Dollar-for-dollar, is e21's Carrot Stix the best?

[fathom]

Time spent fishing with what you wanted to buy is priceless.

[flechero]

They look unique, have a modified Tharp style seat, custom butt caps and split grips. I give them 2 thumbs up for innovation and good marketing. But... they should be reasonably priced, they use very inexpensive guides and EVA grips on a new and relatively unproven blank material. However, I do think it's great that new materials are being used for rods... the price of the graphites have gone through the roof because it's used in so many military applications. I hope other companies follow suit and experiment with new and different materials- as that will be a win-win for fisherman in the long run.

Considering that they all come with Pac Bay guides and most have slow to mod-fast actions, they don't fit my wants or needs but I'm only one guy.

[blade]

vintagerod,

e21's Carrot Stix arguably provides the lightest, most sensitive, most technologically advanced rod on the market today in the $150 price range.

Who says? The 4 people here, that might actually own one. They don't have more than a few outings use at most. Wait a couple of seasons and see what happens...

I still haven't seen anything written about catches with these veggie stiks.

Sorry IMPO no it isn't.

I have been using mine since October and I fish 3-4 times per week so that is around 25-30 trips and i have caught alot of fish on the carrot ranging from dinks to 6 pound largemouth 5 pound smallie and 15 pound striper and the rod has performed as good if not better than any rod I own not to mention it has a FULL lifetime warranty. Why are you so down on these rods?  8-) ;D :

[Cory20]

vintagerod,

e21's Carrot Stix arguably provides the lightest, most sensitive, most technologically advanced rod on the market today in the $150 price range.

Who says? The 4 people here, that might actually own one. They don't have more than a few outings use at most. Wait a couple of seasons and see what happens...

I still haven't seen anything written about catches with these veggie stiks.

Sorry IMPO no it isn't.

I have been using mine since October and I fish 3-4 times per week so that is around 25-30 trips and i have caught alot of fish on the carrot ranging from dinks to 6 pound largemouth 5 pound smallie and 15 pound striper and the rod has performed as good if not better than any rod I own not to mention it has a FULL lifetime warranty. Why are you so down on these rods? 8-) ;D :

If you guys aren't pals.......I don't care how many dumb smiley's you put after that nonsense.

.02

New technology is exciting, obviously, but is it always best?

Ephedran (sp?) - Great weight loss supplement, really helped people lose a lot of weight...until the people taking it started having heart attacks and dying.

Heroin - The less addictive alternative to morphine..

Vxxgra - Yahoo! Ahh my heart...

So these examples are just a little, ok a lot, out of context. But they were all "the" next big thing.

I'm excited about the stix and they're performing great, right now.

"Tommy: Let's think about this for a sec, Ted, why do they put a guarantee on a box? Hmm, very interesting.

Ted: I'm listening.

Tommy: Here's how I see it. A guy puts a guarantee on the box 'cause he wants you to fell all warm and toasty inside.

Ted: Yeah, makes a man feel good.

Tommy: 'Course it does. Ya think if you leave that box under your pillow at night, the Guarantee Fairy might come by and leave a quarter.

Ted: What's your point?

Tommy: The point is, how do you know the Guarantee Fairy isn't a crazy glue sniffer? "Building model airplanes" says the little fairy, but we're not buying it. Next thing you know, there's money missing off the dresser and your daughter's knocked up, I seen it a hundred times.

Ted: But why do they put a guarantee on the box then?

Tommy: Because they know all they solda ya was a guaranteed piece of sxxx. That's all it is. Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time..."

Tommy Boy

Still going strong in another year or two, I can learn to like a bright orange rod.

edited: for bad words

[Micro]

New technology is exciting, obviously, but is it always best?

Ephedran (sp?) - Great weight loss supplement, really helped people lose a lot of weight...until the people taking it started having heart attacks and dying.

Heroin - The less addictive alternative to morphine..

Vxxgra - Yahoo! Ahh my heart...

I agree.  Don't eat your carrot stick before sex.  

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I honestly don't get the resentment this rod has brought out in quite a few folks.  I've casted one, never caught with it but it felt fantastic.  

Do I like foam grips? Not really.

will I ever own a rod that ugly?  Definitely not

But like flechero said, I'm one guy.

If I bought stuff strictly on how it "feels", I think I would gladly pay $150 for what I felt when I casted Tin2wins.

Is it time proven? Not yet.

But that's the key,...not YET.  

I just don't get how someone, anyone, not singling anyone out here, can belittle a product without using it.  Same goes for the other side, people raving about something they have zero experience with, just because their friend loves it.

Just a lot of ridiculousness over nothing.

