St. Croix Legend Extreme

[JeffD]

I just had a guy drop off a St. Croix Legend Extreme rod to have a hook keeper installed. I didn't know much about this rod, but he told me it's a $600+

rod. What makes this rod so expensive and what would be a comparable rod blank to build this quality of a rod?

[Chris Catignani]

The blank and the guides are the bulk of the cost...plus made in USA.

What exact blank is it?

[JeffD]

It's a 7'6", med/hvy, mod/fast action.

[S Hovanec]

4 hours ago, JeffD said:

hat makes this rod so expensive and what would be a comparable rod blank to build this quality of a rod?

 

That blank is $220 + $15 to paint + $20 shipping.  Many St. Croix SCV models are available through Rodgeeks.  The Legend extremes have Diawa's AGS carbon fiber guides.  Those are not available to custom builders.

[RipHair]

After building my first 2 rods using cheaper blanks (actually in progress) I was planning to go all out on a non-painted SCV70MF2 or SCV70MLF2 with titanium + torzite (or SIC) throughout. I haven't ever held or fished a Legend Extreme but do you reckon I could get a similar performance build?

[spoonplugger1]

Watch your fit and finish, don't put anything on the blank that doesn't need to be there,  and you might even do better.

[MickD]

Legend SCV blanks have one of the highest true natural frequencies of many blanks I have tested.  Not the highest, but nearly so.  They are definitely a premium blank.  The Rodgeeks SCIV blanks are close, but not the equivalent.  In my opinion.

 

Any weight you add to a blank will lower its true natural frequency, and many think that true natural frequency is a good indicator of sensitivity.  It is clearly indicative of response time.

 

I have a lot of premium builds that I use and the SCV 70MF is one of my favorite tube/finesse rods.

 

Whether you can get the equivalent of a Legend with your own build will depend on your design and execution.  There is no reason why you cannot match it if you use the same SCV blank.

 

I recommend using reel seats no smaller than size 17 for optimum ergonomics.  Going with a slightly lighter 16 may seem like the right choice for max performance, but after a long day on the water you will likely wish you had used a 17.  I don't even use 16's on ultra-lights.

[dwtaylor]

5 hours ago, MickD said:

I recommend using reel seats no smaller than size 17 for optimum ergonomics.  Going with a slightly lighter 16 may seem like the right choice for max performance, but after a long day on the water you will likely wish you had used a 17.  I don't even use 16's on ultra-lights.

 

I agree with this comment 100%.  Another side benefit of size 17 reel seats is that they weigh slightly more which leads to a better balanced rod around the reel seat.

[Deebo]

Supposedly the legend extremes are not on the scv blank any more. 

 

 

Super-high-modulus SCVI blank with highest level of carbon-fiber density ever used by St. Croix

Externally overlaid Advanced Reinforcing Technology

SCVI carbon with Fortified Resin System in the lower section maximizes power and strength while keeping weight to a minimum

Superior resin that significantly increases strength during hookset compression and flex strength under load

Integrated Poly Curve mandrel technology

Taper Enhancement Technology blank design with curved patterns for improved action and increased sensitivity

Two-coat Flex-Coat slow-cure finish

Daiwa AGS carbon-fiber guides with Fuji KG Tip Top with SiC ring

Fuji SK2 split reel seat combines ultralight weight with incredible sensitivity

2nd Generation Xtreme-Skin handle

Kigan titanium hook-keeper keeps your rod rigged and at the ready

Manufacturer’s 15-year transferable warranty

[Tennessee Boy]

On 1/16/2022 at 1:55 PM, JeffD said:

What makes this rod so expensive and what would be a comparable rod blank to build this quality of a rod?

My opinion.  
 

St Croix realized that they were loosing sales because there are a lot of guy that will only buy the most expensive rods on the market.  So they made a few changes to the Legend Extreme and added $200 to the price.  Now everyone is impressed.

[Dwight Hottle]

12 hours ago, Deebo said:

Supposedly the legend extremes are not on the scv blank any more. 

