We come to expect unhooking mats to have a degree of ‘depth’ to them these days, but this fishfriendly item from CarpTech was the first walled mat on the market. Its distinctive diamond shape tapered at both ends and it featured a handy flap over one half to calm down even the liveliest of fish. It also had carry straps and would float, allowing for dignified releases of your prized fish. It was a design which has reformed almost every manufacturer’s mats ever since.