The new GXR Series has finally been released!

[Glenn]

https://bit.ly/3SqXB2A

 

 

[Eric 26]

Am I missing something with the provided link? The reel isn’t on the page at all 🤔

[Glenn]

Strange.  It was there I swear.

 

Try this: https://stcroixrods.com/collections/freshwater/products/gxr-bass-systems

 

[Hulkster]

I can't believe the price on these. 3 of the 4 spinning reel series are the same as or more than a Stradic. they better be d**n good for that price when you consider what you can get with other reels for the same price. 

wow

[garroyo130]

I feel like everyone is looking at a different page here ... 

[TNBankFishing]

Is it a combo rod and reel? No real description. 

[Glenn]

Quote

New GXR Bass Systems bring St. Croix performance and SEVIIN reliability to the bass combo market. Offering eight technique-specific precision-matched models (four casting and four spinning), GXR Bass Systems combine proven SCII carbon fiber blanks, stainless-steel hybrid guide trains, premium-grade traditional split-grip cork handles, and smooth and powerful SEVIIN GXR casting and spinning reels for elevated fishing experiences in all of today’s top bass presentations. Retail price is $200 to $225 with a five-year rod warranty and a one-year reel warranty.

 

[ABU is overpriced]

$170 for that baitcaster when i can get a glassy smooth Alphas TW for $150 from Japan. That would only work on people that don't follow fishing, and most of them won't be spending anywhere near $170 for a baitcaster, anyways.

[TNBankFishing]

I wish I understood why St. Croix is changing so much and so rapidly. The LTB and Victory lines were more modern but still recognizable. The jump into reels just feels so… strange. All these new rods and especially the physics ones. What are you trying to do? 
 

Cutting Torzites out of the legend line was a bad cost saving look as well. It turned me off just like when Megabass increased the price of the Levante and Orochi lines years into their runs. Only to change them back. 
 

Reboot the Elite and X lines with more models and include the correct guide train. Stop trying to sell reels that provide nothing to the consumer. If you want to get some market share, build an aluminum frame reel with externally adjustable breaks. And make it less than $100 dollars. I don’t care if you have to go to Doyo and make an LFS clone, don’t peddle plastic frame baitcasters on a 7’4 heavy frogging rod. 
 

I still love my legend rods but it’s becoming so much harder to recommend St. Croix. 

[Hulkster]

Quote

Quote

Cutting Torzites out of the legend line was a bad cost saving look as well.

 

when they redid the Avid line they cut out the alconite guides too. they should have left them as is. 

[r83srock]

38 minutes ago, Hulkster said:

when they redid the Avid line they cut out the alconite guides too. they should have left them as is. 

Agreed! I’m not liking where St. Croix is heading. They were great right were they were 5 years ago. Just keep making quality rods with quality components. We are certainly getting less for our money at this point. Way too many rod lines now as well. Stop hitting every price point, if the rods are awesome people will buy them. 

Im getting a bad taste in my mouth and feel I might be clinging to nostalgia. 

[TNBankFishing]

17 minutes ago, r83srock said:

Agreed! I’m not liking where St. Croix is heading. They were great right were they were 5 years ago. Just keep making quality rods with quality components. We are certainly getting less for our money at this point. Way too many rod lines now as well. Stop hitting every price point, if the rods are awesome people will buy them. 

Im getting a bad taste in my mouth and feel I might be clinging to nostalgia. 

I don’t think you are losing sight of St. Croixs missteps over nostalgia. They have made fantastic rods for a very long time and always prided themselves on offering quality builds and components at a great price. The reality is they aren’t going that route anymore. 
 

Something has changed at the top of either their R&D department or marketing. They seem to be chasing trends that don’t really exist. No one has asked for a triangular rod handle, but they created one. I literally can’t tell anymore what rods are supposed to be the ones I’d want to buy. There are so many lines with overlapping price points it feels like a race to the bottom with marketing jargon. 
 

The reel manufacturers who have come out in the last few years (Ark, Savage Gear, and Bates) have offerings with aluminum frames. Ark starts with the gravity 3 at $129 and bates, well they have their thing whether it’s a good idea or not. Either way they want to build a long lasting quality product. 
 

