Photos: RidgeMonkey · supplied retailer imagery
Terminal tackle · Curve hooks · Our take
RidgeMonkey Ape-X Medium Curve Hooks
Barbed · Sizes 4, 6 and 8
A proper all-round curved hook for modern carp rigs, with a nasty point, tidy finish and sizes to cover most situations.
- Available in sizes 4, 6 and 8, with 10 hooks per packet.
- Ultra-sharp straight point with a long needle point and micro barb.
- 16° downturned eye, forged bend and shank, plus RM-Tec Gun Metal coating.
- RRP is £5.99 including VAT for a packet of ten.
Make sure it’s the right one. This review covers the RidgeMonkey Ape-X Medium Curve Hooks in the barbed version, available in sizes 4, 6 and 8.
Tackle Index Score
Tackle Index score
A sharp, versatile hook at a sensible mid-range price.
Desk-research score from specs, price and fishing fit · How we score
- Product Quality9.2/10
- Performance9.1/10
- Impact on Fish Catching9/10
- Ease of Use8.9/10
- Value for Money8.8/10
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Who it suits
Is it right for you?
Great for
- Carp anglers wanting one versatile hook pattern. The medium curve works across plenty of everyday bottom-bait, snowman and pop-up rigs.
- Anglers fishing boilies and balanced hookbaits. The available sizes make it easy to match the hook to your bait and the size of carp in front of you.
Maybe skip if
- F anglers who prefer very wide-gape or specialist hook patterns. The medium curve has a fairly specific shape and won’t replace every specialist pattern in the box.
- F anglers building ultra-subtle rigs. The curved design is aimed more at positive hooking than the most delicate, understated presentations.
The lowdown
Introducing the RidgeMonkey Ape-X Medium Curve Hooks
A proper all-round curved hook for modern carp rigs, with a nasty point, tidy finish and sizes to cover most situations.
- Available in sizes 4, 6 and 8, with 10 hooks per packet.
- Ultra-sharp straight point with a long needle point and micro barb.
- 16° downturned eye, forged bend and shank, plus RM-Tec Gun Metal coating.
- RRP is £5.99 including VAT for a packet of ten.
Quick verdict
A cracking curved hook for everyday carp work
The Ape-X Medium Curve is a tidy, versatile hook for rigs where you want reliable turning and a positive hold. The long needle point, 16° downturned eye and forged shape give it plenty of bite without making it a faff to fish with.
At £5.99 for ten, it sits in the sensible middle of the hook market. Not the cheapest packet on the tackle-shop wall, but the finish, sharpness and useful size range make it a bob-on choice for standard carp work.
A sharp, versatile hook at a sensible mid-range price.
Desk-research score from specs, price and fishing fit · How we score
- Product Quality
- 9.2/10
- Performance
- 9.1/10
- Impact on Fish Catching
- 9/10
- Ease of Use
- 8.9/10
- Value for Money
- 8.8/10
Forged construction, Japanese Carbon 80 Steel and a smart RM-Tec Gun Metal coating give it a reassuring build.
The curved shape, downturned eye and long needle point are designed for quick, positive hooking.
It offers a dependable presentation for a broad range of modern carp rigs when matched properly.
It ties simply with familiar rigs, although the aggressive curve deserves sensible rig balance.
Ten hooks for £5.99 is fair for a neatly finished, versatile pattern.
Head to head
How it stacks up
Side by side with the closest kit we've reviewed. This updates as we add more reviews.
RidgeMonkey
RidgeMonkey Ape-X Medium Curve Hooks (this one)
Top scorer
Top scorer
Scores are our own, out of 10. Best in each row is in green. Prices change, so check the latest before you buy.
The full rundown
Everything you'll want to know about the RidgeMonkey Ape-X Medium Curve Hooks
There’s a lot to be said for a hook that just gets on with the job. No daft gimmicks, no weird shape you need a degree in rig mechanics to understand. The RidgeMonkey Ape-X Medium Curve Hooks are built for exactly that sort of fishing: tie one on, add your chosen bait and get the rods out.
This is a curved pattern with a proper working pedigree. The medium curve gives the hook an aggressive turning action, while the 16° downturned eye helps it sit neatly in a range of modern carp presentations. It’s the sort of hook you can reach for when you want a reliable hold without faffing around all morning.
