Seat Box Choice

[M.H]

Hi Folks,

First post and returned to angling after an 18 year absence, work and life duties removed my spare time.

I had, and still have, a Wayahead Rive Conti Box with lots of trays/drawers that I used to clip on and off dependant where I fished. I live a few mins away from the middle Severn and this is my fishing spot of choice, and a stick/waggler angler who reluctantly picked up the feeder rod. My walks to pegs could be anything from 1 - 5 meadows so bear this mind !

My Rive box has the Octopus legs bolted on, no footplate, limited accessories - and looking at modern boxes, it looks and feels outdated. So I've decided to buy new, I've looked at the Rive D25 and wondered whether my old Rive cassettes/drawers would fit this box ? And I've also looked at the Matrix S25. Finally, on either box, where do you store reels ?! Last week I carried 3 reels for stick, waggler, bolo, 1 heavier reel in case the barbel showed on the float and 1 reel for feeder work, so 5 reels.

Look forward to your input, thanks.

M.H.

 

[Maesknoll]

I know nothing of the boxes you mention, I use an Octbox, had one for 6 years and wouldn’t use anything else.

Plenty of videos and info about these on the web, equally happy at home on a commercial platform or set up in a river or reservoir.

Octbox Seat Boxes are engineered to give Match Anglers more stability than any other Seat Box. Home Octbox Seat Boxes are engineered to give Match Anglers more stability than any other Seat Box.

Octbox the company that specialises in hi performance ultra light seat boxes that can take several hundred kilos of force without slipping.

www.octbox.co.uk

 

[lliopp]

Reels are already on your pre assembled rods in your nice hard case holdall. I can also recommend a octbox.

 

[TrickyD]

I've looked at the Rive D25 and wondered whether my old Rive cassettes/drawers would fit this box ?

The older Wayahead/Tubertini conti boxes are based on the F1 trays, modern ones are F2 and are approx 41cm x 28cm, so I'm almost certain they won't fit.

 

[M.H]

The older Wayahead/Tubertini conti boxes are based on the F1 trays, modern ones are F2 and are approx 41cm x 28cm, so I'm almost certain they won't fit.

Thanks TrickyD, I've just measured the outside dimensions of the plastic clasps and the trays are 300mm x 420 which I suppose is the tray dimension you mention, and therefore interchangeable. My box has the moulded pole seat with the RIVE name embossed into it.

 

[Chris Calder]

Had an Octbox for quite a few years, you can add trays as you wish, not keen on Rive myself,

 

[TrickyD]

My box has the moulded pole seat with the RIVE name embossed into it.

Ah, I was thinking of the ones with the flat red quilted seat and integral push button legs. The one you have were great, if the drawers and trays are in good nick you could flog them easily on ebay if not needed.

 

[Scribe]

Evening Mr H

Have a look at the Octbox MK19 Compact Seat Box or the Octbox MK19 Ultralight Compact box with Drawers and swivel tray which I have. Really excellent boxes and the swivel tray tray that works as a sidetray is brilliant. Not cheap but excellent quality.

There is a YouTube video of the box here

 

[M.H]

Evening Mr H

Have a look at the Octbox MK19 Compact Seat Box or the Octbox MK19 Ultralight Compact box with Drawers and swivel tray which I have. Really excellent boxes and the swivel tray tray that works as a sidetray is brilliant. Not cheap but excellent quality.

There is a YouTube video of the box here

Thanks Scribe, I'll take a look

 

[robert d]

I know nothing of the boxes you mention, I use an Octbox, had one for 6 years and wouldn’t use anything else.

Plenty of videos and info about these on the web, equally happy at home on a commercial platform or set up in a river or reservoir.

Octbox Seat Boxes are engineered to give Match Anglers more stability than any other Seat Box. Home Octbox Seat Boxes are engineered to give Match Anglers more stability than any other Seat Box.

Octbox the company that specialises in hi performance ultra light seat boxes that can take several hundred kilos of force without slipping.

www.octbox.co.uk

Octbox for me to . As said already reels in ready made up rods and spare reels in caryall for me if needed

 

[drw]

octbox fan as well very versatile

 

[Not Now Kato]

Another shout for Octbox. I spent a lot of time looking for a box to replace my ageing Tubertini Conti Box. Problems I found were that a number of boxes had drawers that opened forwards - not overly practical when you're sat on the box; others required you to get off the box to open the lid or the base to get at things - again not overly practical; and others having side drawers that were stiff to open when sat on the box - again having to shift weight to open them easily.

I was pointed towards Octbox and after looking at videos and reviews decided to order a Mk 19 to my specification, (that's a nice feature of Octbox, they're so customisable), knowing that I could return it if I didn't like it. Well, it was everything they said it was and more so not only did I keep it, I added to it over time with things like the wheel set, (don't need a separate barrow or trolley), the Bump Bar and a few other bits, which all fit directly onto the box to become an integral part of it. And it's very stable and solid.

It's not the lightest of boxes, but it's certainly the most practical and expandable of all the ones I got to look at. Oh, and all the drawers open easily whilst I'm sat on it; and better still they're designed such that even if you tip the box upside down everything stays in place and nothing moves between compartments or falls out as the drawers are held in place magnetically.

 

[M.H]

Another shout for Octbox. I spent a lot of time looking for a box to replace my ageing Tubertini Conti Box. Problems I found were that a number of boxes had drawers that opened forwards - not overly practical when you're sat on the box; others required you to get off the box to open the lid or the base to get at things - again not overly practical; and others having side drawers that were stiff to open when sat on the box - again having to shift weight to open them easily.