I’ve mentioned it before but I’m seeing less and less St. Croix being offered online, and it scares me that within the next couple years they too could be under the Pure Fishing banner. 

[Hulkster]

I mean SC has been around for a long time and its likely that they will turn things around.

 

However, their rep is really suffering with the Bass X rods with hundreds of reel seats coming apart (as well as the legend tournaments).

 

my local tackle store had 2 LT rods marked down from $460 Canadian down to $200 because the reel seats could be rotated 360 degrees when the glue let go.. 

 

they redid the Bass X line and I havent seen any issues yet which is a good thing. 

 

But even with the Victory Series - the baitcasting models don't have an exposed blank on the fuji reel seat - they filled it in with FOAM! <rolls eyes and shakes head>

 

some of the things they are doing don't make any sense at all..

 

Hopefully they can turn things around and in a hurry. 

 

 

[Glenn]

3 hours ago, Hulkster said:

However, their rep is really suffering with the Bass X rods with hundreds of reel seats coming apart (as well as the legend tournaments).

Hundreds?  Where did you get that from?  Got a source?

 

I have 8 Legend Tournaments and 6 Bass X rods, all acquired in the last 3 years.  No problems.  I also have 4 new Victory rods and 4 Mojo Trigon rods.  Again, no problems.

 

22 rods.

 

The way you make it sound, you'd think I'd have an issue with at least ONE of those rods.

 

I'm not saying St. Croix is perfect, but the inference of a total quality meltdown seems a bit exaggerated. 

 

[webertime]

It's not really quality (except the yellow labeled bass-x handles thats absolutely real and St Croix will acknowledge it).  It's trying to "push the envelope " in places the envelope doesn't need to be pushed.  The trigon and physic handles add cost vs traditional  handle models.  There's not one person that ever said they needed or wanted these sorts of things.  

 

St Croix is a hard one to figure out, 100 to 700 dollar rods, some made in US.  Nobody on the market is like them.  Daiwa/shimano/pure companies offer a wider price range of products so it's not apples to apples.  Loomis is 250+ so also not apples to apples.  The Arks, Cashions, Megabass, etc don't have nearly the size/place in the overall market to compare. 

 

When I think of St Croix and what until recently, it's always been , it's traditional  built/look and quality performance (toyota if you will).  Kind of like a working man's Loomis.  I'd bet many many fishermen feel the same.   Now the cheaper components, odd ergonomics and goofy handles...  they didn't need to do any of that to keep their place in the market.  It's like a hood scoop and huge wing added to a camry...  it's like a old dude getting an earing...  what's the point?  You just sort of feel bad for them.  

 

Now add in their profit margin/mark up for customers.   The retailer makes less (margin) off them than Shimano, Loomis, Daiwa, Pure, and it's not really close in several price ranges.  So why make a product that is a riskier sell at a lower profit for retailers?  Puts retailer in a tough spot especially in the economy we have and what the competition offers.  

I doubt they'll be bought up by PE firms or go out of business but...  they need to be what they were.  

[Hulkster]

Quote

I'm not saying St. Croix is perfect, but the inference of a total quality meltdown seems a bit exaggerated.  

look, I know they are a board sponsor so you have an obligation to defend them, but if you spend any time on social media (reddit, youtube, facebook) a total quality meltdown is what a lot folks believe is happening to them.  they have to turn things around quickly, their reputation is fading fast. Look at videos like this and read the comments: 

 

[Hulkster]

Quote

 Now the cheaper components, odd ergonomics and goofy handles...  they didn't need to do any of that to keep their place in the market.  

no idea. its really confusing 

[Bigbox99]

19 hours ago, Hulkster said:

I mean SC has been around for a long time and its likely that they will turn things around.

 

However, their rep is really suffering with the Bass X rods with hundreds of reel seats coming apart (as well as the legend tournaments).

 

my local tackle store had 2 LT rods marked down from $460 Canadian down to $200 because the reel seats could be rotated 360 degrees when the glue let go.. 

 

they redid the Bass X line and I havent seen any issues yet which is a good thing. 

