Is A Split Grip Worth An Extra $40 To $50?

[Hi Salenity]

It's 2.50 for 1/2" rings

[0119]

Yeah retail at mudhole or netcraft. But most manufacturers are using much lower grade and getting it at a bulk price no custom maker can dream of.

[J Francho]

Seems you know more than the custom builders, lol.

 

If it's so cheap, why is everyone switching to alternative materials, like Hypalon?

 

It smells like a duck to me.

[S Hovanec]

What some think is cork on rods, too, really isn't. I've repaired a few "cork" grips that were just veneer. Thin cork over foam. Its hard to tell til it starts delaminating.

[.RM.]

Aluminum winding checks are $1-5.  AAAA Grade cork is $2.50/inch. 

Just checked my source (Bingham Ent.) for cork.....

 

A- (1-1/4" x 1/2" x 1/4") .95ea.

AA- (1-1/4" x 1/2" x 1/4")  $2.25 ea.

AAA- (1-1/4" x 1/2" x 1/4") $3.25 ea.  1" = $13.00

 

But if you take those price's  X4 to equal the inch your talking about it is much more expensive than you think..

 

They can't even find AAAA grade cork any longer from their suppliers....The cork groves in Portugal are heavly depleted...

 

Tight Lines All! 

[J Francho]

Thanks for the "reel" numbers, David!

[Lunker7]

Not to mention the fact that I think it looks 10x cooler, I think it's a lot more comfortable when casting.

[OkobojiEagle]

The TAC grips that Fenwick came up with seem to be a nice alternative to cork rings.

 

oe

[.RM.]

What some think is cork on rods, too, really isn't. I've repaired a few "cork" grips that were just veneer. Thin cork over foam. Its hard to tell til it starts delaminating.

Up I have a pic of a delamiated cork grip as you describe, from a Falcon rod......

 

Tight Lines! 

[Crookedneck]

Split grips vs. Full grips....comes down to preferance.  Just like cork vs. Eva.  There are advantages and disadvantages to each depending on the opinion of the rod user.  It all comes down to finding what works for you.  With the advances in todays rods there are several new grip materials that are new in the last few years. 

 

A couple of the custom builders who have replied are hitting the nail on the head when it comes to cork and it's prices.  You can purchase pre made grips as low as a couple dollars for a 10" grip when they are on sale.  You also spend as much as $2.50- 3.00 a 1/2" thick cork ring for top grade cork....do the math on that one.  And that is before they are glued together, shaped, reamed and epoxied to the blank.

 

Most off the shelf rods use cheap cork.  When lower qualities of cork are used more filler materials are used to cover the voids.  Eventually the filler materal comes out, leaving ugly gaps and voids.  Lower grade corks also compress more over time with use and is more prone to breaking and falling apart.

 

There are several top quality rods that use good quality cork.  Quality cork is getting harder and harder to find.

[Jrob78]

I will echo what the other builders have said.  It would be pretty easy to have 1/4 of the total cost of the build just in the grip.   You can use composite, burnt, burl cork in place of natural cork, which I think is what Fenwick is using on their new line of rods.  It is quite a bit cheaper, makes a nice grip and doesn't require any filler.  The downside to it though, is it's extremely heavy. 

 

If you've ever seen the way production rods are built, an extra couple of trim bands and 1/2" of epoxy take a matter of seconds to apply.  It's way cheaper in labor and materials than good cork.  Winding checks bought by the thousand are dirt cheap as well.

 

Interestingly, the very best cork goes to wineries to cork wine and champagne bottles.

 

As for split grips, I like them because I generally cast with 2 hands.  The fighting butt makes a great handle to grab when casting.

[kickerfish1]

The main reason I went with Dobyns extremes over Loomis GLX's. I'm not a fan of split grip at all, I find they do not balanced correctly. I believe Dobyns is the only company that gives you the choice of either split/full grip.

True and false. I have 5 dobyns rod. Two of them are full grip and 3 are split. They ALL balance well IMO. That is one of the major selling points of dobyns rods. I see zero difference in balance when using the appropriate size/weight reel.

