are which means you can slip them into your pocket, tackle box, or bag with ease.
They have a maximum weight of 55lbs which is going to weigh all your fish with ease unless you catch a fish of a lifetime. It weighs in both lbs and kgs, and down to an ounce or 1/4kg of accuracy plus it has an overload protection mechanism so it doesn’t break.
It is super easy to use with just two buttons which allow you to switch between the units and zero the scale. It will zero up to 15% of its max weight so you can easily zero a heavy fish sling or a landing net.
The digital screen is backlit so you can get accurate measurements in all light conditions with ease plus it is super durable and long-lasting too.
Pros
- Small, light, and easy to slip into a bag/box
- Come with a protective pouch
- Simple and easy to use
- Very accurate
- Have an overload protection mechanism
- You can zero up to 15% of the max weight
- A solid max weight measurement of 55 lbs
- Durable and long-lasting
Cons
- Won’t work for fish over 55 lbs
Specs
Max Weight: 55 lbs
Units Avail.: Lbs/KGs
Accuracy: 1 oz or 25 grams
Zero Facility: Yes – 15%
Reuben Heaton Standard Angling Scale – Best Overall Mechanical Scales Pick!
Many carp anglers just don’t trust digital scales, whether it’s just because of the technology or they prefer to see a hand moving around the dial.
Fortunately, Reuben Heaton has an option of both. The Reuben Heaton Standard Angling Scale in my opinion the best manufacturer of fishing scales and get my personal choice for mechanical dial scales as well as digital!
If you are a serious carp angler or any other specimen fish angler, these are the best-in-class scales.
Pros
- “Negative look” high visibility dials
- Highly corrosion-resistant interiors
- Large tare/zero facility to 15% of capacity
- Full overload protection
- Comprehensive after scales servicing & calibration facilities
- Very accurate
- Durable and long-lasting
- Tough polycarbonate body and lens
- Stainless steel hook and hang point
- Single revolution, easy-to-read dial
- Generous tare/zero range
Cons
- Does Not Include a protective pouch
Specs
Max Weight: 220 lbs
Units Avail.: Lbs/KGs
Accuracy: 1 oz or 25 grams
Zero Facility: Yes – 15%
Model Options
Dual
- 4027/300 – 27kg x 100g/60lb x 2oz
- 4054/300 – 54kg x 200g/120lb x 4oz
- 4100/300 – 100kg x 500g/220lb x 8oz
Metric Only
- 4027/200 – 27kg x 100g
- 4054/200 – 54kg x 200g
- 4100/200 – 100kg x 500g
Imperial Only
- 4060/100 – 60lb x 2oz
Fox Digital Scale – My Most Versatile Digital Scales Pick!
The Fox Digital Scale is another great carp scale and it is the best one around when it comes to versatility in my eyes. This scale weighs up to 132lbs in both lbs and kgs, zeros at the press of a button and you can string it up on a hook or use your hands for smaller fish.
The stainless steel hook is oversized so you can slip it under any size landing net or fish mat, plus since it goes to 132 lbs, you can weigh the biggest carp around with ease.
This is a digital scale that weighs down to one ounce or 25 grams of accuracy that also features a backlight so you can see your fish weights no matter what the light conditions are like.
It is a particularly easy carp scale to use as it comes with just two buttons, one for on and off, the other for zeroing and changing the units. The scale also has a great battery life and runs on 2 x AA batteries, so you can swap them out with ease.
You can also expect this scale to last as it is durable and comes in its own protective case too. The only thing I don’t like about it is that it is a little unattractive looking.
Pros
- Can weigh huge fish up to 132 lbs
- Solid battery life
- Backlit for low light conditions
- Oversized hook for easy weighing
- Super accurate and reliable
- Comes with a protective case
- Very easy to use
- Zeroing large nets
Cons
- Not very stylish looking
Specs
Max Weight: 132 lbs
Units Avail.: lbs/kgs
Accuracy: 1 oz / 25 grams
Zero Facility: Yes
Saber Digital Folding Scale – My Best Budget Digital Pick!
If you are shopping for a good carp scale on a budget then the Saber Digital Folding Scale is probably the one for you as it is super affordable and reliable too.
This is a digital scale that comes with a backlight so you can weigh in all light conditions. What sets it apart from others is that it comes with both handles and a top eye so you can hold the scale up with ease or clip it to something too. This makes lakeside weighing very easy.
It weighs in both lbs and kgs and down to an excellent accuracy of 1 ounce. The scale has just three buttons on it which include a zero, units, and an on/off button, so it couldn’t be more simple to use.
The scale runs on 2 x AAA batteries and the battery life is solid and it features a compact design for portability although it is a bit bigger than some of the other scales we have featured in this article.
Pros
- Arms for holding it up with your hands
- Folds down for compact storage
- Durable and long-lasting
- Super affordable
- Easy to use
- Backlit for low light conditions
- Good battery life
Cons
- Bigger than other weighing scales
Specs
Max Weight: 110 lbs
Units Avail.: lbs/kgs
Accuracy: 1 oz
Zero Facility: Yes
Saber Carp Fishing Dial Scales – My Best Budget Mechanical Pick!
Saber also provides a dial mechanical option for fishing scales which also is my best choice for those on a budget. These affordable scales are ideal for the carp fishing beginner and the Saber carp fishing scales are robust and have accurate dial scales.
They come with strong metal fittings and provide accurate measurement with an easy zeroing thumbwheel adjustment. One feature which I do really like on these scales is the large fluorescent pointer which is easy to read for those of us whose eyesight is not the greatest!
