Jig Rod Blanks - Daiwa HVF/X45 VS 40Ton Toray

[DEPS_250]

As far as sensitivity is concerned, Does anyone know how Daiwa's HVF/X45 combination blank stacks up against something like Toray's 40Ton carbon? I am looking for a 'best bang for your buck' jig/bottom contact rod that is cheap and still fairly sensitive. Found 2 rods right at $100 bucks. Narrowed it down to...

 

• Daiwa Tatula XT 7'6" _ Extra Heavy _ 12-30lb _ 3/8-1 1/2oz
• Ark Lancer Pro 7'6" _ Heavy _ 12-25lb _ 1/2 - 2oz

 

The Ark Lancer Pro is the cheapest rod series I can find on Tackle Warehouse that uses a 40Ton Toray blank. 40Ton Toray is about as sensitive as it gets as far as a $200 rod is concerned. Most rod companies charge $200+ for 40ton Toray. The Ark Lancer Pro comes in at only $100 bucks for 40Ton Toray! Killer deal and a no brainer if you ask me.

 

On the other hand, I am a Daiwa Fanboy and I really love the action on Daiwa rods. They always feel so dialed and are very versatile as far as action is concerned. I have also heard that Daiwa's manufacturing process for their HVF technology has really improved over the years and has come a long way as far as trickling down into lower price point rods and therefore enabling Daiwa to produce cheap rods that are lighter, faster and more sensitive. 

 

Does anyone know what tonnage/modulus carbon fiber Daiwa uses in their HVF formula, when building budget 100 dollar rods? I am pretty sure Daiwa changes the formula of their HVF/X45 based on rod price point/series. Therefore, I am mainly looking for a ball park number as far as a 100 dollar rod is concerned if anyone knows or has any insight into Daiwa's manufacturing process. Is it comparable to 30T, 36T or 40T from Toray? Which rod should feel more sensitive between the two and is obviously the better deal? Does anyone have any experience with both of these 2 rod series?

 

 

[webertime]

Carbon/graphite is only one of a few components in the blank.  Terrible resin or mandrel can ruin a high end graphite.  Just an fyi

[softwateronly]

I've never held either of those rods, but there's been enough talk about them on this site by people I respect and have learned from that I know you can't go wrong either way.  If I were you, I'd lean toward the Ark because it's very affordable and gives you another quality company to get familiar with.  

 

scott

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

40t Toray is just one material used in construction. It alone is not a determiner of the quality of a finished rod. 

[T-Billy]

Can't comment on the Daiwa, but that ark blank is very good. I'd recommend spending the extra $29 and getting the Tharp Series version of it for the Fuji guides. Mine has taken beating after beating with zero issues.

[ska4fun]

As people said before, modulus is just one aspect of blank quality. A 40ton one is very brittle, if the carbon mesh was molded with cheap resin.

[T-Billy]

I've straightened flippin hooks, boat flipped 6# bass, wrestled big flatheads and muskie in laydowns, and poked countless snags loose with my Tharp "King Cobra". Brittle it ain't.

[JediAmoeba]

One thing I notice in rods - lower end rods talk about the xxT Toray carbon but high end rods don't. The high end ones use the right materials for the job to maximize effectiveness.

[txchaser]

If you like Daiwas and can swing another 30ish bucks the SVF Tat Elite non-ags model is on sale everywhere because there is a new generation of rods. Supposedly per daiwa the SVF is an upgrade to the HVF. 

 

100-150 is a hypercompetitive space, if you can find something that's normally 150 on sale for 100, you're likely to be happy with it. 

also there's this

 

 

 

[LoganT]

On 6/19/2023 at 11:17 PM, txchaser said:

If you like Daiwas and can swing another 30ish bucks the SVF Tat Elite non-ags model is on sale everywhere because there is a new generation of rods. Supposedly per daiwa the SVF is an upgrade to the HVF. 

 

100-150 is a hypercompetitive space, if you can find something that's normally 150 on sale for 100, you're likely to be happy with it. 

also there's this

 

 

 

I agree with this 100%. I just picked up a tatula elite 7’1 Heavy fast and I also have a prior generation tatula xt 7’1 MH extra fast. Both rods are nice but the elite is definitely a step up.

[ska4fun]

On 6/15/2023 at 2:25 PM, T-Billy said:

I've straightened flippin hooks, boat flipped 6# bass, wrestled big flatheads and muskie in laydowns, and poked countless snags loose with my Tharp "King Cobra". Brittle it ain't.

Read what I posted again. 40 ton mesh tubes are brittle because of the increase in carbon density. Decent rods fix the issue using high quality resin, allowing more flexing for the blanks.

[PBBrandon]

I’m not sure if SVF is necessarily better than HVF. The $200 dollar rebellion line uses HVF and the $400 BLX line uses HVF Nanoplus. I own both and I like them better than the SVF Nanoplus Tatula Elites

[T-Billy]

5 hours ago, ska4fun said:

Read what I posted again. 40 ton mesh tubes are brittle because of the increase in carbon density. Decent rods fix the issue using high quality resin, allowing more flexing for the blanks.

Read what I posted again. Nowhere in my post did I contradict what you said. I was simply attesting to the fact that Ark builds/uses a tough 40T blank.

[PhishLI]

15 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

I was simply attesting to the fact that Ark builds/uses a tough 40T blank.

Agreed. I tested my Essence 7'6" MHF rated to an ounce by power launching 1.5 oz swimbaits with it. No problems.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Ark rods are decnt, but once you get to that 150$ price point compretitio ngets awful stiff.  I havent had the opportunity to to get a Invoker Pro in my hand, but own an Essence.  Essence is nice, its not the lightest and the build quality doesn't blow me away, but if there is an issue Ark will fix it...eventually, it might take time, but they will try to make it right.

I haven't fished the new XTs, but they sure feel much better balanced then the older one that I had fished.  Next to a Lancer the Daiwa is going to look much better IMO, but as far as performance is probably close.  Now if you were to upgrade to the Tatula (not XT), then personally I would have to go with the Daiwa.

I would suggest if you do go with Ark spend a few more $ and get a viper or tharp, but thats just me.