At the business end, RidgeMonkey has gone for an ultra-sharp straight point. It’s a long needle point with a micro barb, so the hook looks properly purposeful rather than blunt and chunky. That matters when a cautious carp is mouthing a bait, or when you’re fishing a clean spot and need the point to do its bit quickly.
The sizes are sensible too. You’ve got 4, 6 and 8, covering the usual spread of carp fishing situations. Size 4 is the shout for bigger hookbaits, stronger rigs and waters where a proper lump could be the next take. Size 6 is the handy middle ground, while size 8 suits smaller baits and more delicate jobs.
The construction sounds reassuringly serious. The bend and shank are forged, and the hooks use Japanese Carbon 80 Steel. That gives the pattern a solid feel, with enough confidence for normal carp work without turning it into some oversized grappling hook. In other words, proper tackle-box fare.
They’re finished in RidgeMonkey’s RM-Tec Gun Metal coating, which gives them a smart, understated look. More importantly, the finish helps the hook blend into a dark rig. Don’t get carried away, though: coating won’t save a point that’s been dragged through gravel or bounced around loose in a tackle box.
Rig-wise, there’s plenty you can do with them. A standard knotless knot is the obvious starting point, and the downturned eye also plays nicely with coated braid, stripped sections and short kicker-style presentations. Add a rig ring or bait screw if that’s your preferred game, and the curve can help the hook flip over as a carp moves off.
The medium curve makes these a particularly useful hook for boilies, snowman rigs and balanced hookbaits. They’re not trying to be a specialist chod hook or a super-wide-gape brute. They sit in that useful middle ground where one packet can cover a lot of normal carp fishing.
At £5.99 for ten, they’re not the bargain-basement option, but they’re hardly taking the mick either. If you’re changing hooks sensibly after a fish, a snaggy cast or a dodgy donk, the cost stays manageable. That’s a big part of the appeal for regular anglers who want decent terminal tackle without going properly skint.
Overall, the Ape-X Medium Curve is a cracking all-rounder with a sharp point, useful sizing and a shape that suits plenty of rigs. Keep the point protected, match the size to your bait and don’t overcomplicate the rest of the presentation. Do that, and these should be right at home on the bank.
Specifications
The nuts and bolts
- Product
- RidgeMonkey Ape-X Medium Curve Hooks
- Sizes
- 4, 6 and 8
- Packet quantity
- 10 hooks
- Point
- Ultra-sharp straight point; long needle point with micro barb
- Eye and construction
- 16° downturned eye; forged bend and shank
- Finish and price
- RM-Tec Gun Metal coating; RRP £5.99 including VAT
Specs checked with RidgeMonkey, Oct 2026.
Spot a model or spec change?
Our take
Why the curved shape matters
This is the sort of hook that earns a place in your main tackle box. It suits a wide spread of bottom-bait and pop-up rigs, especially when you want the hook to turn quickly and grab hold. The medium curve gives the pattern a naturally aggressive look without going completely bonkers.
The 16° downturned eye works nicely with coated braid, supple braid and simple knotless-knot presentations. Pair it with a short section of stripped coating or a small rig ring, and you’ve got a compact presentation that behaves well over firm lakebeds and cleaner spots.
The ultra-sharp straight point is the headline feature. It’s a long needle point with a micro barb, so it should prick decisively when everything is lined up properly. As ever, keep that point covered in transit and check it after dragging a rig over gravel or chod. No hook stays sharp after being abused.
Size choice is fairly straightforward. Size 4 gives you more gape and is the obvious shout for bigger baits, heavier fishing or waters with proper lumps. Size 6 is the safe all-rounder for many carp situations, while size 8 comes into its own with smaller baits, lighter presentations and pressured fish.
There’s no clever gimmick here, and that’s a good thing. You’re buying a familiar, proven hook shape with a gun-metal coating and forged bend and shank. It’s easy to understand, easy to tie and versatile enough to cover a lot of sessions without constant rig faff.
The main thing to watch is the curve itself. Curved hooks can be wonderfully efficient, but they still need to be matched to the rest of your rig. Don’t make the overall presentation too aggressive, and always check the hook is sitting neatly rather than twisting around the bait or tubing.
For most anglers, the Ape-X Medium Curve makes sense as a dependable day-to-day pattern. It’s at home on boilie rigs, snowman setups and balanced hookbaits, and the three available sizes give you enough room to tailor things to the bait and venue.
