St. Croix Rage Rod

[Catt]

I'm looking @ the 7'11" Heavy MF for punching, my question is about the neoprene skin handle?

What ya think bout it

[roadwarrior]

Maybe Big O will respond. He carries a lot of rods on his boat, but they are all the same!

[flyfisher]

I used them all of last season and liked them.  They provide good grip and feel nice in the hand.  I was worried they would get hot from laying out on the kayak but no worries there either.  All in all a pretty good price for a rod that is the same blank as the Avid.

[MarkH024]

I have 2 Rage Rods.  All around, I love the rod and the grips.  I find them to be very comfortable to fish with. I was using the 7'1 MH/F for a jig/pitching rod last season. It was good to use around light cover and docks but not in heavier stuff. I have a Dobyns 766c coming for my new flip and punch stick.  I'm going to use that Rage rod for jigs or lighter pitching or possibly a dedicated swim jig rod.

 

I also have the 6'10" ML/XF  Rage spinning rod as a drop shot rod paired with a Ci4 2500.  Super light and great to fish with. It is very sensitive too.  No complaints from me from the 2 that I own. Buy with confidence.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

These are a nice alternative to cork and EVA. Good cork is expensive if you can even get it. As a result we're not only seeing more (and in some cases better) EVA, but alternatives like these neoprene skins. I'm getting into carbon fiber skinned grips for custom builds and they are attractive, light and comfortable but not a lot cheaper than cork due to the labor involved.

[Got1Fishing]

I'm very interested in these rods, I went to my local Gander and held one; I was also curious about the handle. They grip feels great! I would purchase several of these rods, except the fact that they only have a 5 year warranty and I like rods with lifetime warranty. Which sucks, because I have to spend more money lol

[NEjitterbugger]

I have been looking in to them... I'm going to get one this spring...

[MarkH024]

I'm very interested in these rods, I went to my local Gander and held one; I was also curious about the handle. They grip feels great! I would purchase several of these rods, except the fact that they only have a 5 year warranty and I like rods with lifetime warranty. Which sucks, because I have to spend more money lol

Unless you have a pretty regular habit of snapping rods, I wouldn't be too concerned.  You could always look into the LE models if you want life warranty.  Now your dollar amount just doubled in spending.  

 

I've fished St. Croix rods exclusively for the past 10 years.  I finally broke one, (6'6" Triumph and my first Croix ever owned) this year trying to swing a fish in like stupid idiot.  Entirely my fault.  Even their low end rods are tough as nails as long as treated with appropriate care.

[Got1Fishing]

Unless you have a pretty regular habit of snapping rods, I wouldn't be too concerned.  You could always look into the LE models if you want life warranty.  Now your dollar amount just doubled in spending.  

 

I've fished St. Croix rods exclusively for the past 10 years.  I finally broke one, (6'6" Triumph and my first Croix ever owned) this year trying to swing a fish in like stupid idiot.  Entirely my fault.  Even their low end rods are tough as nails as long as treated with appropriate care.

I don't doubt what you're saying! I'm a huge St. Croix fan, and my college team is sponsored by them (makes me drool   ). I have been a fan of them, before they sponsored out team. I have a LTB and a Premier and plan to add more by the end of the year. I guess it just comes down to the insecurity of knowing that eventually they won't be under warranty. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Any defect in the blank would show  itself upon the first couple uses. Any failure after that is due to mishandling/accident/error etc. Extended warranties on rods is marketing and a type of insurance policy that everyone pays for and some use. The idea of the Rage line is to provide a quality rod at a lower price point, hence the SCIII blank with foreign labor, alternative grips and shorter "warranty". Still a good deal for an off the rack rod,

[flyfisher]

Other than my fly rods I don't think i have kept a conventional rod for 5 years and even if I did, I am not sure that length of a warranty would come into play.  

[kschultz76]

I'm very interested in these rods, I went to my local Gander and held one; I was also curious about the handle. They grip feels great! I would purchase several of these rods, except the fact that they only have a 5 year warranty and I like rods with lifetime warranty. Which sucks, because I have to spend more money lol

As DVT said the lifetime warranty is more about covering you for accidents with the Gold Star service plan. That being said if its that important to your for not much more money you can get the Avid series which is the same blank materials/construction but made in the USA with full cork grips, different guide train, and lifetime warranty. The Avids are great rods at their price.

[Catt]

I hate EVA handles, don't why but I've never liked em. Don't really care for a split handle!

Does Avid come in 7'11" H MF?

[MarkH024]

7'10  Heavy/Moderate Fast is biggest in the Avid Casting line.  It has a telescopic handle though.. next one down is a 7'6" MH/ Mod Fast.

