Coarse fishing with a pole is one of the best tactics when it comes to consistent fishing success on lakes, canals, and slow moving rivers. You can set up your feed and keep your hooked bait in the zone at all times, but owning a pole is an expensive investment and one you will want to protect.
In this article, we take a look at pole socks, an affordable bit of kit that keeps your pole safe while shipping in to land a fish or re-bait your hook. Everyone who fishes with a pole should have one but a quick search online will have you inundated with too many options.
Our Best Pole Socks
Luckily, we have narrowed the options down and reviewed only the best 5 pole socks on the market for you so you can make a quick and easy decision about which one is right for you.
- Preston Innovations Pole Safe Combo – My Best Overall Pick!
- Preston Innovations Pole Safe Sock
- Guru Reaper Pole Section Retainer – My Best For Multiple Pole Sections
- Tubertini Pole Holder – My Best Budget Pick!
- Daiwa Single Pole Sock – My Best Lightweight Pick!
Preston Innovations Pole Safe Combo – My Best Overall Pick!
The Preston Innovations Pole Safe Combo is more than just a pole sock as being a combo it also comes with a handy grip, giving you everything you need to keep your pole safe in one great product.
The pole sock and grip are built with high-quality materials that last and they measure up to the excellent quality Preston Innovations continues to deliver to us coarse anglers. You will own this combo for a long time if you treat it right!
The combo is light and compact making carrying to and from the bank a breeze, and setting it up is really easy. You can add it to a cross arm or offbox ripple bar with the included thread so it is in the perfect position for shipping. You also have the option to use the included snaplock fitting for a close setup.
The sock is wide and colourful to make it easy to find while playing a fish plus it is padded and features durable netting so once your pole section is in there, you know it will be safe. Once you have landed a fish or need to re-bait, you can use the pole grip for the short section, which not only makes your life easy but protects your pole from any accidents.
This is an all-around combo that keeps your pole safe in all fishing scenarios, the only downside is that it is a little more expensive than other simpler designs, but I think it is worth the few quid extra for the combo.
Pros
- Clips onto your seat box accessory bars easily
- Multiple fitting options – Fits both left and right side
- Comes with a grip and a sock
- The sock is padded for pole protection
- The grip is handy for shorter sections
- Built with quality materials
- Long-lasting durability
- Very affordable
- Lightweight and compact for portability
Cons
- Costs a bit more than others on the market
Specs
Weight: 381 grams
Dimensions: 29.6 x 26.6 x 6.4 cm
Material: Polyester/polyurethane
Padded: Yes
Preston Innovations Pole Safe Sock
If you are looking for just the pole sock without the gripper you can buy the alternative option with just the sock. This comes at a slightly lower price than the pole combo. The sock is exactly the same as the combo version.
Guru Reaper Pole Section Retainer – My Best Pick For Multiple Pole Sections!
The Guru Reaper Pole Section Retainer isn’t your average pole sock either as it comes with two socks and a tulip grip in the middle allowing you to safely store multiple sections with ease.
This excellent design means you can store the first section you remove in the right sock, the second in the left, and use the tulip grip for your end section when you need to re-rig or re-bait. Life couldn’t be made any easier for those of you using long 13+ meter poles.
The large diameter of the pole socks ensures you can safely store anything between a single number four section to a full 16m pole minus the top three. Plus the bright orange colour means finding your sock while fighting a fish is as easy as possible.
The socks are well made using metal, EVA foam, and a PU mesh so they are going to last and the foam padding ensures that your pole is well protected once stored.
Adding it to your seat box is incredibly simple using the included thread and you can place it in the perfect place for shipping while doing so.
To top it all off, the Guru Reaper Pole Section Retainer is super light and small for portability, not adding much weight to your already heavy gear bag. The one downside is that it is a bit more expensive than a basic pole sock but you are getting a lot for the money with 2 socks and a tulip grip.
