The Ultimate Rig Guide

Product Information

With all of the customisation available and the sturdiness of the 2″ chassis, this is without a doubt one of my favourite sim rigs. All in all, this is a quality publication, well worthy of the price tag. What I really like is the fusion of old and new, or to be more precise, new thinking which moves forward older tried and trusted approaches. Many of the rigs are nothing new, but the way that the authors are fishing them – especially some of the new breed of coming through – definitely is, and I don’t mind saying that I’ll be incorporating more than a few subtle changes to my own approaches this year as a result of reading this publication cover to cover – and I’ve been at it for over twenty years! For those fresh into the sport, this really is an invaluable addition to one’s carp fishing armoury.

Sim Lab is widely known to partner with real-world racing drivers and is currently the official supplier of the Mercedes AMG F1 team. That is a testament to the quality on offer from Sim Lab. The mighty Sim Lab P1-X is always at the tip of the tongue when it comes to recommending an 8020 aluminium profile sim rig. It is among the most sturdy sim rigs available, with a host of great customisation features just like many 8020 rigs. At its heart lies the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D. What can't this chip do? It's a mega-multitasker, with 16 Zen 4 cores capable of running up to 32 threads—your task manager won't know what to make of all those cores. It starts by laying the the basics of how a carp feeds - knowledge which will help you develop and tweak your rigs. This leads onto analysing hook holds - the only sign that will tell you how well your rig is performing. We cover literally every knot known to man. We showcase 20+ of the latest rigs, each featuring clear, easy-to-follow illustrations or crisp-sharp photography. We look at 'the pro's' Gaz Fareham's Rig For A 50; Nigel Sharp's Stiff Bottom Bait Rig; Lewis Read's Fatal Rig and many more. We look at lead choice (why) and set-up (when). And finally we have a manual of How To's which will only aid in ensuring you get more bites after carrying them out.

One of the reasons that the Sim Lab P1X Pro is so strong is due to the large aluminium profile that is used. The P1X Pro uses 40x160mm aluminium extrusion to ensure there is no movement or rigidity. This is compared to 40x120mm and 40x80mm that a lot of other 8020 rigs use. And the best part is that this whole setup is very budget-oriented. It is the cheapest sim rig on this list and performs well above its price range. For a first delve into sim racing, this is a perfect sim rig. A strong wheel base for example can cause some sim rigs to flex and shake under load. The main decision you should make right at the start of your sim rig shopping experience is what style of sim rig are you looking for. Below are a few key points for each style of sim rig 8020 sim rig The rigidity of this sim rig is incredible, but it also does what many metal tube sim rigs fail to do. And that is to allow for customisation and adaptability as you progress as a sim racer. The last area to keep an eye on when shopping for sim racing rigs in 2023 is your budget. This is often one of the most prominent deciding factors as it will dictate how far you can reach. It is always important not to overstretch your budget, especially as sim racing can be an expensive hobby.

Hopefully, the above options give you a good insight into the different styles of sim rigs in 2023. I’ve highlighted the best sim rigs within each category to help narrow down the selection. But it is great for sim racers to have such a wide range of different sim rigs available. There are a few questions you can ask yourself that make shopping for a sim racing rig in 2023 a much easier task. These should include, how much budget do you have, how much free space do you have in your room, and what are your requirements from a sim rig.

Mainline 5kg Cell+ Tutti Deal (includes P&P)

Since we need a bit more power budget for this build versus the budget build, I've gone with the Be Quiet! Pure Power 12 M 650W here. It's a great platform, and a trusted manufacturer. You definitely don't want to pinch too many pennies when it comes to your power supply—that can have dire consequences. Best to play it safe and spend a little extra for peace of mind. A pre-drilled mounting plate will allow you to mount a wide range of racing wheels to your rig from the bottom of the wheel base. With these, you must ensure the pre-drilled positions match the mounting points of your racing wheel. High-end aluminium profile and metal tube sim rigs allow for the most high-end sim racing equipment to be mounted without any stability issues. While all-in-one rigs and more budget-friendly options will limit the type of sim racing equipment you can mount. The most professional and heavy-duty sim racing rigs are known as 8020 sim rigs and are constructed using a heavy-duty aluminium profile. These can be highly customisable and can fit almost any requirement. The strength of the aluminium profile used allows for the strongest and best performing sim racing wheels to be mounted to them. Metal tube sim rigs The combination of striking looks combined with exceptional build quality and adjustability allows the NLR F-GT Elite to be one of the best 8020 sim rigs on the market.