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Preston Superium X75 16m pole review
Mark Sawyer finds that the new Preston Innovations Superium X75 pole can match the lofty standards set by its predecessor
from Preston Innovations
RRP £1999.99
by Mark Sawyer |
Updated on8th December 2025 at 9.33am
Preston Superium X75 16m
Daiwa Connoisseur G90 PRO 16m
Maver MV-R S2000
Matrix XTR 400 Ultra Power 14.5m Pole
In order to live-test fishing tackle properly, two main things are essential – water and fish – although when it’s freezing cold, the latter aren’t always ready to smile for the camera!
A third ‘must-have’ for my journo time on the bank, and something that no-one except me ever gets to see, is a photographer, who these days doubles up as a videographer.
Camera personnel come in a variety of shapes and sizes, all with their little foibles and eccentricities. But there is one obsession shared by the lot of ’em, namely that the sun has never been, and never will be, in the right place when they want to press the button.
Now, to you and me, the sun is by and large going to be found somewhere above us. But, to a photographer, it doesn’t matter where you sit – especially if it’s where the fish are – the sun will never be where they need it to be. Trust me on this!
All joking aside, I’ve been in this game long before video and social media output was even a thing. And, in my time I’ve had the pleasure of working with all the best photographers in angling.
Mick ‘The Don’ Rouse and Lloyd Rogers, both working for Angling Times, produced some amazing work for the magazine (or newspaper, as it used to be).
Elsewhere, Nufish man Joe Carass knows how to capture a moment, as does Daiwa’s Ryan Hayden, who must be the best big-fish stills photographer around.
Former Angling Times man and Carpfeed online editor Thom Airs also gets a mention, for his patience as much as anything, and his skills with stills go from strength to strength.
I mention all the above because this latest live test saw me meeting up with Preston Innovations’ Zsolt Ujvari – or, as Preston’s star anglers know him, Zsolt the Uncoachable!
It was the first time out on the bank for Zsolt and me, and my snapper arrived at the ever-reliable Jansons Fishery with a van packed full of Preston Innovations’ latest Superium X poles for me to run the rule over.
To the best of my knowledge, these are the second-generation Superiums, although the top kits go back probably four generations to the Response range of poles. Why improve on perfection?
With no fewer than eight new Superium X poles available (if you count the Power Carp and Power Margin models), I certainly had plenty of choice.
I eventually decided on the new 75 model, and I’ll tell you why. First, the original Superium X70 was widely considered to be one of the best poles on the market.
Second, I was hand-on-heart shocked when Zsolt told me that the new X75 cost well under the £2,000 ceiling that I try not to exceed when live testing for Angling Times. Safe to say, I genuinely expected to be trialling the new X55, so I was hugely impressed to discover that I could go above that, in terms of performance and package, with the 16m X75 model.
According to Preston, the new 16m X75 pole offers unparalleled rigidity, strength and balance. They also said that improving on the X70 was always going to be difficult. But subtle changes in carbon content on key areas and the inclusion of graphene technology that have made this pole even better, and incredibly stiff at all lengths, strong enough to deal with bagging nets of big carp while still making rig control precise and easy.
IN THIS BUYERS GUIDE WE PICK OUR CHOICE OF THE BEST FISHING POLES.
Verdict
A key aspect of this pole is its incredible responsiveness, even at its longest length.
This has been achieved by using a slightly slimmer mandrel and different tapers, which combine to create maximum rigidity.
I wouldn’t argue with any of that – the pole is certainly stiff enough to be fished at 16m and, more importantly, responsive enough at its tip to be used with a short lash without a hitch.
I fished with it at full length and, while I didn’t catch anything big enough to test its mettle, I’ve handled enough poles to know that even with a hefty hollow elastic through a Power top kit, this one isn’t going to let you down. It ships along very nicely, and all sections come apart easily without a hint of sticking.
To tell you the truth, I own an original Superium X90 (that I paid for).
It’s my pole of choice for commercial matches, and if you’d have blindfolded me and handed me both poles I wouldn’t have been able to tell you which one was the stiffer, stronger, quicker – or more expensive, for that matter!
What I could have told you, though, was that despite being of Hungarian descent, Zsolt the Uncoachable is a proper screw-loose photographer in the finest English tradition.
Once he was in position on the far side of the lake – camera in hand – he shouted (and I quote): “The sun is ready for you to catch one now, Mark!”
Photographers, eh?
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS PRODUCT AND OTHERS FROM PRESTON INNOVATIONS HERE.
Tech Spec
- Pole end protectors
- Alignment arrows
- Top kit depth markers
- Match kit in pole
- 1 x Match kit
- 2 x F1 kits
- 3 x Carp kits
- 2 x F1 short grey kits
- Cupping kit
- Hardcase Pole-safe
- 16m pole including mini extension
1. Preston Superium X75 16m
Price: $1899.99
The Preston Superium X75 feels like a proper step up rather than a token refresh. Built on high grade Japanese carbon with extra reinforcement thanks to Graphene in key sections, it is noticeably rigid and well balanced, even at the full 16 metres.
Top kits now come with depth markers at 1 inch intervals, which makes it much easier to fine tune depths and swap between rigs with confidence. The kits are fully interchangeable and, importantly, all existing Superium and Response kits slot straight on, so current Preston pole owners are not starting from scratch.
According to Preston, a slimmer mandrel and revised tapers are what give the X75 its extra stiffness and responsiveness. On the bank it backs that up. It ships smoothly, sections break down cleanly without sticking and the pole feels happy fishing a short lash at full length. While I did not hook anything truly monstrous on test, it feels more than capable of dealing with heavy hollow elastics and big commercial carp.