They can measure up to 27kg/60lb Maximum with 8oz intervals. Weighing and hanging hooks are included but there is no carrying pouch included, but can be ordered separately.
Pros
- Great Entry-level carp fishing scales
- Great fluorescent needle feature
- Durable and long-lasting
- Super affordable
- Easy to use
Cons
- Can fog up in colder weather
- No carrying case
Specs
Max Weight: 60 lbs
Units Avail.: lbs/kgs
Accuracy: 2 oz
Zero Facility: Yes
Korda Limited Edition Scales – My Best Quality Scales Pick!
The Korda Limited Edition Scales have an attractive “carpy” green shell. Korda is a trusted brand name in the carp fishing circles and these scales are a great option vs the Reuben Heatons. The main advantage is that these scales do not require any batteries so you will never be caught short when weighing a fish and you’ll save some cash on batteries too.
These scales weigh to a maximum of 120 lbs and it has a scale in both kgs and lbs too. But, the scale is not as accurate as a digital scale as the increments go up to 4 ounces at a time, instead of one ounce like the digital scales. The 60lbs version has a 2oz increment.
The needle on the scales also comes with a high vis green tip so that you can weigh your carp in low light conditions with ease too. You’ll also find that the scales are hard to hold at the top since they have a small eye so you will need to hook them onto something to weigh a large fish.
These scales are built to the highest quality though and therefore their durability is excellent and you will probably have them for life.
Pros
- Super durable and long-lasting
- No batteries required
- Awesome max weight of 120 lbs
- High vis green tip for low light weighing
- Affordable for the quality
Cons
- Not easy to hold yourself
- No zero button
Specs
Max Weight: 60/120 lbs
Units Avail.: lbs/kgs
Accuracy: 2/4 oz
Zero Facility: Yes
Avid Digital Scale – My Best Functionality Scale Pick!
The last of the best carp scales we are going to look at is the Avid Digital Scale. This scale has been designed to make weighing fish about as easy as possible and here is how.
The scales feature fold-out arms which allow you to hold the scale while you weigh a fish with ease rather than holding on to the eye on the top of the scale. The arms also fold back in so the scales are super compact and easy to transport too.
This scale has a maximum weight of 132 lbs so you can weigh huge carp with it. The zero function will ensure the weight is taken accurately and with an accuracy down to 1 ounce or 25 grams, so you can be sure the weight will be correct.
This is a very easy scale to use and it has some super useful functions like the hold button which makes weighing easier when the fish is shaking or your hands are shaking under the weight.
Pros
- Come with arms to hold so you can weigh fish easily
- Arms fold in for a compact design
- Digital scales with a backlight for night time weighing
- Excellent accuracy down to 1 ounce
- Durable build that lasts
- Good battery life
- Super easy to use
- Comes with a neoprene case
- Portable and lightweight
- You can weigh huge fish with it
- Low battery indicator
Cons
- None I can find
Specs
Max Weight: 132 lbs
Units Avail.: lbs/kgs
Accuracy: 1 oz
Zero Facility: Yes
Carp Fishing Scales FAQ
Digital vs Mechanical Scales?
Anglers have been debating this for many years but it really comes down to personal preference. Most specimen carp anglers prefer to look at the dial on the mechanical scales, but most fishermen prefer the digital version as it’s faster to use and easier to read.
How To Protect Your Fishing Scales?
Water and batteries don’t mix well, so when using digital scales always keep them as dry as possible and wipe them down with a clean dry towel after use. The glass or perspex dial face on mechanical scales is prone to be cracked if they are dropped, make sure you handle them with care to prolong their lifetime.
Wherever possible always store both scale types in a pouch or a holder for protection.
What Are The Best Fishing Scales?
Most serious carp anglers would choose the Reuben Heaton scales, however, anglers across the world use many different fishing scales due to their catch size and the species.
How Accurate Are Fishing Scales?
All fishing scales have some variation due to the quality of their construction. If you are concerned about the accuracy always buy the best quality options from companies such as Reuben Heaton, Korda or Fox. Budget fishing scales will not be as accurate.
How Do I Calibrate My Fishing Scales?
The easiest and fastest way to calibrate your fishing scales is to put a known 2lb and 10lb weight attached to a small length of fishing line. Removing and repeating this process will give you confidence they are as per the manufacturers’ specifications.
In certain cases, the scales can be sent back to the manufacturer for accredited calibration.
How Do I Zero My Fishing Scales?
When using digital scales you can simply press the zero button on the unit with your fish net attached to the end. If you are using dial or mechanical scales then you should adjust the thumbwheel on the scales and check with your eyes that the needle is level with the zero on the dial.
Weighing Up
Thanks very much for reading my article, I hope you enjoyed it and found the best carp scale for your needs. Remember, it is all about ensuring you can get accurate measurements quickly and easily so the fish doesn’t get hurt in any way.
If your looking for more general fishing scales Check out my article on The Best Fishing Weighing Scales For All Budgets Here!
Also, please take a look at some of our many carp related articles, such as the best carp bivvies, learn how to buy and use carp cradles correctly and awesome carp unhooking mats.
- How To Know The Age Of A Fish? Using The Science Of Calcified Structures - February 8, 2023
- How Do Seasons Affect Freshwater Fishing In Lakes And Rivers - February 7, 2023
- Tides And Seasons – How Do They Affect Saltwater Fishing? - February 3, 2023
