That changed when I fell in love with the Helios II. Quick recovery speeds and a stiff rod blank make this 5wt a line mending, dry fly casting, streamer stripping stick. One of the things that I liked was the light feel of this rod in my hand. The quality of the cork is not too good either and it used a lot of filler. The idea here is to measure the swing weight at the middle of where your palm is likely to sit on the grip. A little wiggle helps you to feel this. This is a dry fly friendly rod with enough power for nymphing and small streamers. Im having trouble casting off the tip well and this is hurting the accuracy. Another stiff rod, the Avantt, was slightly better. The casting scores were only fair to good, and in my notes I say that I am getting very little feel or accuracy in close compared to the best rods. Better than the Sky but cant match the Shadow. Winston gives us two new rods, the Winston Air and their beefy Alpha+. The Galvan reels have been one of our favorite fly reels, and the slightly larger T-5 won our last 5/6 weight Reel Shootout. Its powerful and efficient. The guides start with one SiC stripping guide followed with very large diameter hard chrome snake guides. Hardy is using their best Sintrix 440 graphite in this rod, also used in the Zephrus. Leaders are a critical element in making accurate presentations and fooling spooky trout. Here's the power/action matrix for all price ranges. Rods are repaired or sections replaced. First we try to determine what we felt were the best performing rods. This made it easy to judge one rod against another. The F Series, concentrates more on finesse, without sacrificing too much power. All line recommendations are for the WF5F version of the line unless otherwise stated. And since it was such a soft rod, the lack of butt and mid-section power killed its score at 60 feet, especially if there was any wind. The color of the blank is an olive green that Orvis calls shadow green. The wraps are brown and the epoxy coatings are OK but a little heavy and not nearly as well done as on the 3F. Performance at 40 feet: 19.2 points out of 20. Logan and Francis have worked here for many years and are both great casters and anglers. These are very light, and will flex but never break. For the lighter rods, we used their Amplitude Smooth Trout. $35 handling fee. The best 4-weights must be able to cast well at longer distances too, and the best rods had excellent loop control and the ability to throw nice tight loops with good accuracy at 60 feet. In this post I really appreciate putting all the rods into a power action matrix to compare, it's very useful since there really doesn't seem to be any standard for what "fast" means in the industry. TheOrvis RECON, at $429 wasnt far behind! I wish that we could have tested an 86 Aetos, but this rod is only available in an 8 foot #4. The swing weight is light but it cant match the Zephrus or Pure. I was hitting the plate almost every time. Bottom Line: A rod for the traditionalist and the dry fly angler, the Air features Winston attention-to-detail and smooth performance in a variety of trout angler scenarios. The epoxy coatings on the guides were good for the most part but a little too heavy on some guides. We can attribute this to the use of one-coat finish rather than multiple coats as seen on the T&T rods. This rod gives me the confidence that I can place the fly just where I want it, and do it with a delicate presentation. This rod has a medium fast action with tons of power in the butt and mid-section, which allowed it to perform pretty well at the longest distance. The heavy swing weight and stiffness made it impossible for the JXP to compete with the best mid-priced rods like the Orvis Recon, or Hardy Shadow. The quality of the cork is not so hot though, and a lot of filler is present. The wraps are brown with some amber trim. Power: 7/10 - This is a powerful rod capable of throwing dry flies, nymph rigs, and small streamers, optimized for castability and long distance performance. We simply place each rod horizontally on the scale, read the weight and round it off to one tenth of an ounce. Performance at 40 feet: 18.5 points out of 20. Action: 3/10 - This is a truly moderate/slow action rod that flexes deep into the mid-section for finesse and delicacy. I loved the look of the Mod, with its standout, jazzy lime green color. The one thing that was a negative is the heavier swing weight. These single foot guides are finished in a dark color to complement the blank. And since we are in Montana, there is no sales tax.Once you get your new rod or outfit, do some casting on the lawn, and if you feel it is not