And yes, having the option to select full or split is nice option for the consumer. Most folks are probably 50/50 on preference so having options helps. For me I like split for bottom contact baits and full for reaction baits.

[SirSnookalot]

Comparing apples to apples and identical components a rod builder does not have the same purchasing power as a major rod manufacturing company.  The rod builder is paying retail prices that are available to anyone that wishes to purchase them, whether one is a custom rod builder or an individual making their own.  A brand name rod company most likely purchases their components cheaper than the rod builder's supplier.  Manufacturing companies do not shop price weekly or monthly from their suppliers, they take bids and write a contact for an extended period of time, 3-6 or 12 months, the contact and volume is what reduces their cost.

The original question, is a s/g worth an extra $40-$50, not which costs more to make and that pretty much based on who is making that rod.  A s/g is not worth more to me, I don't care for them.

[AQUA VELVA]

Do not like split grips, never will. I have large hands and it feels like Im holding a pencil. Personaly, I wish the full cork handles on my rods were about a half inch larger in diameter. I find that the BPS rods with the power hump are the most comfortable for me.I think split grips , for what little merit there may be, are just another marketing ploy.

[Tywithay]

I feel like a split grip is a downgrade. I've switched all my casting rods to full grips recently. It'd have to be a good rod for me to use a split grip. When casting with two hands, the short little grip is awful. I like a full handle to grab and let it rip.

[mjseverson24]

I definately like the split grip rods for any technique where sensetivity is paramount. The split grip design allows for better vibrations to better travel down the blank with less dampening as compared to full grip. the difference may not be a ton but it is enough for me to prefer them. the only downside is the balance of the rod usually suffers a little more with them.

 

Mitch

[The Rooster]

Someone mentioned Mitchell having a split grip rod pretty early on. They had one with EVA split grips called the Mitchell Fulcrum. When I worked at Walmart back in the 90's, they sold it for about $40. I distinctly remember it being 1996 when these first came in. Was grey in color. It was advertised as being well balanced, hence the name. It did feel well balanced, even without a reel, but It always felt a little heavy overall to me. I think the handle was actually weighted to help make it feel better balanced.

[Tywithay]

I definately like the split grip rods for any technique where sensetivity is paramount. The split grip design allows for better vibrations to better travel down the blank with less dampening as compared to full grip. the difference may not be a ton but it is enough for me to prefer them. the only downside is the balance of the rod usually suffers a little more with them.

Mitch

I don't really agree at all. You don't have your hand anywhere near the exposed part of the handle during the retrieve. Your hand on the blank anywhere above the split part of the handle will dampen a lot of the vibration, anything else will be negligible; and you wouldn't notice it because you're not touching back there. The only real gain is a minute amount of weight savings.

[Tywithay]

The main reason I went with Dobyns extremes over Loomis GLX's. I'm not a fan of split grip at all, I find they do not balanced correctly. I believe Dobyns is the only company that gives you the choice of either split/full grip.

Kistler offers a choice on the KLX and Helium. I believe Duckett offers both for the Magic series as well.

[mjseverson24]

I don't really agree at all. You don't have your hand anywhere near the exposed part of the handle during the retrieve. Your hand on the blank anywhere above the split part of the handle will dampen a lot of the vibration, anything else will be negligible; and you wouldn't notice it because you're not touching back there. The only real gain is a minute amount of weight savings.

its the cork or whatever else the full handle is made out of that comes in contact with the blank that dampens the vibrations, you do not have to agree with it for it to be true. A rod that has minimum objects touching it will transmit vibrations most effectively. I believe one of the rod makers already said the sensitivity is increased, however most manufacturers will not take the time to maximize these gain potentials. I am not a rod maker however I do understand the physics involved.

 

Mitch

[Tywithay]

its the cork or whatever else the full handle is made out of that comes in contact with the blank that dampens the vibrations, you do not have to agree with it for it to be true. A rod that has minimum objects touching it will transmit vibrations most effectively. I believe one of the rod makers already said the sensitivity is increased, however most manufacturers will not take the time to maximize these gain potentials. I am not a rod maker however I do understand the physics involved.