Pros
- Connects to your seat box easily
- Brightly coloured so you don’t miss
- Dual socks for multiple sections
- Padded to protect your pole after shipping
- Large and will house big sections
- Durable build that lasts
- Small and light for portability
- The tulip grip is great when re-baiting
- Excellent value
Cons
- More expensive than other options
Specs
Weight: 100 grams
Dimensions: 22.9 x 22.3 x 7.1 cm
Material: Metal, EVA Foam
Padded: Yes
Tubertini Pole Holder – My Best Budget Pick!
The Tubertini Pole Holder couldn’t feature a more simple design as it is simply a pole sock with a thread at the bottom for attaching to your seat box. It is not a combo like the two products we looked at above.
The simplicity of the design makes this pole sock incredibly affordable and thus it is perfect for any anglers shopping on a super tight budget. You do lose a bit of quality and functionality with the lower price but it is still very much fit for purpose.
The sock comes with a bright yellow rim so you can find it easily, and with some padding for protection but not as much as the others. The netting is top quality, as is everything else used to make this pole sock so you are still getting a durable product despite the awesome affordability.
Another great thing about this pole sock is how light and small it is, it couldn’t be more portable! A great beginner’s pole sock or those that only pole fish rarely.
Pros
- Incredibly affordable
- Easily attaches to a stand
- Good diameter for larger sections
- Well made with quality materials
- Long-lasting durability
- The yellow rim makes it easy to find
- Super light and small for portability
Cons
- Not as well padded as the other pole socks
- It only functions as a sock and nothing else
Specs
Weight: 60 grams
Dimensions: 20 x 20 x 4 cm
Material: Metal, Polyester
Padded: Semi
Daiwa Single Pole Sock – My Best Lightweight Pick!
The Daiwa Single Pole Sock is a step up from the Tubertini Pole Holder while featuring a very similar design and still being ridiculously affordable.
When you buy something from Daiwa, you know you’re getting a quality product and the same goes for the Daiwa Single Pole Sock. Made from PU/Polyester/Eva Foam/Metal, this is made to last and to ensure your pole stays safe and protected.
The padding around the rim is excellent, as is the netting, plus adding it to a stand or seat box couldn’t be easier. To add to the great features, it is also very small and light so it won’t weigh you down unnecessarily.
It would, however, be a little better if it had brighter colours so it was easier to find and a large diameter for holding larger sections but overall it is a great pole sock at an amazing price.
Pros
- Excellent build quality
- Lasts a long time
- Padded for excellent pole protection
- Super compact and light for portability
- Simple and easy-to-use design
- Attaches to a stand or seat box with ease
- Comes at a very low price
Cons
- The colours could be a bit brighter
- Not the biggest diameter
Specs
Weight: 50 grams
Dimensions: 17 x 17 x 5 cm
Material: PU/Polyester/Eva Foam/Metal
Padded: Yes
Pole Sock FAQ
What Are Pole Socks For?
Pole socks are for keeping your pole by your side at arms reach. Their main purpose is to prevent the pole from sliding into the water whilst fishing. The Pole Sock fits easily with a snap-lock fitting or can be screwed directly into your bank stick.
Should I Buy A Single Pole Sock Or A Two Pole Sock?
If you fish with a short pole of 10 meters or less then a single pole sock is perfect. When you use a very long pole with multiple sections then two socks are best, this allows the pole sections to have enough space to fit nicely into each sock.
What Is A Mini Pole Sock?
A mini pole sock has a much smaller sock diameter and is used only for small diameter poles or one or two sections of pole. They are a little harder to place your pole section into and most anglers prefer the standard pole sock.
Will Pole Socks Fit My Fishing Box?
All pole socks from any manufacturer will fit on any box or bank sticks. The thread and inserts are standard with every type of fittings or diameter.
Shipping Out
Thanks very much for reading my article. I hope you enjoyed it, found it useful, and discovered the right pole sock for you. They really are a great bit of kit and a super affordable way to keep your expensive pole protected. My pick for the best overall pole sock, the Preston Pole Safe Combo is a tremendous buy due to its double roost and sock.
Please share the article with your fishing buddies and if you enjoyed it, why not take a look at my article on the best margin pole and my in-depth review on the best pole rollers available on the market.
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