I was pointed towards Octbox and after looking at videos and reviews decided to order a Mk 19 to my specification, (that's a nice feature of Octbox, they're so customisable), knowing that I could return it if I didn't like it. Well, it was everything they said it was and more so not only did I keep it, I added to it over time with things like the wheel set, (don't need a separate barrow or trolley), the Bump Bar and a few other bits, which all fit directly onto the box to become an integral part of it. And it's very stable and solid.

It's not the lightest of boxes, but it's certainly the most practical and expandable of all the ones I got to look at. Oh, and all the drawers open easily whilst I'm sat on it; and better still they're designed such that even if you tip the box upside down everything stays in place and nothing moves between compartments or falls out as the drawers are held in place magnetically.

Good info Not Now Kato, thank you.

 

[adriang]

First outing with my new (to me) Rive 25. The 2 black trays are the supplied Rive ones (one on the seat base, one on the stacker base, which slides into the void under the seat).

The silver trays are either Tubertini (from my old, originally red topped, conti box) or early Rive (that I bought from a guy in Upton on Severn). The all fit together just fine. The sliding catches are visually different, but the pins line up exactly the same, so I'm reusing my trays just fine.

My old Conti box had octoplus, I ended up selling most of it on eBay (made a tidy sum), which I then spent on Preston gear, which fits the 25mm diameter legs of the new box. (Octoplus is 16mm I think).



To be fair, I'm not convinced! The contibox setup was pretty light, and I took what octoplus I needed. (rarely a footplate for example). The Rive, it's all there, and it weighs a tonne! Ironically, the guy I bought it from sold it because he was getting a Matrix setup, and he said that is eve heavier.

I've finally come to terms that I need to buy a barrow for those longer treks.

 

[M.H]

First outing with my new (to me) Rive 25. The 2 black trays are the supplied Rive ones (one on the seat base, one on the stacker base, which slides into the void under the seat).

The silver trays are either Tubertini (from my old, originally red topped, conti box) or early Rive (that I bought from a guy in Upton on Severn). The all fit together just fine. The sliding catches are visually different, but the pins line up exactly the same, so I'm reusing my trays just fine.

My old Conti box had octoplus, I ended up selling most of it on eBay (made a tidy sum), which I then spent on Preston gear, which fits the 25mm diameter legs of the new box. (Octoplus is 16mm I think).



To be fair, I'm not convinced! The contibox setup was pretty light, and I took what octoplus I needed. (rarely a footplate for example). The Rive, it's all there, and it weighs a tonne! Ironically, the guy I bought it from sold it because he was getting a Matrix setup, and he said that is eve heavier.

I've finally come to terms that I need to buy a barrow for those longer treks.

That bottom picture is almost identical to what I've got, the Contibox with Octoplus, I have the moulded pole seat. The deep base holds my reels, catapults, various attachments. Thanks for confirming that the trays etc fit the Rive 25, it was one of my first thoughts and something I could do as I've got plenty of trays/drawers. There's a lot of support for Octbox though, nobody shouting up for the Matrix S25

 

[adriang]

Those bottom picture is almost identical to what I've got, the Contibox with Octoplus, I have the moulded pole seat. The deep base holds my reels, catapults, various attachments. Thanks for confirming that the trays etc fit the Rive 25, it was one of my first thoughts and something I could do as I've got plenty of trays/drawers. There's a lot of support for Octbox though, nobody shouting up for the Matrix S25

Exactly the reason why I bought it, as it meant I could reuse the drawers/trays. To be honest, I don't have a tray deep enough to take reels (or my ground bait spray bottle), so they are now in my carryall. I've looked at them for sale, but I'm going to work on reducing the load I'm taking.

The rive box I got from the guy in Upton has the molded seat, but the SeatboxUK one I had done last year was one of my better upgrades.

Selling my Octoplus more than covered the cost of the Rive unit (second hand), and various Preston bits and pieces, so I got a good upgrade.

 

[Chris Calder]

advantage of octbox is you don't have to build up the height to suit with draws/modules, the frame which holds the trays moves up and down so you could easily use it with just one tray/module if using it for a river

 

[Rick123]

Against the grain, but if I had to buy another seat box, I'd buy the old Shakespeare hard plastic box and add some legs to it. Why, well I'v been watching some old clips of people fishing with them, and you get so much more bottom room, then add a cushion and bingo. At under £50 they are cheap, and most people have a trolly of some kind these days, don't they? In winter I carry little so I'd get everything in it, waterproof, crash proof and full of nostalgia for a lost moment in time. I would buy an extra wide strap how-ever.

 

[david white]

Against the grain, but if I had to buy another seat box, I'd buy the old Shakespeare hard plastic box and add some legs to it. Why, well I'v been watching some old clips of people fishing with them, and you get so much more bottom room, then add a cushion and bingo. At under £50 they are cheap, and most people have a trolly of some kind these days, don't they? In winter I carry little so I'd get everything in it, waterproof, crash proof and full of nostalgia for a lost moment in time. I would buy an extra wide strap how-ever.

What I still use and maybe have done for the last 25 years or so ( to be honest I’ve got both the original and the beta version ) both have octoplus legs but no platform or side tray ( still use a Drennan baitwaiter ) I got a few odd looks when I fished a few club matches last year but there ( matches ) ain’t really my cup of tea and I’ve got thick skin very much if it ain’t broke .........

 

[Arch]

Todays incarnations shouldn't be called boxes IMO, they should be called seats. They don't hold anything.

These beauties are boxes.





I still use an AS1. I don't carry made up rods though, so all my reels and spare spools go in the bottom of my AS1 along with catapults, hooklength boxes, feeders and such like. If I ever needed a new box, I'd buy a second hand AS1.

Not much help, sorry.