Supplied in a Preston Pole Safe hardcase and equally at home on commercials, rivers and canals, the Superium X75 looks a very realistic upgrade for any existing Preston pole user who wants more stiffness and control without losing strength or compatibility.
Pros & ConsSpecifications
Pros
- Super stiff and responsive
- 1” Interval depth markers allow fine tuning and reference points to ensure accuracy
- Interchangeable with predecessor model and other models in its range
Cons
- Would like to see an option of spares package allowing choice for anglers preferences
Length:13mTop kits:Five, plus cupping kitCompatibility:All sections interchange with entire Series 4 range
Price: $1899.99
Our pick of the alternatives
Daiwa Connoisseur G90 PRO 16m
Price: $2199.99
When Daiwa started its social media tease that a new G90 was on the way, I had mixed feelings of excitement and concern. Daiwa must believe it can better the G90, but why would the company want to meddle with not just a winning formula, but a magic alignment of variables that makes the G90 so legendary?
The Super MSG Nanoplus carbon has been tweaked and V-Joint alpha refined, making the pole a little stiffer and slightly lighter. The ITS taping has been extended, and runs from the No4 to the No8 sections, which makes all the black sections as slick and easy toship as the Diamond Satin painted butt sections.
As expected, the packages have been upgraded to include the new professional top kits. The choice is either More Power or More F1, theformer coming with a selection of full-length top kits while the latter boasts two types of short one-piece F1 kit and a short fourth section to complement them.Both come with the relevant length cupping kit to match the supplied top kits, a Match kit inside the pole, a reversible Super Light PHEX extension and a holdall. For current Daiwa pole owners, it can also be bought ‘Pole Only’, so you can take your top kits with you.
I think this just sums up what the G90 Pro is–a pole that can handle anything a commercial water has to offer. It has the rigidity to fish at 16m, the response to catch F1s against islands, the strength to handle slapping or edge fishing , and enough power to make your margin pole redundant. In fact, take it out for a pasting on a big demanding natural venue if you want. It will lap it up!
SEE OUR FULL REVIEW OF THE G90 PRO ON THE ANGLING TIMES YOUTUBE CHANNEL, CLICK HERE!
Pros & ConsSpecifications
Pros
- 2 spares package to help tailor to your needs
- Compatible with all UK made Daiwa poles
Cons
- F1 Package is supplied with all one piece 1.8m top kits, would like to have seen an inclusion of more than just the match kit inside the pole at 2.4m.
Length:13mTop kits:Three plus cupping kitCompatibility:Top kits compatible with the whole TKS range, past and present. Larger sections compatible with 201 and 301
Price: $2199.99
3. Maver MV-R S2000
Price: $1999.99
At 16 metres MV-R S2000, is strong, stable, and packed with premium features usually reserved for flagship models, without pushing into eye-watering money.
Constructed from Reglass’ M8 carbon with a nanolith finish and AFS anti-friction coating, it’s a pleasure to ship, even when wet. The sections are reinforced with Teflon joints for added durability, and the heat-resistant Black Core treatment helps reflect heat and stop the pole being too hot to handle on those rare sunny days.
The top kits are proper too, six in total. split between three R Series Commercial Power (rated to a 20 elastic) and three Powerlite kits (rated to 16). All come with factory-fitted side pullers and pre-bushed PTFE tips. I shoved a 17-rated hollow through one of the Powerlites just to see what it could handle… and it didn’t blink as I pulled fish away from pads without so much as a groan.
It’s built on Maver’s standard 22mm mandrel, so it plays nicely with existing kits from Signature Pro, Oculus and Definition poles. The mini extension, cupping kit, and tube holdall round off what is a very complete package for the money.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Heat reflective black core finish
- Back compatible with kits from older models
Cons
- Feels quite hefty at 16m
Price: $1999.99
Matrix XTR 400 Ultra Power 14.5m Pole
Price: $899.99
The new 14.5m XTR400 Ultra Power model, which costs under a thousand pounds is one of a new range of poles Matrix.
They have gone back to the drawing board and designed a whole new mandrel, with slimmer top kits in an attempt to push the boundaries of pole performance to suit modern day commercial fishing and come up with the XTR range of poles. A big risk in this modern era of pole fishing where a legacy of spares is crucial to the longevity of any pole.
Therefore, this range is not compatible with the previous generations of poles, but Matrix is certain this is the right choice, and with the use of new technologically advanced materials, are convinced they have produced a range of pole far superior in strength and reliability to the previous MTX range of poles.
As its name suggests, it isn’t best put to use for bleak bashing! Nope, this is a rumbustious lout of a pole, full of brutish attitude and packed with the sort of stopping power that wouldn’t have looked out of place as a gladiator’s weapon.
Stiff as you like, and with little post-strike tip recoil, it could, in my opinion, be safely used with the heaviest of hollow elastics. It ships a treat without sticking, even in the rain – as I found out. The side puller kits are faultless in performance, and for me this is an outstanding pole and ideal for use in any commercial Colosseum.
SEE WHAT MARK THOUGHT OF THE MATRIX XTR400 ULTRA POWER 14.5M POLE WHEN HE PUT IT THROUGH ITS PACES IN THIS FULL REVIEW.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Incredibly strong, ideal for heavy elastic and big fish
- Arguably the best commercial stlye pole at this price point
- Cupping kit is best we've seen
Cons
- Marginally better at 13m than at 14.5m
- Maybe limited to commercial fishery use
Price: $899.99
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