Isn't that contradictory?
Yes, it does pay to have light equipment,
but if as you say, it always takes ounces to balance the rod by itself,
then you'll be forced to attach a 3-bearing reel made of polycarbonate
in order to offset the weight you added to the rod.
I personally prefer to spend the money on a lightweight rod,
rather than a lightweight reel. In this manner, I can select a reel
with a robust frame and high-bearing count, and still end up
with a "naturally" balanced outfit.
But of course, it all boils down to personal preference.
Roger
and my question to you would be where do you hold the rod?do you palm the reel?if so your balance point should be the center of the reel seat.if not then your balance point should be where you hold it.most guys i know palm the reel so most of us should use the center of the reel seat as the fulcrum point.now if you prefer slightly tip heavy that's cool but it's not "balanced".that would be like balancing a wheel and the electronic balancer tells you to put on 2 ozs of weight and you prefer 1.5 oz.well 1.5 oz may keep you awake while driving with a shimmey but it's not "balanced".