Kistler Rod Pricing?

[Hulkster]

 

So, is Kistler's pricing tactic of always showing a massive price for a rod and then saying 'its what we would have sold them at had we sold to a big store but you get it at this way lower price" legit?

ie have his rods ever actually been listed anywhere at the giant price?

been looking into his rods and every web site including his own lists this super high price beside every model and then real price is always way lower.

if they have never sold at the high price, isn't this a little deceptive? saying his customers are getting a deal when the rods were always the lower price to begin with? I'm confused??

[rangerjockey]

The business model has always been odd But, He makes a good rod just buy the sales.

[swhit140]

They have done that for years, I purchased a couple of their KLX rods about 5 years ago. I've been happy with the 2 KLX models that I own. The rods aren't as balanced as some other brands, but I've fished them hard and have held up well. 

 

[Dwight Hottle]

Sign up for his news blurbs & you get all his sales prices through emails.  

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

NFC does that as do jewelers , auto parts retailers etc. common practice. It’s not deceptive unless they hook you with a sale price then try to get “list” price. 

[waymont]

21 hours ago, Hulkster said:

 

So, is Kistler's pricing tactic of always showing a massive price for a rod and then saying 'its what we would have sold them at had we sold to a big store but you get it at this way lower price" legit?

ie have his rods ever actually been listed anywhere at the giant price?

been looking into his rods and every web site including his own lists this super high price beside every model and then real price is always way lower.

if they have never sold at the high price, isn't this a little deceptive? saying his customers are getting a deal when the rods were always the lower price to begin with? I'm confused??

They are annoying to me. You're confused because it's confusing. They change the blanks regularly these days, but don't say where or who makes them. The prices at the "normal" price seems to mean nothing. They just put their rods on sale often, and for no reason.

[DogBone_384]

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain and don’t worry about pricing tactics. Sign up for Kistler emails if you want better pricing.  For example, I’m on Kistler’s email list and his Helium rods are the same price as an Abu Veritas Tourney at Bass Pro Shops.

 

Kistler’s customer service is top notch. I called to pay an invoice for a custom rod once and Trey answered the phone and took the time to discuss my build.

 

The bottom line is they’re very sensitive, light, high quality rods made in Texas.

[BrianMDTX]

2 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain and don’t worry about pricing tactics. Sign up for Kistler emails if you want better pricing.  For example, I’m on Kistler’s email list and his Helium rods are the same price as an Abu Veritas Tourney at Bass Pro Shops.

 

Kistler’s customer service is top notch. I called to pay an invoice for a custom rod once and Trey answered the phone and took the time to discuss my build.

 

The bottom line is they’re very sensitive, light, high quality rods made in Texas.

They have a nice shop. I picked my Helium TCJ rod up in person there. Great company and such a nice rod for that price. 

[rangerjockey]

9 hours ago, waymont said:

They are annoying to me. You're confused because it's confusing. They change the blanks regularly these days, but don't say where or who makes them. The prices at the "normal" price seems to mean nothing. They just put their rods on sale often, and for no reason.

Well, the reason is to move rods. Now they are doing the ol everybody be on our pro staff deal. 

I'm sure that involves buying so many rods a year.

Still, Trey is one of the genuinely nice guys in the business. It wouldn't surprise me to see him sell before too much longer.

[Bigbox99]

I don't know, I don't have a Kistler rod but I'd be hard pressed to pick one over a Veritas Tournament just judging a book by its cover.  That blank better be leagues better than the Abu stick.

[FrnkNsteen]

I will take a Kistler over anything Abu any day of the week and all day on Sunday!!

 

I've had multiple Abu rods and came to HATE all of them after a while and don't own a single one anymore.

 

My biggest complaint, other than that they all seemed to be overpowered, is that they put that stupid rubber coating over all their plastic components that eventually breaks down and gets sticky and starts to peel.

 

I only have a few Kistlers (one Zbone, two Heliums, and a Jerkbait) but I have been REALLY happy with all of them.

 

I think there is a reason Fenwick seems to be the brand Pure Fishing is starting to push again. I see more and more advertizements for Fenwick and the name is showing up again on fishing jersey sponsorships. I'm a huge fan of Fenwick spinning rods. Not as much on the casting rods for some reason.

[DogBone_384]

15 minutes ago, FrnkNsteen said:

they put that stupid rubber coating over all their plastic components that eventually breaks down and gets sticky and starts to peel.

I bought an Abu Fantastia Regista @ 50% off when Gander Mountain closed. It was still more expensive than my Kistler Heliums and like yours, the rubber coating peeled off. If I remember correctly, that rod’s MSRP was $499.

[txchaser]

I have a stack of Heliums and keep buying more.  NFC blanks and the new ones. Can't tell the difference between them.  At the sale price there's nothing I can find even close to it, even if that stuff is on sale too.  The rods I have that fish in the same class - Poison Adrena and St Croix Legend X; and I have a Conquest that's certainly another class above it, with the price to go with it. 

 

I have one z-bone which is great but the helium its so good the zbone wasn't better enough to buy more.  A nitranium because I had to know; it's an MBR-style rod and fishes lighter than the rating.

 

I have a two complaints - I like the old open-style hook keeper, and I'd really like a mod-fast (like daiwa "Regular") in this blank.