 

 

Super-high-modulus SCVI blank with highest level of carbon-fiber density ever used by St. Croix

Externally overlaid Advanced Reinforcing Technology

SCVI carbon with Fortified Resin System in the lower section maximizes power and strength while keeping weight to a minimum

Superior resin that significantly increases strength during hookset compression and flex strength under load

Integrated Poly Curve mandrel technology

Taper Enhancement Technology blank design with curved patterns for improved action and increased sensitivity

Two-coat Flex-Coat slow-cure finish

Daiwa AGS carbon-fiber guides with Fuji KG Tip Top with SiC ring

Fuji SK2 split reel seat combines ultralight weight with incredible sensitivity

2nd Generation Xtreme-Skin handle

Kigan titanium hook-keeper keeps your rod rigged and at the ready

Manufacturer’s 15-year transferable warranty

 

St Croix web site states that the legend extreme is built on the SCVI blank

[S Hovanec]

The Legend Elite and Legend X are also built with the SC6 material in the lower section.  It's not exclusive to the Legend Extreme.

[MickD]

In the lower section.  Which would seem to me to be the least important, easiest to handle without exotic materials, section.  I wonder how much of an improvement it is.  Could be significant, but I don't see how.  Yes, I know, always the skeptic.  But willing to learn.  

[Lyman X]

On 1/17/2022 at 7:08 PM, RipHair said:

After building my first 2 rods using cheaper blanks (actually in progress) I was planning to go all out on a non-painted SCV70MF2 or SCV70MLF2 with titanium + torzite (or SIC) throughout. I haven't ever held or fished a Legend Extreme but do you reckon I could get a similar performance build?

Absolutely!

[Alex from GA]

IMO a top of the line from any blank mfg will be equal to or better than the high end factory rods, and they'll be a bunch less expensive.

[MickD]

"Bunch less expensive."  Only if you build them yourself.  

 

High end factory rods have gotten better over the years, in my opinion.  Very good looking, high quality guides and seats.  I still like to build my own to get the design the way I like it (no factory spin rods use a similar design, and no builder components are available) .  There are two areas of factory rods that are consistently deficient, the inferior cork quality and suspect bonding of seats and grips to the blanks (they tend to skimp on using the epoxy) .

[Huckfinn38]

On 1/17/2022 at 7:08 PM, RipHair said:

After building my first 2 rods using cheaper blanks (actually in progress) I was planning to go all out on a non-painted SCV70MF2 or SCV70MLF2 with titanium + torzite (or SIC) throughout. I haven't ever held or fished a Legend Extreme but do you reckon I could get a similar performance build?

Looks at RodGeeks Carbon 4. Similar blanks better price

[MickD]

It might be all in my head, but my Rodgeeks Carbon 4 doesn't seem to be as good as my St Croix SCV.  Not the same power even though the same specs (measured CCS + subjective feel).  Seems a little heavier.  Not bad, but not quite an SCV.  I think if you want an SCV you have to buy an SCV.

 

Rodgeeks sells the SCV St Croix blanks.

 

 

[S Hovanec]

On 2/11/2022 at 10:15 PM, MickD said:

It might be all in my head, but my Rodgeeks Carbon 4 doesn't seem to be as good as my St Croix SCV.  Not the same power even though the same specs (measured CCS + subjective feel).  Seems a little heavier.  Not bad, but not quite an SCV.  I think if you want an SCV you have to buy an SCV.

 

Rodgeeks sells the SCV St Croix blanks.

 

 

Rodgeeks C4s don't even feel as crisp as a SC4 to me.  

[MickD]

20 hours ago, S Hovanec said:

Rodgeeks C4s don't even feel as crisp as a SC4 to me

I don't have any true St. Croix SC4.  I have a method of measuring the true natural frequency of blanks and rods, no weight added like in CCF by Hanneman.  Interestingly the Rodgeeks Carbon 4 70MF natural frequency is well below that of the St Croix SCV 70MF, both one piece rods.  The SCV's are towards the upper range of rods tested, but not quite the highest. BUT, the SCV 70MF remains one of my favorites.  The others that are a little higher in natural frequency are in the top group of favorites, also.