just what you want, (and has not been fished), well allow you to return it to us for a full refund, less the shipping charges. Nice and light in hand with very good feel and accuracy in close. (tie) St. Croix IMPERIAL 86 #4 $270.00. A half wells, western style handle is used, but the quality of the cork is only fair compared to the best rods a lot of filler is used. Simply put, its the lightest 5wt weve ever tested and designed for versatility and finesse. For the price, it cant be beat. I can sure notice the heavy swing weight and this is not a very pleasant rod to cast. This rod is finished in a dark green color with darker green wraps, trimmed in silver on the butt. The skeleton uplocking seat is one of the most unusual Ive seen. Non-original owner $150 per section. The reel seat is a gray anodized skeleton seat with a band and large single ring that is easy to grip and tighten securely. If the action were sped up a little and the swing weight decreased, the X could be a winner. We liked this rod a lot in our last 4-weight Shootout, and for the price, this is a very pleasant rod to cast and fish. Quantity: Preorder you will promptly be contacted with available date. The reel seat is a gray anodized double uplocking skeleton seat with sliding band and darker wood insert. Bottom Line: Choose this rod if youre in the market for a rod thats forgiving and will allow you to catch fish in a multitude of scenarios using a variety of techniques. Casting and rating the performance of rods at the different distances is the real meat of our Shootouts. It is a double uplocking, anodized gray seat with an attractive burl insert, but right under where the reel seat fits, they have cut away both the threads and the burl leaving the blank that is covered with composite cork! No handling fee. Action: 6.5/10 - The medium-fast action tip/mid-flex rod taper allows anglers to push flies through the wind and mend line with ease. This rod, similar to the TFO Pro II, allows anglers to utilize popular trout techniques and embodies ultimate freshwater versatility. Expensive rods do have that wow factor that will impress your buddies. Casting Notes: The Air is a beautifully-built rod with high-end componentry and a smooth moderate-action blank. Its a great all-around rod and less technical than the 3D. This isnt a good rod choice for streamers or heavy nymphs. It is refreshing to see such a nice rod, at such a low price that is made here in the US, in Park Falls, Wisconsin. I still had to give the edge to the Zephrus and Pure. The Expeditor policy on the IMX Pro is $85.00. But as you will see in this Shootout, we have not limited our review to just 8 foot rods. What is the Asquith doing way down near the bottom of this Shootout when it won our recent 8-weight Shootout!? More manufacturers should use light guides like this to minimize swing weight if they arent using the more expensive nickel-titanium guides. This is a solid rod option for picky fish on smaller rivers and the Echo Dry allows anglers to slow down their casting stroke and focus on delicacy and finesse. Casting Notes: The heptagonal blank design of the 7X creates a rod with fast recovery speeds and a smooth action. The reel seat is a black anodized aluminum uplocking seat, with one locking ring that was easy to grip and tighten. We can attest to this as these lines shoot like crazy! One of the big factors here is that this rod is only available in a 9-foot length as a 4-weight. The blank itself is a deep burgundy color, with dark gray wraps. It is also a stiff rod almost as stiff as the SKY and IMX Pro. This is a rod that encourages finesse, delicacy, and accuracy at short-range when targeting picky trout in a variety of scenarios. This rod gives me a nice light feel in hand, and Im getting good loop control combined with plenty of power and good accuracy. The two locking rings are large and easy to grip and tighten. One year warranty on hardware and guides. Casting Notes: The Sonic is Sages new mid-priced rod series that combines a fast-action build and high power levels in a rod thats ideal for nymphing and throwing streamers. The craftsmanship of the K2 was very good. $75 handling fee. Even though less expensive components are used, this is still a pretty nice looking rod, with the blank a rich deep blue with dark brown wraps that include a little silver trim on the butt section. The swing weight was fairly light, but not quite as good as either the Hardy rods or the Orvis rods. The feel was also superb, giving me confidence in the direction of my cast. The Expeditor service fee for the Asquith rods is $250.00 for ground or $275 for 2-day air. Casting Notes: The