 

Mitch

If the cork was halfway up the rod, it might dampen the vibrations. On a full grip, the cork is behind your hand; there's nothing left for it to dampen. Grab a tuning fork by the very tip and strike it, you'll feel everything. Now keep holding that end, but put your other hand a couple inches up the handle and strike it, which hand gets the vibrations? The vibrations transmit from the tip, through the rod, to your hand on the reel seat, then they stop. They don't go back into the handle, then bounce back up the rod. Any small amount that get past your hand would be lost because you aren't even holding the rod at that portion. If a builder goes with a very minimalistic design, say for example the Shimano Cumara; the weight savings could lead to a more sensitive feeling blank due to the lack of weight. You'd concentrate less on the weight and feel more of what's going on. It has nothing to do with more vibrations transmitting anywhere though, your hand deadens everything behind it. It's not a matter of agreeing or disagreeing, it's a fact.

[mjseverson24]

if you hold that tuning fork by anything other than then end it will change the characteristic vibrations of the fork. a rod doesn't quite work this way but it is some-what similar. there are still vibrations in the rod after your hand, otherwise how could guides be on a rod before your hand, and how could the cork or eva be in front of you hand on the fore-grip using your argument these would leave nothing for your hand to feel.  your hand will dampen the vibrations but a wave will reach the and of the rod then reflect back. I do agree though that further weight reduction is also a big player in  increasing or maximizing the sensitivity of a blank...

 

Mitch

[Tywithay]

if you hold that tuning fork by anything other than then end it will change the characteristic vibrations of the fork. a rod doesn't quite work this way but it is some-what similar. there are still vibrations in the rod after your hand, otherwise how could guides be on a rod before your hand, and how could the cork or eva be in front of you hand on the fore-grip using your argument these would leave nothing for your hand to feel.  your hand will dampen the vibrations but a wave will reach the and of the rod then reflect back. I do agree though that further weight reduction is also a big player in  increasing or maximizing the sensitivity of a blank...

 

Mitch

Guides are made of metal, which transmit vibration. You do lose a small amount from the epoxy and threading, but when the epoxy hardens, it transmits vibrations as well. In reality, any weight you add to the rod between your hand and the tip is going to dampen the vibrations slightly, but they're a necessary evil, unless you want to fish a rod with no guides except for the tip. Cork and EVA don't completely kill vibrations like your hand will. If the rod has a foregrip, the foregrip itself won't stop the vibrations completely, unless you're holding it by the foregrip. It certainly won't help transmit anymore vibrations to your hand behind the foregrip though.

 

There's some good stuff on this on rodbuilding.org by guys that have built rods for years (http://rodbuilding.org/read.php?2,384767,384795). For the most part, they've found zero added benefit in performance, other than possible weight savings. Some claim it aids in two handed casting, but I have found that to be a complete hunk of poo in my experience. Seems that is more of a preference thing. I, personally, hate trying to hold a tiny butt end with my off hand, almost feel like I should have my pinky up trying to use a dainty little grip to hold it. Give me a full grip.

[bflp3]

I was apprehensive about split grips at first, but now I love them and look for them on all of my rods. I find being able to have a finger or two on the blank pressed against the top of the butt gives me a much better grip to maximize my flinging power. Weight and sensitivity aren't really a factor for me.

[plumworm]

Last spring, I decided I needed a new spinnerbait rod. I was on my way to Ky. Lake for two weeks. I went to Cabela's and shopped the rod racks. I decided on a split-grip Mojo 7 ft. "spinnerbait" rod. Did not put a reel on it, Just liked the action. Forward: Got to Ky. lake and put on my spinnerbait reel, a Shimano bantam 101 with 10 lb. cxx. One day of fishing and I needed a new rod. There is no way I can fish with a split grip. It doesn't fit my hand/very uncomfortable feel. All of my rods, are full grip cork (don't care about the cork quality) St Croix .I guess I'm just old but I know what I like and split grips are not on my list.