So, if you want one hook pattern that can handle a decent chunk of your carp fishing, this is a strong contender. It’s sharp, neatly made and sensibly priced. Just remember that a quality hook still needs a quality rig, a clean point and a bit of common sense on the bank.
The hook itself
A sharp, tidy pattern with plenty of bite
The Ape-X Medium Curve uses a long needle point, micro barb and 16° downturned eye. That combination gives it a quick-turning, positive feel on rigs such as a knotless knot with a short stripped section. The forged bend and shank add confidence when a screaming take turns into a proper scrap.
Japanese Carbon 80 Steel and the RM-Tec Gun Metal coating round out the build. It looks neat and purposeful, without being overly flashy. Sizes 4, 6 and 8 cover most everyday carp bait choices, from larger boilies down to smaller balanced hookbaits.
Worth knowing. Protect the point between casts and inspect it after contact with gravel, weed or hard lakebed. A sharp hook is a major part of the rig, not an afterthought.
On the bank
A strong choice for everyday carp rigs
These hooks suit anglers who want a dependable curved pattern for boilie rigs, snowman presentations and balanced hookbaits. Size 6 is the natural starting point, with size 4 for bigger baits and harder fishing, and size 8 for smaller hookbaits or a lighter touch.
They’re especially useful when you want the hook to turn positively rather than sit passively. Pair them with a sensible length of coated braid or supple braid, keep the bait sitting neatly and avoid making the whole rig needlessly aggressive.
They’re less suited to anglers who only fish specialist wide-gape patterns or ultra-subtle presentations. The medium curve has a clear job: dependable hooking on general carp rigs. For that, it’s properly bob on.
Quick answers
The bits you’ll want to know
Are they barbed? Yes. The reviewed version is barbed and uses a micro barb below the long needle point.
How many come in a packet? Ten hooks. That gives you a useful supply for replacing damaged or dulled hooks without constantly buying another packet.
Which size should you start with? Size 6 is the safest all-round starting point. Move to size 4 for bigger baits and stronger carp fishing, or size 8 when using smaller hookbaits and a lighter presentation.
On paper
Pros & cons
What we like
- Nasty sharp long needle point for confident hook holds.
- Useful curved pattern for a wide range of carp rigs.
- Forged bend and shank give the hook a solid, purposeful build.
- Three practical sizes cover smaller hookbaits through to bigger carp work.
- Ten hooks for £5.99 keeps the cost sensible.
Worth knowing
- The medium curve won’t be everyone’s first choice for very subtle or wide-gape presentations.
- As with any curved hook, it needs matching carefully to the rig so the presentation doesn’t become overly aggressive.
- The gun-metal coating looks smart, but the point still needs protecting and checking after contact with hard lakebed.
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Your questions answered
What anglers want to know
The stuff you’d ask your mate on the next peg. Straight answers, no waffle.
01What sizes are the RidgeMonkey Ape-X Medium Curve Hooks available in?
What sizes are the RidgeMonkey Ape-X Medium Curve Hooks available in?
They come in sizes 4, 6 and 8. Size 6 is the obvious all-rounder, with size 4 suiting bigger baits and size 8 working nicely with smaller hookbaits or lighter presentations.
02Are the Ape-X Medium Curve Hooks barbed?
Are the Ape-X Medium Curve Hooks barbed?
Yes. The version covered here is the barbed pattern, with a micro barb below the long needle point.
03How many hooks are in a packet?
How many hooks are in a packet?
Each packet contains 10 hooks.
What anglers say
The word from the bank
Our read: a cracking curved hook for everyday carp work. The strongest reasons to choose it are nasty sharp long needle point for confident hook holds. and useful curved pattern for a wide range of carp rigs.; the main trade-off is the medium curve won’t be everyone’s first choice for very subtle or wide-gape presentations..
Our take on the feedback
Why it appeals
Checked Sept '26 — “Nasty sharp long needle point for confident hook holds.”
Best fit
Checked Sept '26 — “Carp anglers wanting one versatile hook pattern: The medium curve works across plenty of everyday bottom-bait, snowman and pop-up rigs.”
Worth knowing
Checked Sept '26 — “The medium curve won’t be everyone’s first choice for very subtle or wide-gape presentations.”
Tackle Index’s take from the product details and fishing fit we checked. We haven’t found enough independent public feedback to call this an angler consensus yet.
Angler score
What our readers rate RidgeMonkey Ape-X Medium Curve Hooks
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