Let’s talk about the Expride

[Derek1]

I was thinking of getting myself something nice. What I really want to know is how fragile it is. if I’m gonna be honest with myself, I’ve learned im rough on my stuff. And some of the places I fish can be rough on gear. I don’t want it to snap if I set the hook on a log or bump it on the headrest putting it in the truck or a doorway. I happened to notice the 6’8” mh/f is in stock now, unfortunately not on sale. Sorry if this sounds ridiculous. 

 Sorry my writing is terrible 

[Matt_3479]

I have a 7’ light plus rod and have hooked into some big bass. Sure no boat flips are possible but have dragged it around from boat to boat, from pond to pond, and have been a little rough on it and it keeps holding on to those 3-5lbs bass without issue! Love the exprides 

[Mikeltee]

Exprides seem to be the only rod that cant seem to stay in stock anywhere in the US. I hope some day to experience this phenomenon ridden rod and kudos to Shimano for not jacking the price up to steady supply. As for its fragilability, I wouldnt understand why it would be any more fragile than any other high end rod that weights next to nothing. Is there some kind of material in its composite that gives it this trait?

[islandbass]

If you’re (and I am) going to spend that much $$ on such a rod, I would think the last thing you’d/I would want to do is use it in a way it wasn’t intended, whether it’s a $39 ugly stik or NRX. 

 

Abuse from anglers in which a rod breaks is 100% angler error. Every time. I am not saying you have to baby it, but keep its use to what is was designed for and you’re golden. 

[Derek1]

Thanks guys. I have no real grounds to think it’s fragile. For some reason super lite weight and crisp makes  me feel like the tip has a chance of snapping. I guess it’s sales should speak for itself. 

[browne762]

I have two Expirde spinning rods and neither are what I would think to be as fragile. I haven't caught anything over 4 pounds, but have landed many fish with my Medium Light. If they were more readily available I would have more of them in casting as well, but what I want isn't in stock until the day I don't have the funds available to purchase and then they sell out quick. I wish they had a build in hook keeper, but that is about the only thing I don't like about them.

 

I use Rod Gloves on most of my stuff when moving them around from the garage to the truck or boat which helps protect them and it worth the $5 in my opinion. 

[Variable]

I saw LakeForkGuy snap one high sticking a rather small fish fwiw (his fault really).  I'm rough on gear too, fish out of a kayak, and would reeeeeallly love to try one but that garbage warranty stops me.  For rods north of $200 I want a replacement program like Loomis and Dobyns have, too much can go wrong in a kayak. 

 

Really wish they'd make Xpeditor available on Expride.  

[punch]

I've fished the following Exprides all season: 

 

- 7' M spinning (wacky worm, neko, finnesse jig, ned rig, keitechs)

- 6'10 ML spinning (dropshot only)

- 7'2 MH casting (swim jig, 1/2oz & 5/8th jigs, texas rigs.. does everything really)

- 7'2 H casting (heavier texas rigs, frogs, bigger whopper plopper)

- 7'2 MH Glass (chatterbait only) 

 

These rods are OUTSTANDING. I also use GLX's, megabass destroyers, and St Croix legend X & LTB. I find myself grabbing the exprides the most. They use stainless steel guides (which are more rigid and take more abuse) and they are stupid light and sensitive. These are $300 rods that are as good as +$400 rods. I've even been able to find them for around $220 shipped from certain shops. 

 

While they are all very good, the standouts are the spinning rods & the MH Glass chatterbait rod. I'm totally smitten with them. I've caught some very big walleyes & smallies on the dropshot rod and it's got a TON of flex to fight big fish right under the boat. The 7' M spinning rod has a pretty soft tip which makes it fantastic for skipping under docks. 

 

The chatterbait rod is well... my buddy Josh Douglas has won like 30 grand on the FLW tour with that rod alone. 

[Derek1]

8 minutes ago, punch said:

I've fished the following Exprides all season: 

 

- 7' M spinning (wacky worm, neko, finnesse jig, ned rig, keitechs)

- 6'10 ML spinning (dropshot only)

- 7'2 MH casting (swim jig, 1/2oz & 5/8th jigs, texas rigs.. does everything really)

- 7'2 H casting (heavier texas rigs, frogs, bigger whopper plopper)

- 7'2 MH Glass (chatterbait only) 

 

These rods are OUTSTANDING. I also use GLX's, megabass destroyers, and St Croix legend X & LTB. I find myself grabbing the exprides the most. They use stainless steel guides (which are more rigid and take more abuse) and they are stupid light and sensitive. These are $300 rods that are as good as +$400 rods. I've even been able to find them for around $220 shipped from certain shops. 

 

While they are all very good, the standouts are the spinning rods & the MH Glass chatterbait rod. I'm totally smitten with them. I've caught some very big walleyes & smallies on the dropshot rod and it's got a TON of flex to fight big fish right under the boat. The 7' M spinning rod has a pretty soft tip which makes it fantastic for skipping under docks. 

 

The chatterbait rod is well... my buddy Josh Douglas has won like 30 grand on the FLW tour with that rod alone. 

Thanks  for taking the time to write all that. I guess I’m most worried about some of the hazards from fishing from shore. Would you take them hiking through the woods fishing from shore, with risks of hitting branches on casts. 

[DubyaDee]

It's a great line of rods. If you know that your super rough on your equipment I would stick with a cheaper line of rods. The Zodias has equivalent actions and is a bit cheaper. You can even step down to the next line if you break rods as often as you might be.

