Guru A-Class 13m Power Pole review

Aiming to provide quality kit at affordable prices, Guru have released the A-Class range of poles that come in five different lengths – 5.5m, 8m, 9.5m, 11.5m and 13m. I wanted to give the longest of the lot a thorough workout, and with the word ‘Power’ proudly emblazoned in unmissable writing across the butt section, I headed for a commercial where the carp will test your tackle to the limit.

On unzipping the bag, I was immediately impressed at just how much kit you get for £600 – four top kits, a cupping kit, and two mini sections as well as the pole itself. Impressively, Guru offers the option of a Match or Power pack, meaning you get top kits that are best-suited to the style of fishing you do most often.

I’d gone down the Power route, which came with two 5.8mm kits capable of housing the thickest of elastics for fishing down the edge or close to snags, along with a pair of 4.7mm match power kits that would comfortably take up to a black Hydrolastic for open-water work. This kind of versatility is pretty much unheard of in the budget pole market and makes sure you don’t end up with kit that you’ll never make use of, it also saves buying a margin pole and a main pole for shorter distances.

I’d purposely set the elastic quite tightly to thoroughly test the strength of the pole, and despite the prolonged violent surge of multiple carp on the other end, the sections didn’t flinch. There were no eerie creeks or groans, giving me full confidence to apply maximum pressure. The 5.8mm top kit that I’d employed gave me the same vibe, stripping the thick elastic smoothly out of the puller bung to gain control over the fish.

I expected the A-Class to pass the strength test, but there are other important attributes that go into making a pole pleasurable to use. Weight is a big factor for many and, at 11m the pole is certainly comfortable to handle all day long. Stick the butt section in and the weight rises slightly, but it is still more than manageable for reasonable periods.

One thing that will perhaps raise a few eyebrows is the absence of side pullers on any of the top kits. This is likely down to the fact that Guru don’t currently have a side puller of their own, although work is under way to rectify that shortfall with future models. In the meantime, there is a small, reinforced section that will accommodate any side puller you wish, and there are plenty of carbon ‘experts’ across the land that will be able to install one of these for you at reasonably small cost.

The verdict

The range is going to appeal to anglers looking for their first ‘proper’ long pole and, most users will dabble at the full length for short periods before coming back closer. It is as stiff and responsive as anything else on the market in this price bracket, and the finish on the A-Class is impressive too – when I needed to ship quickly, it glided through my hands with the absolute minimum of fuss.

Strength is key with any budget pole, as users are likely to have the odd mishap. But there are no fears in that respect with this pole, such is its robust build quality. Add to that a solid performance on all major bases and you’ve got a pole that’s going to be extremely popular, and for good reason – it’s a belter for the money! It’s also worth remembering that the package for this pole is better than many others in the same bracket – supplying it with four top kits, a cupping kit and mini sections is impressive.

Tech Spec

- Section aligning numbers

- Strengthened zone on top kits for side puller installation

- All top kits pre-bushed

- Supplied in clear PVC tubes with orange Guru branded caps

**Author [Tony Grigorjevs]{href='https://www.anglingtimes.co.uk/author/tony-grigorjevs-features-editor/' }** has worked in various roles within both Angling Times and Improve Your Coarse Fishing, getting involved in news and feature writing, photography, filming and editing.