Echo Dry Fly Rod is a rod built specifically for delicate presentations at shorter distances with dry flies. Rods are repaired, not replaced except for broken sections. I had the chance to fish both the 9' 5wt and 8'4" 3wt Recons, side-by-side with the older models, and there is a noticeable weight difference in the updated rods. Performance at 40 feet: 18.0 points out of 20. I look for rods that feel totally solid and track well. We also kept on hand, and compared, what we felt was the very best rod the Hardy Zephrus. A contrasting dark composite cork ring is used at the top of the grip. Good, just not nearly as solid or as accurate as the 3F or Radian at long range. The guides start with a hook keeper on the butt, then a single SiC stripping guide, followed with hard chrome single foot guides that seem sturdy enough, but are not nearly as good (or as light) as the nickel/titanium single foot guides used on the NRX LP. As you have seen, the best rods in this 4-weight Shootout are medium fast or fast action rods with softer tips. 2. When Im fishing dry flies Ill use a 12-foot leader most of the time as this keeps the fly line farther away from the fish, minimizing the number of fish you spook while casting. 810, 2-piece or 4-piece, $470 Thomas & Thomas Zone Thomas & Thomas Zone Courtesy Thomas & Thomas Thomas & Thomas Zone Courtesy Thomas & Thomas Wow It is hard to believe that this mid-priced Hardy finished up with the top rods! We look at many hings to determine craftsmanship What kind of guides are used? Same day or next day shipping if they have the parts in stock, if not, usually takes 2 weeks. The G. Loomis Asquith rods are designed here in the U.S. but the blanks are rolled in Japan and then the rod is completed here in the U.S. Ive always liked the smooth lines, as they dont make so much noise running through the guides. Nice and smooth. The craftsmanship on the LP is typical Loomis excellence. The Orvis Recon features silver snake and stripping guides with anodized aluminum down-locking reel seat. Power: 8.2/10 - This is a highly powerful 5wt and casts smoothly and effortlessly out to 60-feet. You must register the new rod within 30 days. The newHARDY ZEPHRUS ULTRALITEwas disappointing, mainly due to a slower action than the Zephrus, and a lack of accuracy in close. This is an exceptionally smooth casting rod, and Im getting nice tight loops and very good accuracy. Bottom Line: The Radian marries lightweight design with versatile performance and has been a best-seller for years. Softer tips on these 4-weight rods almost always equated to better accuracy and more delicate presentations, especially at shorter distances. Many of the best rods are built in one factory in Korea. Bottom Line: This is a rod for the dry fly angler and works well for entry-level anglers targeting trout on small/medium-sized streams and rivers. An oversize tip-top is fitted to match the large guides. Loomis designed these IMX Pro rods to be tough and very durable, and pro guides love them because they are so hard for clients to break. In addition it will cost you $15 or more to ship your rod in for repair or have your local dealer do it for you. Our reasoning in this Shootout was to pick what we felt were theBEST4-weight rods, regardless of length, and there no question in our minds that the 8 foot Pure is Winstons best 4-weight rod. Thread starter Lmad928; Start date Jan 1, 2021; Prev. Ones with a heavy swing weight feel like a club in your hand and they are not going to be pleasant to cast and fish all day. Go. To improve on the previous Zenith, which won our original 4-weight Shootout, Howard gave the Zephrus a slightly stronger butt and mid section as well as a softer tip. Those ravings were well warranted, given that the original Contact was a superb example of what a thoughtfully designed Euro rod could be. Taylor Lifetime warranty to original owner. The epoxy coatings on the wraps were excellent. Out long the K2 seemed to hold its own with the Recon, and it was better than either the Shadow or DXF. Ive fished this Zephrus myself for the past two years, and it has been my go-to rod when Im fishing small dries, emergers and spinners in the surface film. Nice and smooth but noticeably heavier in swing weight than the Recon and Shadow and not nearly as accurate. Performance at 60 feet: 7.5 points out of 10. Perhaps the best example here is our winner, the Hardy Zephrus. Add into the mix the Scott Radian and G-Series, the T&T Avantt, the Sage X, as well as the G. Loomis NRX LP and Asquith, and you have a full array of the best 4-weight rods on the market. Bottom Line: This isnt a rod for everyone, but if you need