 

But even with the Victory Series - the baitcasting models don't have an exposed blank on the fuji reel seat - they filled it in with FOAM! <rolls eyes and shakes head>

 

some of the things they are doing don't make any sense at all..

 

Hopefully they can turn things around and in a hurry. 

 

 

The foam thing in the reel seat doesn't really bother me since most rods that appear to have an exposed blank do not.  What we see as an exposed rod blank is often an insert to adapt the bank OD to the ID of the reel seat.  To actually have an exposed blank you need to make your rod blank diameters match the reel seat which typically means a proprietary reel seat.  It's one of those things that people assume to be true based on outward appearances.  Same thing with the one piece USDM Shimano rods that are actually a two peice joined at the handle like the JDM models but have been glued together because two piece rods don't sell.  

[Jweller]

14 hours ago, webertime said:

When I think of St Croix and what until recently, it's always been , it's traditional  built/look and quality performance (toyota if you will).  Kind of like a working man's Loomis. 

I couldn't have said this better myself.  I've complained a lot about St. Croix on here but it's because I used to love them (15+ rods).  I want a simple rod that is built well and looks classic, made in North America. Croix had that market covered. 

 

Nothing they have done appeals to me anymore,  I have sold 10 of my rods and have another 5 to sell and I'm done.  It bums me out, but the company is just different.  Someone made a joke about Pure Fishing owning them soon, but the fact is PF owns Fenwick and those rods have COMPLETELY made a turnaround for the better, and I am considering trying a new HMG or Elite.  If not Fenwick then maybe Falcon, or even try a Loomis, who knows. 

 

I constantly see adds on instagram for the PHSYX rods and just think to myself "why would anyone actually want to buy a rod with a handle that looks like a spaceship?" 

[Hulkster]

yeah they have really bumped up the marketing for the physx rods. youtube and instagram is full of videos. 

[Brian11719]

On 8/12/2024 at 8:57 AM, Jweller said:

why would anyone actually want to buy a rod with a handle that looks like a spaceship

I just bought a used Legend Xtreme with a handle that some might say also looks like a space ship...can't wait until it gets here either. I've also held the new Mojo / Physx handles and actually liked them (although I don't own any of those).

 

That said I think they did have an issue with the old Bass X rods. You can just google 'bass x reel seat' and look at the results. In fact I had 2 of those rods and one of them hit that issue right when I tried putting my LFS reel on it. Fortunately I was able to return that to the store for a full refund. It also seems like they fixed that issue with the current gen Bass X rods.

 

I don't agree with every decision they have made (I liked the old reel seat on the Mojos which is actually what caught my eye about these new spinning combos),  but it's not possible to stay exactly the same and survive as a company, and when you change things you aren't going to always make everyone happy.

 

Their warranty service is also good. For the record they did try to get back to me on the claim I submitted for that Bass X but I had already tried the local store by then. The Mojo I owned was also my favorite drop shot rod at the time and the first time I tried something a little more expensive and said 'wow'. Sadly one of the guides broke off on that rod so I contacted their warranty dept. again and that time they ended up upgrading me to a Victory that was brand new off their line...for like $40 dollars.

 

Overall I still think they are a great company. I like the feel of their spinning rod blanks more than any other company out there that I've tried (I just wish they had more options for folks that hold the rod with their hand under the reel) and I think their warranty program is one of the best out there. 

 

So that said I hope they keep changing things. It might not always make everyone happy, but maybe they will come out with another spinning rod line or two with a reel seat that works for me (or at least use the reel seat these spinning combos have since I can get by with these and a little electrical tape). I've also owned several of their casting rods and for the most part they have been great and I have not had any issues with any of them aside from the one issue with the previous gen Bass X rod.

[Hulkster]

1 hour ago, Brian11719 said:

I just bought a used Legend Xtreme with a handle that some might say also looks like a space ship...can't wait until it gets here either. I've also held the new Mojo / Physx handles and actually liked them (although I don't own any of those).

 

That said I think they did have an issue with the old Bass X rods. You can just google 'bass x reel seat' and look at the results. In fact I had 2 of those rods and one of them hit that issue right when I tried putting my LFS reel on it. Fortunately I was able to return that to the store for a full refund. It also seems like they fixed that issue with the current gen Bass X rods.

