Shimano slx casting rods

[niiickboy]

So i just realized theres "glass" rods and then the "regular" rods whats the difference between the two? Im guessing the glass ones make the rod more flexible because of fiberglass instead of graphite or vise versa?

EX:

Shimano SLX 7’0” Medium Glass Casting Rod | SLXC70MG

[diehardbassfishing]

Yes, fiberglass and graphite (carbon).

Graphite being the current most common standard for fishing rods.

 

The re-introduction of fiberglass is from a re-invention of the material. There's E-Glass and S-Glass.

The new fiberglass generation of rods use S-Glass.

 

Don't know how long this thread could go on, but I'll keep it short. From experience, fiberglass rods are a bit softer given the same rating as a carbon fiber rod. Fiberglass generically is more flexible than graphite. This isn't a bad thing. Just makes them fish different. I've purchased "up" in rod rating on my glass rod, so it fished closer to what I'm used to in a graphite rod.

 

Many like the extra flex that you can expect from glass. Helps keep the fish "pinned" because the rod bends a bit more - keeping the line taunt as the fish changes tension on the rod.

 

The other characteristic I notice is how it feels fishing a soft plastic. The strike "tap". With graphite, it feels like a quick sharp hit. On glass, it's more like a thunk.

 

Reason is this - the is rod acting like a tuning fork when the fish "taps" the lure. Graphite is stiff, glass less so. Just holding the rod and tapping it with your finger half way up will demonstrate the rods resonance frequency, The graphite rod resonates at a higher frequency, the glass rod resonates at a lower frequency. Sensitivity - the same - but it feels different. I kinda enjoy the thunk. It works.

 

Like in many things, a different design isn't better or worse.

 

It's simply different.

 

 

Karl

 

 

[jimmyjoe]

   Everything @diehardbassfishing said is correct, but I'll add one more characteristic; durability. Graphite can be brittle. I've broken 3 graphite rods by hitting them against rocks or tree limbs. Although I agree that I should have been more careful, still .... stuff happens. And it happens with fiberglass, too. But I have never broken a fiberglass rod.

   Never.               jj

 

  (p.s. - now that I say that, I'll probably break one tomorrow!  ?? ) 

[niiickboy]

5 hours ago, diehardbassfishing said:

Yes, fiberglass and graphite (carbon).

Graphite being the current most common standard for fishing rods.

 

The re-introduction of fiberglass is from a re-invention of the material. There's E-Glass and S-Glass.

The new fiberglass generation of rods use S-Glass.

 

Don't know how long this thread could go on, but I'll keep it short. From experience, fiberglass rods are a bit softer given the same rating as a carbon fiber rod. Fiberglass generically is more flexible than graphite. This isn't a bad thing. Just makes them fish different. I've purchased "up" in rod rating on my glass rod, so it fished closer to what I'm used to in a graphite rod.

 

Many like the extra flex that you can expect from glass. Helps keep the fish "pinned" because the rod bends a bit more - keeping the line taunt as the fish changes tension on the rod.

 

The other characteristic I notice is how it feels fishing a soft plastic. The strike "tap". With graphite, it feels like a quick sharp hit. On glass, it's more like a thunk.

 

Reason is this - the is rod acting like a tuning fork when the fish "taps" the lure. Graphite is stiff, glass less so. Just holding the rod and tapping it with your finger half way up will demonstrate the rods resonance frequency, The graphite rod resonates at a higher frequency, the glass rod resonates at a lower frequency. Sensitivity - the same - but it feels different. I kinda enjoy the thunk. It works.

 

Like in many things, a different design isn't better or worse.

 

It's simply different.

 

 

Karl

 

 

Thanks for that in depth reply, now thinking about it, the shimano inshore rod my uncle gave me is actually “glass” and the feeling when the bass takes the lure is different then the graphite on my slx