[BassinLou]

I have the 7 ft 4 inch. H with micro guides. The handle is fine for me. It's the proximity of the guides up at the top of the reel, which braid loves to wrap around while pitching.

[MarkH024]

I have the 7 ft 4 inch. H with micro guides. The handle is fine for me. It's the proximity of the guides up at the top of the reel, which braid loves to wrap around while pitching.

This is exactly why I am moving away from this rod as a primary heavy pitching/punch/flip rod.  You absolutely nailed it on the head.  With that said, I still love the rod and everything about it...just not for that application.

[BassinLou]

This is exactly why I am moving away from this rod as a primary heavy pitching/punch/flip rod.  You absolutely nailed it on the head.  With that said, I still love the rod and everything about it...just not for that application.

 

This rod is primarily, my frogging rod. I started to pitch with it, and the wrapping was getting ridiculous. So, it will remain frogging rod.

[kschultz76]

Looks like the Avid doesn't come in that length, you could check out the LTB but price will be a fair bit higher.

[Catt]

No telescopic handles

[tomustang]

I hate EVA handles, don't why but I've never liked em. Don't really care for a split handle!

Does Avid come in 7'11" H MF?

 

It's not eva or a split handle, why are you switching your interest to a avid?

 

 

I'm not a fan of eva, but I like the neoprene rage handle

[Catt]

It's not eva or a split handle, why are you switching your interest to a avid?

I'm not a fan of eva, but I like the neoprene rage handle

Huh???

DVT explaned handle types,

I said, hate EVA

kschultz said Avid all cork

I ask Avid come in size?

Kschultz yes telescopic

I said NO tele

Now we here & not I aint change

[Virtuoso]

I'm looking @ the 7'11" Heavy MF for punching, my question is about the neoprene skin handle?

What ya think bout it

Just don't bring a lady friend with you. That black neoprene sends the wrong message. Unless your into that kind of thing.

On a serious note. It is good for sweaty hands. Bad for cold weather. It hardens and is difficult to grip.

[Capt.Bob]

It is all personal, I love cork on my rods and won't change, I would give up the 5" in a heart beat and go with the Avid! I have several reasons and have had 2 Rage Rod's, for one day it confirmed all those reasons.

1) for 50+ years I have used cork rod handles even on my cheap cheap rods as a kid growing up, so I am as used to cork on a rod as I am having hands on both arms. The Avid has very nice cork, as DVT said, an expensive option, which is like leather versus vinyl for your car seats.

 

2)The rage uses a two piece handle and is when palming the reel is very uncomfortable, where as the Avid has a FULL CORK HANDLE,,,,,, very comfortable and with exposed blank and contoured reel mount hands down more comfortable for me.

 

3) Both are SCIII blank's, but from the 2 Rage Rods I witnessed, the quality from the American Made blank that has been made by the folk's in Park Falls for decades has been far better than the newly imported blanks coming from foreign build by newly trained workers,,,,,,the upside is cheaper cost, and 5 year warranty instead of Lifetime.

 

4) I won't settle for the loss of the Gold Star service plan and even though the upgrade program is being temporarily suspended  you can upgrade when a broken rod is involved! This is fabulous, as I just upgraded an Avid to an Legend Elite when I broke the Avid over yanking on a snag, totally my fault but I ended up paying $110.00 for my mistake and walking away with a brand new Legend Elite spinning rod,,,,,the Avid was about 7 years old and used for river Small Mouth fishing, it had been horsed out of bottom snags for it's whole life,,,,,,thank God for Lifetime warranties!!

 

5) At the cost of $170.00 dollars for the imported model alone and coming with a 5 year warranty, the choice of having an American built rod made by Americans for decades and having a LIFETIME WARRANTY,,,,,, thru the GOLD STAR SERVICE PLAN,,,,,I'll gladly pay an extra $50.00 dollars and give up 6" for the MH MF rod over the import with less than a full handle grip and loss of cork,,,,,,,but that may not suite some,,,,why they offer the rage model for those that are willing to give up a few luxuries and still have a good blank.

[WRB]

One reason some rod makers may offer Neoprene is Hypalon is no longer available from DuPont. The problem Neoprene could have is poor UV performance, exposure to sunlight.

High quality cork is getting rare, so rod makers are trying alternative handle materials.

Tom

[Catt]

Thanks for the input Bob but when pulling 7# plus bass out of matted Hydrilla that's 15' tall I aint giving up 6" of leverage.

The Legend Series has split grips which I do not like.

I want some thing for punching heavy lures in heavy cover, no EVA, & no split grap.