 

I don't agree with every decision they have made (I liked the old reel seat on the Mojos which is actually what caught my eye about these new spinning combos),  but it's not possible to stay exactly the same and survive as a company, and when you change things you aren't going to always make everyone happy.

 

Their warranty service is also good. For the record they did try to get back to me on the claim I submitted for that Bass X but I had already tried the local store by then. The Mojo I owned was also my favorite drop shot rod at the time and the first time I tried something a little more expensive and said 'wow'. Sadly one of the guides broke off on that rod so I contacted their warranty dept. again and that time they ended up upgrading me to a Victory that was brand new off their line...for like $40 dollars.

 

Overall I still think they are a great company. I like the feel of their spinning rod blanks more than any other company out there that I've tried (I just wish they had more options for folks that hold the rod with their hand under the reel) and I think their warranty program is one of the best out there. 

 

So that said I hope they keep changing things. It might not always make everyone happy, but maybe they will come out with another spinning rod line or two with a reel seat that works for me (or at least use the reel seat these spinning combos have since I can get by with these and a little electrical tape). I've also owned several of their casting rods and for the most part they have been great and I have not had any issues with any of them aside from the one issue with the previous gen Bass X rod.

What spinning reel seat style do you prefer?

[Brian11719]

16 minutes ago, Hulkster said:

What spinning reel seat style do you prefer?

Ironic that someone mentioned Fenwick right above me. Brian from ALF has been making best rod for X lure videos on youtube and he mentioned Fenwick and how they have improved since hiring a couple of rod designers from Shimano in this one. Not planning on getting an HMG personally, but that did get me looking at Fenwick and I think the reel seat they have on the new Elite spinning models looks really good since you are most likely going to have some contact with the blank and a good experience in general no matter how you prefer to hold the rod. I also like the reel seats on the new Lew's Custom Lite spinning rods but that warranty is not even close to the one from St. Croix. The Fenwick warranty also says lifetime but if you accidentally damage it they seem to say 'call us and we will see what we can do' which is not the same as St. Croix and their warranty program which tells me exactly what I'm going to get and how much it's going to be explicitly. The reel seats on Dobyn's rods are also ok and I own a few of them and have been happy with them, but if St. Croix used that style then everyone that prefers to hold the rod another way would be upset which is why I think out of all the ones I've seen that one on the new Fenwick Elite series seems like a really good design. If St. Croix had a spinning rod with a reel seat like that and a 10 or 15 year warranty in the 150-300 range that would likely be what I used for every spinning rod setup I own (other than my drop shot setup). 

[NoFroFishing]

On 8/12/2024 at 9:57 AM, Jweller said:

I couldn't have said this better myself.  I've complained a lot about St. Croix on here but it's because I used to love them (15+ rods).  I want a simple rod that is built well and looks classic, made in North America. Croix had that market covered. 

 

Nothing they have done appeals to me anymore,  I have sold 10 of my rods and have another 5 to sell and I'm done.  It bums me out, but the company is just different.  Someone made a joke about Pure Fishing owning them soon, but the fact is PF owns Fenwick and those rods have COMPLETELY made a turnaround for the better, and I am considering trying a new HMG or Elite.  If not Fenwick then maybe Falcon, or even try a Loomis, who knows. 

 

I constantly see adds on instagram for the PHSYX rods and just think to myself "why would anyone actually want to buy a rod with a handle that looks like a spaceship?" 

 

To counter that I guess is why wouldn't anyone want to buy it? I love when companies try new things. There is so much stuff out there that all looks and feels the same so I am glad St Croix is actually trying to put new stuff out there while also revamping their staple of lines. 

Personally I am a big fan of the trigon handles and love the Physyx rod I do own. 

[zell_pop1]

On 8/12/2024 at 9:57 AM, Jweller said:

I want a simple rod that is built well and looks classic, made in North America. Croix had that market covered. 

 

 

Same here, I have rods in the Legend, Avid, and Premier lines, love the classic USA made lines. No reason to change this, I get the idea to have split grip lines with these blanks, and the Mojo rods looked good and sold well but Croix is definitely trying to do too much and gutted the old lines to just a few models in each.