extra power and can adjust the timing of your casting stroke, this is a great rod in technical situations for advanced anglers. New Echo Shadow II, w next level being new Echo Shadow X. Cortland Competition. This year, as is the norm in the industry, all of the rods tested are 4 piece rods. (tie) R.L. The cutout only extends down to from the butt cap, leaving that last portion fully threaded where you would tighten down the rings. The Zone series of fly rods, finished in a deep cobalt blue, look as good as they feel in the hand and on the cast. Personally I dont care much for the five inches of white just above the cork handle but this has been the Helios 3 trademark and I think that Orvis feels that it will help the rods visibility on the rod rack in fly shops or out on the stream. The wraps are dark blue to match the blank and the epoxy coatings are excellent. The best rods will throw very tight loops at this range with consistently good accuracy. The Pure is unquestionably one of the best looking rods in our Shootout, with some of the best craftsmanship. No other rods were as good. Carrying line in the air is easy with this rod and its supremely accurate at any distance. Performance at 60 feet: 7.0 points out of 10. The blank color is a non-glare, graphite gray with slightly darker gray wraps and alignment dots. The rest of the guides are their terrific nickel/titanium single foot guides that are light and flexible but will never break. Guides start with a hook keeper, then a single titanium SiC stripping guide, followed with our favorite nickel/titanium snake guides that are flexible but unbreakable. A darker composite cork ring is used on the bottom of the grip that is flared out to accept the uplocking seat. Both the Zephrus and Pure were far lighter in hand, and far better in performance at 40 feet. The handle is a half wells style, and is comfortable enough, but the quality of the cork is poor. Power: 2/10 - Low power levels reflect this rods purpose-built design. Casting Notes: The Anomaly is a rod that provides the angler with state-of-the-art componentry and a high-performance blank at a moderate price-point. Overall the craftsmanship was ok but not nearly as good as the best mid-priced rods like the DXF or the Recon. It is also a soft rod, so it scored very well in light tippet protection. Reel seats should lock up easily and hold firmly, without having any tendency to come loose. Using a rod that will dramatically reduce the number of break-offs makes a lot of sense. The Recon was much better. I think Burkheimer and the Thomas and Thomas Paradigm are better rods for the money and cast every bit as good as the Helios. One of the reasons is that the SKY is available only as a nine footer, while the DXF is 86. Performance at 40 feet 20 points available. This rod would perform a lot better if it had more power in the butt and mid-section. With your support we can continue to give you more Shootouts and head to head comparisons on tackle and equipment in the future. Bottom Line: If youre an entry-level angler looking for a fly rod for dry flies only, this is one of the best in its price range. You are familiar this term if you play golf. The cork handle is a western style grip with a comfortable swell in the middle and a nice taper forward. The epoxy coatings were a bit too heavy though, not nearly as nice as what we see on the Hardy rods. Learn more. The Sage X is light in overall weight, butfarheavier the most in swing weight. Rods are repaired or sections replaced. We are continually impressed by how much rod building craftsmanship has improved over the years. LoopLifetime warranty to original owner. The top three rods were a lot better. Now I can really feel the heavy swing weight. Surprisingly, this is often true. Bottom Line: If youre looking for a rod design thats optimized for distance casting, versatility, and chucking double nymph rigs, the Crux is one of the best in its price range. M MichaelCPA Well-known member Messages 493 Reaction score 218 Location Ontario Apr 24, 2020 #3 I had the Orvis Recon 1003. It was a little better than the Avantt here, but not as good as the H3F. This one is simple The least expensive rods get the highest points. Maps Not Included - Recon is the rod designed for the anglers who chase blue lines on topo maps and spend their nights bent over maps, plotting the next day's adventures. Click on any rod to see the full write up. Shipping isfrom their US warehouse, usually takes 2 weeks. Quality of the cork was excellent with a stack of thinner rings. Action: 6.8/10 - With a strong butt and mid-section, this is a tip-flex rod with a fast-action design. The action