I think there is a general "God forbid" attitude out there if a product and it's warranty can compete with Loomis and Croix but not carry the $345 price tag that evidently includes "confidence" in the sum total.

Personally, I'll bring my own confidence and keep the other $195 in my pocket.  But that's me,...Low Budget.

[jwo1124]

I agree with Low Budget that paying $300+ for a fishing rod is a lay me down with out a date. I have came to understand the difference between a $35 rod off the walmart shelf and a $150 high end fishing rod. Where do you draw the line though? I mean how much better can a $300 rod be over a $150 rod. I think these guys sit in the board room and say" hey get this, we priced these rods at $300 and these shmucks are actually paying it." It's encoded in our brains that the more something costs the better it is. So why wouldn't corporations use this basic mind f***ing to screw with us. If they list a rod at $300, WOW...That must be a much better fishign rod than this, it must be able to catch me mroe fish...And sadly people fall into the trap.

I will pay for quality, but I won't pay for a brand name, psuedoconfidence, or boasting rights...

IMO I think $150 is a reasonable price for a high end fishing rod. Once you start passing that price, you know the bait monkey has you by the family jewels.

As far as the carrot stik...I don't know, I would like to get one since they are reasonably priced, but I'll wait until the hype fades, and the facts come out until I make a purchase.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

All due respect here because David is the 1 guy I won't argue certain things with, rods and reels to be more specific but.......  Dave wrote:

I'm not sure that a no questions asked replacement policy means anything more than that you're dealing with a rod that isn't very expensive to build, has had the price jacked up to include several free replacements,

Is Loomis not the same??  I mean, I'm assuming if I pay $345 for a rack rod, I am paying for a lot of warranty.  On top of it, I still have to give them $50 to get my "pre-figured in" replacement.

or employs a design that makes the rod very durable at the cost of being far less efficient.

If you mean "loses sensitivity" at the cost of being ultra durable, (i.e. Ugly Stik) I might suggest you cast one of these things (if you can stand to look at it,lol) you might be surprised

As for durability, You were the one that said they haven't been proven yet.  That data goes both ways.  So far, I haven't heard of any snapping.

In all fairness, addressing  JWO, you reach a point where the quality will all be top notch (as far as a rack rod can be anyway) and it then becomes a better warranty that you are paying for.  Loomis and Croix have been leaders in warranty for years (although my personal opinion is that these warranties aren't as great as most think and certainly not worth another $150-200 on the price tag.) Now, we have a dilemma.  Companies like Kistler and E21 are producing some great feeling rods in the $150-200 range with the same , if not better (IMO via my experiences) customer service.

I think a lot of the resentment towards these companies is now surfacing as their success grows.  I also think that resentment should be aimed at the companies that have been getting over on the angler for the last 20 yrs instead of at the companies striving to make a difference.

OK, fire away, open target here,lol

[flechero]

I have no dog in this hunt but there are a couple things I want to address...

I mean how much better can a $300 rod be over a $150 rod.

Take one worm fishing and then see if you need to ask the question. If you still do, there is something wrong. There are certain materials, components and traits found in the higher dollar rods.... statements like yours are usually made by people who have $150 rods. Now, if you had said the best value is in the $150 range, I would respect that an intelligent argument can be made for that position.

$150 is a reasonable price for a high end fishing rod. Once you start passing that price, you know the bait monkey has you by the family jewels

Really? :-? Why is your arbitrary number of $150 the correct cut off? With that statement you say that all of us that use higher costing gear are idiots and were swindled. There are a couple thousand members that own IMX, GLX or LT or LE, Kistler, dobyns, powell, sage, megabass, etc., that might take offense to your blanket statement. They might have some experience using rods on both sides of your $150 line... I'm willing to be that I'm not the only one that can tell a difference when blindfolded.

Is Loomis not the same?? I mean, I'm assuming if I pay $345 for a rack rod, I am paying for a lot of warranty. On top of it, I still have to give them $50 to get my "pre-figured in" replacement.

IMO, no. I can't defend other brands because I don't know their history but do a search and look up pricing for loomis... example- when Loomis went to the no questions asked, lifetime warranty, they DID NOT RAISE PRICES. They only added the benefit. In 1994 I bought my first 3 IMX rods, mbr784imx, mbr785imx and mbr844imx I paid $225, $235 and $245, respectively. They have gone up only a couple times since then and not much each time... they are more stable than inflation. Sure you could argue that the prices were already too high but there was a long and stable price history and demand established long before I was there.

Can we get back to carrot sticks now?

[roadwarrior]

It always strikes me as odd that those that have never fished high end rods find them "over priced" and "no better" than lower priced equipment. I don't ever recall a post by a high end user complaining.