[Derek1]

24 minutes ago, DubyaDee said:

It's a great line of rods. If you know that your super rough on your equipment I would stick with a cheaper line of rods. The Zodias has equivalent actions and is a bit cheaper. You can even step down to the next line if you break rods as often as you might be.

I’ve actually never broken one. But I do occasionally bump into the seats and doorways and tree branches. I might be more worried about it then I need to be. It’s just a big chunk of change, and I want to make sure it’s right for me. Thanks for the info. 

[TBAG]

I'm a Shimano fanboy but have always steered away from the rods because of their warranty.

 

I'll take Loomis over them any day.

[The Maestro]

Have any of you guys fished the gen 1 (black) Cumaras and the Exprides in the same power and action? How do they compare?

[bwjay]

I cracked my 6'8MXF spinning Expride using a 1/6oz Ned head, when trying to free it from a tree, while bank fishing, and the whole blank severed shortly after. I was quite sad at the time. Still pretty sad about it actually. Great rod, very light, very sensitive. Sending it to Shimano shortly for warranty replacement... 50% of the cost of a new stick is better than having to pay for a whole new one. But it still stings.

[Variable]

2 hours ago, punch said:

These rods are OUTSTANDING. I also use GLX's, megabass destroyers, and St Croix legend X & LTB. I find myself grabbing the exprides the most.

This makes me really want to reconsider my Expride abstinence stance.

 

10 minutes ago, bwjay said:

I cracked my 6'8MXF spinning Expride using a 1/6oz Ned head, when trying to free it from a tree, while bank fishing, and the whole blank severed shortly after. I was quite sad at the time. Still pretty sad about it actually. Great rod, very light, very sensitive. Sending it to Shimano shortly for warranty replacement... 50% of the cost of a new stick is better than having to pay for a whole new one. But it still stings.

This brings me back to square one

[Derek1]

41 minutes ago, Variable said:

This makes me really want to reconsider my Expride abstinence stance.

 

This brings me back to square one

Right, maybe I’ll wait till next year when I get off the shore. 

[bwjay]

3 hours ago, Variable said:

This makes me really want to reconsider my Expride abstinence stance.

 

This brings me back to square one

It could happen with most high end sticks. I've told people my story and they said they did something similar (fierce hookset and jig/whatever came flying out of the water, hit the blank) and it didn't crack their mid-to-high-end rod. Could be the Expride blank, could have been the perfect storm of conditions, maybe the other people just got lucky. I don't know. But it was a good enough rod for me to want another one. I caught 2 nice lake trout on it this year hopping/dragging a 1/4oz chartreuse round jig head with a white twister tail off the bottom. One of the fish smashed it and it was a fairly obvious feeling through the rod, but the other one subtly picked it up off the bottom and the only way I noticed it was a super slight heaviness, a tiny bit more load in the tip. I pulled just a little harder and felt it was still heavy, so I flicked my wrist up and nailed that sucker through the upper lip. My hookset was IMO pretty weak and still it kept this fish pinned for a nice 1.5-2min fight as it ran a few times. I actually didn't catch a bass on that rod, just lakers and walleye! But the action seemed pretty good, only lost one fish I think, a suspected pike right by shore as I set the hook HARD after it smashed my lipless and horsed it to shore. It popped off right at shore - I suspect it was a perfect angle head shake with my drag set slightly too tight, giving the fish some leverage. Generally though it was closer to a fast action given its somewhat soft tip.

 

Overall a great rod. Like I said, I'm gonna get another one. I will just be very careful with it... no more trying to rip lures free with the rod, will always grab the line and do it manually. Accidents happen... but the Expride is too sexy and too good of a rod to not use it just because it's kinda spendy to replace.

[hwright38]

9 hours ago, Derek1 said:

I’ve actually never broken one. But I do occasionally bump into the seats and doorways and tree branches. I might be more worried about it then I need to be. It’s just a big chunk of change, and I want to make sure it’s right for me. Thanks for the info. 

Bumps are fine, it's crushes that are bad. So long as you don't squeeze the blank into anything (and obviously don't be slamming it into trees) you'll be fine. I would bet dollars to donuts anyone that's broken ANY rod, either got a lemon from the manufacturer (very rare in this price range from one of the "big 3" of bass fishing) or they crushed the blank either by stepping on it, throwing their tackle boxes on it, rolling stuff over it, etc (99% of the cases). Rods simply don't break by themselves, and you'll know immediately if it's a lemon because the first time you flex it it will snap.

 

I've been going full clip in my Pescador Pilot 12 (about 3-4 MPH) and had a low hanging branch hit two of my rods, and literally stopped my forward momentum. Granted they weren't the rod you're looking at, but one of them was a GLX, and the other was a Phenix Feather. Both very "light" rods, and they are both completely fine (I do not recommend doing that, as the sight of them bending further and further until they whip back up on the other side of the branch was terrifying). 

If you're on the fence, just buy it. They're excellent rods and there really isn't too much of a reason to go with anything more expensive until you get into GLX/NRX territory. 

 

With concerns to warranty, if you bought a truck and 2 years later wrapped it around a tree, would you go complaining to the manufacturer for a new one? No, because you broke it due to abnormal use. Same goes for rods, if it works the first time you take it out, then 2 years from now you set the hook on a fish and it snaps, tough luck, it wasn't the manufacturers fault at that point.

 

ps If you're unsure you damaged a rod doing anything, flex test it on something soft like grass or carpet. NEVER grab a rod and try to bend it with your hands, they aren't meant to put under load from anywhere but the tip, and I've watched many people pick up rods in a store, "flex test" them in their hands and they snap 6" of the tip off. Don't be that guy.