Compre V. Carbonlite Sensitivity

[Northern Strain]

I have been doing alot of looking around, gone through a bunch of threads on this site and on another, but I can't find any rock solid info on which is a more sensitive rod. I don't really want this to be based on the names put on the rod, just how they feel. From what I have found the Carbonlite is said to use IM9 graphite while the Compre uses IM8, how big of a difference does this make and does it make the Carbonlite more sensitive than the Shimano?

[islandbass]

Those IM numbers don't mean jack by themselves. And just because the Carbonlite is made of IM9 vs 8 doesn't mean it is a more sensitive rod.

At this price point you can look at other things like the components. Compres sport Hard Loy Guides, for example. The Carbonlite might.

The real bottom line has to really come down to you. You can hear from everyone here which one is more sensitive than the other, but what but even that is subjective at best.

I have a compre (spinning) and it is a quality product, exceptionally sensitive (to me) and it is well worth its price. I only held a carbonlite and it was alright and practically on par (feel wise) for me.

If possible, hold both, try them out and then choose the one that feels best in your hands. One of them is probably going to feel better in your hands.

I do look forward to hearing from those who have fished with both.

[Northern Strain]

Yeah i would love to look at both at the same time, but the closest Bass Pro is about an hour and a half away. I did plan on driving up to Gander Mountain and seeing if I could find some Compres this weekend though.

[WanderLust]

I have a Compre that I fish all the time. The sons both have Compre spinning rods as well... I don't have a carbonlite but I've fished with one, the Compre seems like a much better rod to me. But that's just my opinion.

Compare directly for yourself and not matter what you pick its a win.

[kLuo]

First off, let's look at BPS's exact description of the Carbonlite:

"A CarbonLite rod is a thing of beauty, built on an ultra-rich carbon-fiber blank that compares favorably to 85 million modulus (IM9) graphite."

"Compares favorably" to IM9. They don't even explicitly say that it is IM9. That being said, I picked one up when it first came out, and I also happened to buy a new Compre at the exact same time. There's a reason that I still have my Compre and sold off my Carbonlite after one season. The Compre is leagues ahead in terms of sensitivity and quality. The only reason the Carbonlite is light is because less carbon is used, which translates to a weaker rod. Don't get me wrong, both rods are good rods but the Compre is significantly more favorable in my opinion.

[Northern Strain]

"Compares favorably" to IM9. They don't even explicitly say that it is IM9.

I never read it like that, thanks for pointing that out.

[OnthePotomac]

I have never fished a Compre, but I have fished three Carbonlites for two years and am very happy with them. I worm fish very heavy grass beds on the Tidal Potomac and they have never failed me horsing a fish out of heavy grass, or detecting a bite. I am not an expert on rod quality, but the Carbonlite PacBay silicon carbide line guides seem to do the trick. I can only compare the Carbonlite to the BPS Extremes, with which I fished for 10 years and the Carbonlites are far more sensitive.

It all depends on what one is comfortable with for the money. On the hardness scale SiC is pretty hard:

Ring Hardness Values

Stainless Steel (SS): 400

Chrome: 800-1000

Carbaloy: 1000

Aluminum Oxide: 1200-1400

Alconite : 1300-1500

NanoLite : 1800

Zirconia: 1000-1400

Zirconia PVD: 1600

Silicon Carbide (SiC): 2200-2400

[Northern Strain]

How much of a role do the guides play in sensitivity?

[BrASSmonkey]

Well, making sure you are using the lightest guides possible increases sensitivity by reducing the weight of the rod.

The hardness of the insert is a rating that affects casting and resistance to abrasion. Many consider SiC to be at the top end for insert materials.

How does less carbon translate to a weaker rod? I am curious about that claim.

[Stasher1]

I have never fished a Compre, but I have fished three Carbonlites for two years and am very happy with them. I worm fish very heavy grass beds on the Tidal Potomac and they have never failed me horsing a fish out of heavy grass, or detecting a bite. I am not an expert on rod quality, but the Carbonlite PacBay silicon carbide line guides seem to do the trick. I can only compare the Carbonlite to the BPS Extremes, with which I fished for 10 years and the Carbonlites are far more sensitive.

It all depends on what one is comfortable with for the money. On the hardness scale SiC is pretty hard:

Ring Hardness Values

Stainless Steel (SS): 400

Chrome: 800-1000

Carbaloy: 1000

Aluminum Oxide: 1200-1400

Alconite : 1300-1500

NanoLite : 1800

Zirconia: 1000-1400

Zirconia PVD: 1600

Silicon Carbide (SiC): 2200-2400

The Carbonlites don't use silicon carbide guides, they use Pac Bay's DLC guides with a titanium-carbide insert and a PVD coating. In this case, I believe it's the coating that offers the strength and abrasion resistance, not the insert material.

FWIW, I've handled misc. Compre models numerous times over the past few years and have never been impressed enough to actually buy one. While I can't say that thay're any worse than the other rods in their price range, there's definitely nothing about them that sets them apart either.

[FL_Sharpshooter]

I own a 7' M carbonlite casting rod with the micro guides. I have been nothing but pleased with the rod. It does everything that I need it to. Having said that, no one's opinion on here should really factor in when you're comparing the two rods. The best way is to get both rods and see how they feel in YOUR hands. I swear I was deadset on a Shimano Crucial before even walking in to BPS. I then tried out the carbonlite, along with a slew of other rods (and believe me it was a TON) and for me, it was a better option. It just flat out felt like a better fit for me personally. Just give em both a try if at all possible, because if you don't give them both a fair try, you'll always be wondering if you made the correct decision.

[BASSclary]

Right now they have the Johnny Morris Sig Series II rods on sale for $99. The same price as a Carbonlite. GO with the JM I just picked one up and the difference is night and day. Holding it next to a Cumara the Balance point is in the same place and the sensitivity felt on par from the voice test.

[philsoreel]

I never read it like that, thanks for pointing that out.

We'd all be much better off to not read anything any company says about it's own product.

[RushFan2112]

I own both rods in the spinning flavor. Both are 6'6" and MH fast. I've had the Compre for three years and the Carbonlite for two. I really love my Compre. It's my "go to" rod for almost any application. The Compre uses better components and is definitely more sturdy, but it's also much heavier than the Carbonlite. Both have held up well so far, but I just have more confidence in the Compre, especially with the lifetime warranty. I also prefer the full cork handle on the Compre over the split grip on the Carbonlite.

To answer your original question, the Carbonlite is the more sensitive of the two rods. I use the Compre for heavier braid applications and the Carbonlite for light flouro finesse fishing. If I had to choose only one, it's an easy choice on the Compre.

[OnthePotomac]

OOPS! I stand corrected, Carbonlite guides are Titanium Carbide with a PVD (physical vapor deposition) coating, and I just noticed that the micro guide rods are Hialoy inserts.