 

Anyway Trey is really available and it's nice to be able to talk to an actual human responsible for the business when you are trying to figure out what you want.

 

In fairness, Daiwa has been really solid dealing with issues and the new Zillion rod has a lot of promise. I don't have one though, and they are a good bit more expensive. 

 

Shimano was the opposite - I knocked a ring out of a poison adrena and the best they could do is "go buy some on mudhole and find a local guy to fix it" 

[Hulkster]

9 hours ago, txchaser said:

 

Shimano was the opposite - I knocked a ring out of a poison adrena and the best they could do is "go buy some on mudhole and find a local guy to fix it" 

wow that's awful

[super_hunter]

I have had owned five Kistler rods since 2019/2020 timeframe.  I still have a Helium 7'3" that hasn't broken, but I don't use it much.  They are notorious for changing their blanks frequently.   They are also notorious for guide inserts that fall out under normal usage at about 3 times the rate of other $250 rods.  I replaced all but 2 of the guides on a Helium over the course of 2 years.  My main beef with them is they don't honor their warranties.   I had a 3 month old rod that broke when casting a wacky senko, and they said they can't do anything on a $139 rod even though it was listed as having a warranty.   I had a Helium break on a hookset in '24, and the replacement cost was $200 + a $20 processing fee, which was only $20 less than the current sale price.  I would email them and get their warranty replacement cost in writing before you buy a Helium or Zbone...notice their website doesn't list the replacement cost and that's because they wouldnt sale many if they put a $200 replacement cost on a $235 rod out there.   Better options out there from better actors than Kistler in my opinion.   

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

[Bass Rutten]

8 hours ago, super_hunter said:

I would email them and get their warranty replacement cost in writing before you buy a Helium or Zbone...notice their website doesn't list the replacement cost and that's because they wouldnt sale many if they put a $200 replacement cost on a $235 rod out there.

Their warranty terms and replacement costs are clearly stated online.

https://kistlerrods.com/pages/warranty-claim-information-form-old

 

Are you sure your rod damages were covered by the warranty?

[DogBone_384]

On 4/15/2024 at 11:28 PM, txchaser said:

I'd really like a mod-fast

 Have a few KLX’s, which are mod/fast.  My #1 crankbait rod is a 7’3” MH/MF KLX, hands down.  I also have a couple Feel’n’Reel rods (because I HAD to know) and they’re VERY sensitive for a glass/composite blank and have a strangely good tip.

 

Both are A+ crankbait rods.  I find the KLX M/F a little more versatile. I’ll use that for chatterbaits over the FnR.

8 hours ago, super_hunter said:

They are notorious for changing their blanks frequently. 

 

Yes, they change blanks.  It’s to keep costs as low as possible and provide a high quality product simultaneously.  I bought my first Kistler in 2015 and my most recent in 2023 and can tell you they’re very sensitive and high quality.  To me, they’re worth every penny.

[Choporoz]

43 minutes ago, DogBone_384 said:

can tell you they’re very sensitive and high quality.  To me, they’re worth every penny.

Same here.  I have four Heliums and one Chromium, and unlike the new guy above, I have never had any problems with any of them.

[DogBone_384]

I have 25 Kistler rods from 2015 to 2023 and the only breakages were my fault.

 

[super_hunter]

6 hours ago, Bass Rutten said:

Their warranty terms and replacement costs are clearly stated online.

https://kistlerrods.com/pages/warranty-claim-information-form-old

 

Are you sure your rod damages were covered by the warranty?

 

When you hit Warranty on the top nav, this is what you get:

 

https://kistlerrods.com/pages/kistler-bend-strong-warranty

 

Dogbone -if you aren't having guide problems, you are the only one I know out of 20 guys that have tried Kistlers that I fish against or with.

[DogBone_384]

7 hours ago, super_hunter said:

Dogbone -if you aren't having guide problems, you are the only one I know out of 20 guys that have tried Kistlers that I fish against or with.

 

I'm just sharing my experience with Kistler.  I'm retired and my equipment gets heavy use.  Too bad the other 19 guys have had problems.  Hopefully they get it sorted out.

[Dwight Hottle]

In Kistlers defense I have owned about 8 of them & gifted several more to a friend. We have never had a breakage issue or a guide/guide insert issue. They have always been good value for the money. PS I only buy them on sale. 

[Bass Rutten]

9 hours ago, super_hunter said:

 

When you hit Warranty on the top nav, this is what you get:

 

https://kistlerrods.com/pages/kistler-bend-strong-warranty

 

Dogbone -if you aren't having guide problems, you are the only one I know out of 20 guys that have tried Kistlers that I fish against or with.

I have a hard time believing the guides on kistler rods are more prone to having issues and breaking than the guides on daiwas, gloomis', st croixs, and dozens of other rod manufacturers that use more or less the same guides. Was it one particular rod series, or one type/brand of guide you had issues with?

[rangerjockey]

2 hours ago, Bass Rutten said:

I have a hard time believing the guides on kistler rods are more prone to having issues and breaking than the guides on daiwas, gloomis', st croixs, and dozens of other rod manufacturers that use more or less the same guides. Was it one particular rod series, or one type/brand of guide you had issues with?

I would agree . Kistler doesn't make guides.