Looking for some much need tips on loading barrows as mine is always tipping over.

Mine doesn't have side so use the bedchair legs as guides. Usual amount of tackle but always feels so much on there.

Recently got the Nash power barrow and the wheels help it be a little more stable but it has still tipped on me.

One of the issue I think is the bedchair doesn't lay too flat because of the sleeping bag and 3rd leg.

I was trying some different loading options at home and with just the bedchair and barrow bag on I could get it to tip over by moving the bag a few inches, surely the balance window isn't that small?

Thanks

In reply to Post #1
If your using the rear wheels you want a lot more of the weight over the back wheels . I have the metro power barrow and the first time I used it with the back wheels I had it tipped over so have now ditch the back wheels and find it much better just saying the rear legs and have more weight over the front wheel which makes it more stable I found

In reply to Post #2
Yes it's exactly the same with the Power Porter, you have to load it the complete opposite to a normal barrow with weight over the rear wheels. I haven't used mine for ages but last time I did it was as in the pic below, you can see the bulk of the weight is at the back

In reply to Post #1
Yeah, you've got to put the weight at the back, so it sits over the rear wheels.

Also, whichever side your heavy battery sits under the barrow, put some weight on the opposite side. So, if your battery is on the left near the front, put a bag holding your leads on the right near the rear.

I made that mistake. Stopped at my chosen peg, turned my back on the trolley and heard a loud crash. So, yeah, I learned

In reply to Post #3
You're going to need a bigger dog....

(Apologies to Roy scheider )

In reply to Post #5

In reply to Post #4
Bonus with the Nash barrow is the battery is central 😉😉

In reply to Post #7
They are a very good barrow but I'm not giving any of my money to Nash.Im waiting see the mk2 powerporter when it's finally released

In reply to Post #5


Do you like the way he's demonstrating how the barrow tips, actually he's having a piss, or taking it

I've done my back in badly at the moment using my standard, non-power barrow and sadly will not be fit enough to go fishing for a few months according to the physio.

With the power versions, do you still need to lift (ie back problems) the back two wheels off the floor or will the front wheel drive all three wheels on the ground?

In reply to Post #10
It basically goes like THIS, you only have to momentarily lift the back wheels to change direction

Thanks, I'll now be getting one. The lakes I fish are not huge so two trips with a Power version should be easy on the back.

Rear wheels that rotated like a pram would be even better then so that no lifting is needed.

In reply to Post #12
It.also depends on terrain. A few years back I fished a lake that was like flat grass all around. Even the centre paths. I knew I couod load towards the back and it would almost driven itself.

But the one I'm.fishing now is like walking around a bowl. So it wants to tip towards the lake. Also muddy and rutted. So I load forward and lift much more.

In reply to Post #1
"One of the issue I think is the bedchair doesn't lay too flat because of the sleeping bag and 3rd leg."

Fold it out at 90 degrees so it points down to the floor when the bed is upside down on the barrow. Doesent completely solve it, but flattens it a hell of a lot.

Main bedchair legs folded out, lay stuff through the middle (bivvy bag, rods, buckets etc)

Fold legs back in as much as possible and then strap it all down.

In reply to Post #1
Its good 2 try different positions

In reply to Post #14
I put my bedchair on the barrow with the legs folded out feet upwards on either side, it helps hold many of the other items in place should I need to strap it down.
As you say, much of the other tackle through the middle is then held in place, although I don't fold legs back in, I do leave them out as somewhere to attach straps to

In reply to Post #16
My prestige is like triggers brush on the 3 rd or 4 th tyre it started life with the fat boy that's hard work then a cobbled up barra tyre now a normal prestige one or could b second tyre on it nearly gave it a new coat of paint in lock down but did dent get round to it maybe a job for winter what has made me load lighter is leaving me 6000t reels at home and getting the emblems bk out

In reply to Post #1
. . .I have a Power Metro . . .does take some adjustment to loading compared to other barrows but I prefer NOT to use the back wheels as it just feels a whole lot more unstable to me! I load mine in the following way -

1 - Load up all the panniers with whatever - generally lighter items around the wheels (clothing / waterproofs etc) and heavier in the main rear pannier (water carrier / drinks etc)
2 - Fully extend the front and place day chair / cradle etc on its side to increase the height of the front retaining bar (because it is silly low compared to other barrows IMO) See Chuffy's pic - exactly like this
3 - Place bedchair on barrow centralised and pushed up to end with legs open to LHS & RHS (to act as retainers)
4 - Next item I put on is usually my baitboat bag - its pretty light (Actor Plus) - this goes at the end furthest from the handles.
5 - Then goes 2x 17Litre buckets and my cooler bag - these are generally the heaviest items and are located in the middle.
6 - Last goes small carryall and pod/sticks bag, plus small dedicated Pellet bucket
7 - Poo bucket & Mat go across handles
8 - Pillow goes on top at front, then Bivvy & Rod bag are located 'diagonally' and centrally across barrow.

All gets strapped down with 2x bunjees and located in barrow bunjee points. Job done. This way most of the weight is actually in the middle - not over the wheel and not over the handles . . .

Should now be easy to pick up, depress thumb on power and you are off. Best to test your load before you depart on level ground - if its in anyway unstable (when fully loaded) you will easily be able to push it over. If it passes the stability test, your good to go . .

