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Digital scales dunce appeal

S

Steve Double

Senior Member
Having been, to my cost, overly-reliant on Reuban Heaton Flyweight scales over the years, I decided to go digital this season.

However, I'm now on my third set inside a moth. The Korum Digitals made a promising start, but then gave up the ghost when they got slightly wet. Next came the Wychwood T-bar Digitals, which barely lasted a fortnight before dying - again, I think a bit of moisture might have been involved.

I'm now trying the basic Berkeley Digitals, which claim to be waterproof. The bit that flummoxes me is that when you zero them and then put them somewhere flat before slipping the fish into the sling, the indication bounces all over the place - how confident can I be that they have indeed zeroed on the sling, and stayed zeroed? There was 3oz difference last night between then and the Reubens on an 11lb-er last night.

The common denominator with all these is that they're under £30. Should I stop being so tight and get a more expensive set, and if so which one? Worth bearing in mind I'm an accident-prone, clumsy git.
 
I have given up on digitals, just dont trust them. Got my self a set of Reuben H
dials scales, feel much happier now when i weigh anything.
 
I've got the RH9000's too, had them for 3 seasons now and never let me down.
 
I've been using RH 7000's for six years and have had no problems. They have a very low battery drain compared to Fox digitals.
The down side is that you need a small x screwdriver to access the battery and they are a bit bulky. Also, T bar and pouch are not included.
If I'm roving and need to cut my gear down I often put the old Avons in the bag.
 
steve, as with all digital scales or thermometers ect you must keep the battery at full strength and use good high powered quality ones mate, incidently try the shakespeare ones, cheap and effective, i keep min inside my suitcase to weigh case when flying and its not let me down yet:) RHs make up my fishing scales buti seldom weigh or photograph fish :)
 
The last few decent sets of Avon on eBay have gone around £45.
 
My avons are about 35 years old, and have served me well. The colour coded dial has faded slightly, and the perspex facia has scuffed, which could potentially lead to a dodgy weight, especially when trying to read the dial with a head torch.
If I could have replaced or refurbished them I would have done so.
The digitals appealed because they did away with the round the clock increments and also the backlight is great after dark, but you knew the Avons weren't ever going to run out of juice. As I said though, the 7000,s have a low battery drain and mine have been very reliable .
 
I happily used Avons for many years, but eventually found they became a little inaccurate. I 'caught' my last set under-weighing by an ounce, at least the right direction I suppose, although I'm still haunted by roach and grayling each weighed on them at 1-15. So, I decided to try digital and went for a relatively cheap RT (Ron Thompson?) Zenso. I wasn't expecting much, but they've now seen several years service with a lot of use and the big, fat Duracell hardly ever wearing out. On a recommendation, I even got myself a RH9025 Sportscale, brilliant, but at present they still only get used for checking the old RT scales, and so far the weights through a range always agree.
 
I used Flyweights for a while, but was never particularly happy with them. Mine always appeared to be temperamental and of dubious accuracy. I then got some Chub digitals (RH7000s in different clothes). For quite some time I remained sceptical about digital scales. However, they have proved to be accurate and resilient, with excellent battery life, over the last four or five years. I recently decided that I needed something smaller. Despite the odd tale of woe, I ended up going for the RH9000s. So far so good as far as I'm concerned.
 
Thanks for your thoughts everyone. Lots of options to consider. Wonder why no one has produced something to match the Avons given supposed technological advances?

I've good reason to believe my Flyweights short-changed me on my current PB by at least half a pound last season. Looking on the bright side, at least it makes it easier to beat.
 
Steve Double said:
Thanks for your thoughts everyone. Lots of options to consider. Wonder why no one has produced something to match the Avons given supposed technological advances?

I've good reason to believe my Flyweights short-changed me on my current PB by at least half a pound last season. Looking on the bright side, at least it makes it easier.
Click to expand...

Steve, I've got an old set of Flyweights and they've always been spot on, checked with some GPO post office weights. I also have some newer ones and they are rubbish, if you look inside there's lots of plastic parts.

I've had numerous digital scales and they've all let me down at some point (the original Fox ones were the worst). And remember, you never get a dead battery at -10deg with a dial scale.

Come on Mr Drennan, please make some decent dial scales (with metal parts).
 
I recently bought some flyweights and used them for the first time last night. They were sticking constantly, which made it almost impossible to zero them and they ended up recording a weight of 9lb 8oz from a fish I felt confident would make 11lb. I have zero confidence in them and am looking elsewhere.

Nick C
 
Dave Taylor said:
My avons are about 35 years old, and have served me well. The colour coded dial has faded slightly, and the perspex facia has scuffed, which could potentially lead to a dodgy weight, especially when trying to read the dial with a head torch.
If I could have replaced or refurbished them I would have done so.
The digitals appealed because they did away with the round the clock increments and also the backlight is great after dark, but you knew the Avons weren't ever going to run out of juice. As I said though, the 7000,s have a low battery drain and mine have been very reliable .
Click to expand...

David, Avons can be serviced, go here...

Contact Avon Scale Company Ltd for counting/weighing equipment in London

That is unless they have stopped doing them now.

Dave
 
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