:

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

It always strikes me as odd that those that have never fished high end rods find them "over priced" and "no better" than lower priced equipment. I don't ever recall a post by a high end user complaining.

:

Not taken as an attack, obviously, RW and I know each other better than that BUT,...if this is directed towards my comments, I never spent ALOT of time w/ high end stuff, just used a lot of different ones on different outings.  I did, however, ONLY throw high end gear and a wide variety of it when I visited Redline's place.  Now, granted, I am nowhere near as picky as 80% of the readers here but I still know what I like and my offerings are strictly my opinions based on my experiences.

Can we get back to carrot sticks now?

Carrot stick, great value but will never be a "Turkey Run" or "DG" rod  Better?

and for the record, like Flechero, not only do I not have a dog in the hunt, I don't even have a dog! ;D

[Tokyo Tony]

So regarding the Carrot Stix - how fast is the action compared to, say, a Loomis IMX fast action, or a Shimano Crucial fast?  There was a post above saying that the action was not really as fast as other rods...is this true?  Also, how does the weight compare to, say, a Loomis IMX, generally?

After some of the good reviews, I'm considering trying out a Carrot to see if it strikes my fancy  

[roadwarrior]

Russ,

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

My comments were just a follow-up to flechero's post.

[Tin]

Yup, stiffer actions, as for weight, lightest around. With certain reels it is TOO LIGHT, imo.

I own a bunch of them Tony, I'll let you try one. As long as you dont put a curse on it by taking it to your little trout hole. ;D

[fish-fighting-illini]

[roadwarrior]

I agree, that was a VERY cheap shot. >

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Exactly, but even then, with a reputation like David's, it defends itself.   DG knows we'll always have his back if needed.  

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

No I don't....... :-?

But I probably don't need it anyway.

This like when Muddy had the last straw is the last one for me.

Have a good new year... 8-)

Don't know where that came from, sorry you feel that way.

For the record, my comment about resentment had nothing to do with you or your business.  It was aimed at folks of the Loomis/croix posse who are so brand loyal, they aren't willing to look at new or innovative concepts.  If that's you, so be it, otherwise, it was not a personal attack on you in any way.  I really don't know why you think I would view you that way anyway, I've never given you or your name anything but utmost respect, so I thought.  

[jwo1124]

After reading some of the posts after mine, I should say that I can and only have the right to speak for myself on this or any issue. I think rods in the $150 dollar range are the cut off for me, and couldn;'t see myself paying $300+ for a single fishing rod. Now, this doesn't mean that I will or I won't some day, but I just don't see it happening now.

As flechero pointed out, I should have worded my statement differently saying that a $150 is probably the best value pacgage since you are going to get quality craftsmanship, quality material and components, and a good warrenty to go with it. I plan on shifting to Shimano rods this upcoming season and plan on getting a few new rods from them. All their rods come with a Lifetime warrenty, plus they are a veteran in the fishing industry.

[Tokyo Tony]

Yup, stiffer actions, as for weight, lightest around. With certain reels it is TOO LIGHT, imo.

I own a bunch of them Tony, I'll let you try one. As long as you dont put a curse on it by taking it to your little trout hole. ;D

Wait so the Carrot Stix action is as fast or faster than a comparable IMX, for example?

And about the trout hole - I already feel out of place amongst the fly fishermen when I show up with my spinning tackle...imagine if I showed up with baitcasting tackle that included a big orange rod!  That would be hilarious  ;D

[Lucky Craft Man]

I have been reading this post and I have to say that I can't get over some of the responses.  People get so bitter over the fact that someone doesn't like the Carrot Stic, or G Loomis, or St. Croix, etc.  I fish with G Loomis and Cabelas XML rods exclusively.  I don't get offended if someone says that G Loomis is overpriced or that Cabelas rods suck.  These are the rods I enjoy fishing with and that's all that matters to me.  I don't hold stock in either company, so I have no personal invested emotions towards each brand and I don't know why so many people take threads like this personal.

[Tin]

Tokyo, PM Sent.

[shimanogloomis man]

How bout everyone shut up and fish what u want ;D

[Tin]

How bout everyone shut up and fish what u want ;D

And if you buy one and don't like it, PM me, I will buy it

[FishTank]

IMHO, these rods have not been proven yet.  It is new technology and should be treated as such.  Some might have a different opinion on this rod this time next year.  

It may end up, like say the Revos.  Which seemed to start out as though people had a hard time excepting a good low profile reel from Abu Garcia but in the end they turned out to be quite good.  Only time will tell.  Until then I will remain a skeptic.  Maybe after a whole season of fishing by a few members, I will change my tone.

But far as Dollar for Dollar goes, the St. Croix Avid gets my vote.  It simply gets the job done and is still a lot of fun to fish.