Always put the heavy gear at the back.

In reply to Post #19
How long you going for lol I thought I carried a lot bed with sleeping bag on it water one bag rod bag brolly and mat rolled up with light weight ground sheet and front to groundhog brolly and small bucket of bait always leave rest of bait in van soon walk bk if stop longer than I'd planned

In reply to Post #20
Not fishing a place where it's safe to leave anything in a car, so everything comes with.

I've been upping the baiting, hence the rather large ridgemonkey bucket... it's a beast.

In reply to Post #21
Yep I carried them stupid size buckets before to b fair I'm only fishing a night or two max nowadays but I thinned it down over the years I c lads doing two nights with every thing plus the kitchen sink and also ceen a lad who had got next to nothing he had it scaled right down but only does a quick night just the bed rods brolly small bottle water don't think he had a bag he'd got it trimmed down

In reply to Post #22
I've done the thing fishing with next to nothing. Used to have just a rucksack, some bait and three rods plus net all wrapped up together and slept on a thermarest in a bivvy bag, sometimes for two weeks in one hit. Fished like that for years.

I've no bivvy table, just what I need now. Each the their own. I'd never be able to push around what I take now, it's just a case of pushing a button, I can even smoke a tab on the go 🚬

I suppose what I take might be loads to some, for me, I'm comfortable and I enjoy my fishing instead of it being a hardship and something to endure...takes it out of you in the end.

In reply to Post #23
100% mate, fish for them on your terms, it's a hobby, something to be enjoyed, if something is just too much effort or hassle, I just don't do it anymore, there was a time though.....

In reply to Post #24
You know what mate, for once in my life, I'm absolutely loving my fishing. I so look forwards to the weekend, just me and the dogs, a massive pit with sod all in comparatively speaking and a pile of tackle. If I catch I catch, if I don't, well so be it. I'm not in any competition with anyone, no sponsors to please, a YouTube channel to keep updated, things really couldn't be any better. In a sense, I think I'm blessed.

Always get asked on a Monday "so what you had?" Lol... F4ck all, again 👌

In reply to Post #25
Exactly how it should be chilled and enjoyable

In reply to Post #25
👍👍👍

In reply to Post #25
No bivvy table, and no u tube channel, fishing 4 yourself, my god

How not to do it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZKM-bd7ATQ

heavy stuff at the back if its a 3 wheel barrow .... Heavy stuff mid-front on a single wheel

Ensure the rubber grips on the handles are extremely secure, if not remove them if you cannot secure them good and proper.

I was once going down a steep bank to my swim when all of a sudden, I was just left looking like an idiot with a rubber hand grip in each hand as my heavily laden barrow made a break for freedom to get to the swim before I did. Luckily it just stopped before it went into the pond with the rear legs acting as a brake by gouging into the ground when it levelled out. I bet if it had, everyone would have been out of there bivvies to see what the splash was and to be first to get a rod on it thinking it was a "good fish" leaping.

These days going down a steep bank, I hold forward slightly of the grips with part of my hand to stop it happening again.

But, a few years later, my barrow cockled over in a track and I lost all my bags off the barrow and into the pond. Luckily, I still had my holdall with made up rods with rigs on and quickly assembled one and started casting out and hooking my bags floating away.

Cause of that issue though was elastic straps are not very secure with very heavy-laden barrows in situations like that which is one of the many reasons I prefer ratchet straps.

Also never put fragile items like eggs on top of the barrow to stop them getting crushed. I did one day and on arrival at my swim, I thought I would test out my new lure rod first before unloading the barrow and use it as an opportunity to check for weed and snags etc and I could move to the next swim if need be. About the third cast, I snagged on something heavy behind me and soon found out what it was, it was my box of eggs that came showering down on me.

The morals of the stories are, no matter what you do to pack your barrow, there is always something that will go wrong unexpectedly that you did not plan for or imagine it could happen or even think it possible it could happen.

One of the best tips I guess is not to use any form of elasticated straps at all....especially those bungees ,when one snaps back ,..you don't want an eye injury etc ..

So ,I use a long length of hook and loop ,otherwise known as Velcro,I got a long section and perma sowed it to the rod bar on my porterlite 2,thats ,all I use....number one it's fast to use and number two it's all you need,...especially if you turn your bedhair upside down ...on mine is ..unhooking mat,this stops the scratches to bedchair and porter frames,..techlite bag ,longtop.bivvy or compact Mhr..,three rods in a sleeve ,water n food in barrow bag ,small rucksack on back....by carrying the rucksack.,you are removing weight from barrow and putting it on yer back,makes so.much difference..

Try the hook n loop ,far superior to any straps,as if you sew it on ,you won't loose it...

In reply to Post #32
Yeah them things are naughty. Had one do me on my knuckles ****ing disabled my hand for half hour hahah

In reply to Post #32
I use my dogs long tether lead. The looped end on the barrow handle, up and over the tackle, round the front bars and clipped to itself.

I try to get everything balanced, water, bait buckets in the barrow bag, bedchair and chair on top, unhooking mat on top of them, then tackle box, food bag and rods on top.

I tend to take the rucksack out of the car just before walking round and on my back as I walk, then I can put it in the chosen swim. Not that I have any worry about not getting where I want, but with my health and injury issues, I struggle pushing the barrow and carrying the rucksack with the dog on the lead.