New Direction S9 Bite Alarms

New Direction Tackle have been around for five years and are known throughout the carp fishing world for being at the forefront of technology. If you keep your ear to the ground in the angling world you will undoubtedly have seen their innovative Bluetooth bite alarms and Bluetooth bait boat, plus the very handy bivvy lights and motion detectors. New Direction are clearly always searching for ways to use technology to make carp fishing more effective, so it’s no surprise to see their latest alarms are packed with features.

1. S9 alarms

All New Direction kit has a distinct, and stylish, look to it, and these new alarms are no exception. It’s very difficult to stand out in the crowded bite-alarm market, but these tiny little heads have a real presence to them. The body of the alarms is just 5.5cm tall and 3.7cm across, but they pack a lot of tech into their diminutive frames.

Like previous ND alarms, these can be fully controlled via an app on your phone and a Bluetooth signal, making them a doddle to customise and set-up. Each S9 head also has five different-colour LEDs, which are cycled through and selected after a simple double tap of the front on/off button.

Sensitivity has been hugely improved over the earlier K9 alarms. Incredibly, just 4mm of line movement is needed to signal a beep on the highest sensitivity setting, and there are nine other settings if you want more flexibility.

The rechargeable lithium-ion battery packs are a New Direction hallmark and boast a 900hr standby time, while a high-quality speaker emits seven different tones up to 100dB. A 30-second mute mode is also a very welcome function for setting your bobbins in peace!
Each alarm also comes with a pair of screw-in snag ears which act as antennae for the receiver.

There is only one button on the face of the alarms because the well-engineered remote allows you to tweak your alarms’ volume, tone and sensitivity from your bivvy. It has a range of 150m and is just as stylish looking as the heads.

In short, these alarms have all the functionality you could wish for, while looking unlike anything else on the market. You will certainly stand out from the crowds with these on your buzzer bars, and with two-rod presentation kits (including a receiver) starting at just £95 (it’s £119 for three rods), the S9s represent incredible value for money.

2. T10s Spring Indicators

These very clever indicators are spring loaded to keep tension on your line and enhance tight-line drop-back indication.

Inside the attractive carbon indicator body is a spring that runs almost the entire length of the cylinder. This effectively creates a sprung telescopic action, allowing the indicator head to lengthen and contract as a bite occurs. This is particularly useful when looking for those hard-to-detect drop backs when fishing with tight lines, but also gives you a great visual clue to the severity and force of the bite.

The line clip sits within the frame of the indicator head and is totally line-friendly and adjustable to suit all diameters.

Each of the T10 indicators comes in its own foam-lined presentation case to keep it safe, and there is also a screw-in extension piece for the indicator arm, allowing it to be used with all alarm types.

The arm and indicator can also be removed from the buzzer bar bracket with a simple magnetic catch, allowing you to quickly pack away at the end of a session.

Smartbands

Yet more innovation from New Direction comes in the form of the Smartband, due for release this summer. Unlike a conventional receiver, this wristband receiver emits no sound, but instead alerts you to a run with vibration and illumination. It works up to 80m from your alarms and, like the S9 Alarms, is USB rechargeable. It’s set to cost just £19.90.