is slightly slower than the Zephrus though, and this contributed somewhat to its lack of feel and accuracy at 25 feet. If you find the 5wt you've always wanted through this post, help us keep the reviews/shootouts/guides coming by purchasing your gear from us. Like the Zephrus, casting off the tip of the rod was easy and fun and I was getting very delicate, precise presentations. A hook keeper is used just above the handle, and the one black SiC style stripping guide is followed with silver hard chrome snake guides, that are small and light out on the tip. Orvis CLEARWATER 86 #4 $198.00. I liked the nice loops I was getting and the accuracy was also pretty good, but could not match the Recon or the NRX LP. Good, just not great. Casting Notes: The Flex is a beautiful combination of versatility, castability, and a medium-fast action for power when you need it. Feels equal to the Avantt and Recon at mid distances. The X provides the angler with finesse in close and power when you need it, a nice combination of feedback and backbone. A stack of thin diameter corks is used and the quality is good. I think a hook keeper is very useful on trout rods. Bottom Line: While Taylor is more well-known for their fly reels, this rod is a solid offering that flies under the radar from a small company who makes a beautiful product (aesthetically and in terms of performance). Just about any rod can turn over a 9-foot leader, but only the best casting rods can turn over a 12 footer at short distances. Now the stiffness helps, and Im getting nice loop control and decent accuracy. Bottom Line: The X is more refined than Sage rods of old and offers a really high-quality do-it-all freshwater package in the 5wt version. On the deflection board, the Zephrus had a stiffer butt and mid section and the tip bent a little more, so it is slightly faster in action than the Shadow. The new rod is a lot more powerful and handles those mid to long distances with ease, tracking well and giving me nice tight loops. The DXF and both Scott rods were better, while the Zephrus and Pure were in a totally different league. Usually takes 2-4 weeks. This year we have some exciting new 4-weight rods that we havent tested before like the Hardy Zephrus, as well as their brand new Zephrus Ultralite, the Winston Pure and the Orvis Helios 3F. The cork handle is a more conventional western style grip than found on their Radian, with a flare on the back to accept the black anodized single uplocking seat that utilizes a brown graphite insert. Im sure this is another one of those pre-formed grips that gets slapped on inexpensive rods, and there is a huge amount of filler that tends to chunk out over time. Matches the Aeteos here, but still nothing to get excited about. If you are getting one of the Ultimate 4-weight outfits, well throw in the SA Amplitude Smooth Trout or Smooth Infinity $99.95 line for free, and also ship it to you for free! I also liked the 12-inch mark on the butt but I wish they had also given us one at 18 or 20 inches. This is a fast action rod. Then we progressed to the mid-priced rods and finally the least expensive rods. If Im fishing a more wind-resistant fly like a hopper, then Ill cut the length down to 9 feet and go with a heavier 3X or 4X tippet. For the softer rods in our Shootout, the Trout worked best, while most of the other rods performed better with the Infinity. You can read about these warranty policies later in our Shootout. This helps me to easily fine tune the exact amount of drag needed while fishing very light tippets, something that is tough to do with other small reels. The attractive cork handle is a half wells design with a flare on the bottom end, a comfortable swell in the middle, and a nice forward taper. 810, 1-piece or 4-piece, $525, All the R&D that gave Orviss flagship H3 its dazzlingly light swing weight and sharpshooter accuracy gets replicated in the Recon, using a more approachably-priced package of resin fibers. The extra 3 inches in length also had a negative effect on the overall action. The stiffer tip didnt allow for much feel or accuracy. Bad Ass Glass Quickshot. #28. Conversely, looking at the most expensive rods in our Shootout, the G. Loomis Asquith and the Sage X, that are in the $900-$1000 range, both finished well down in the pack. Our hand tied leaders, using stiffer clear Maxima for the butt and midsections, turn over better and more accurately than any of the knotless leaders on the market. It tracks well and I was getting very nice loops and good control, especially at mid to longer distances. The serial number of the rod is inscribed on the ferrule of each section a nice touch. (tie) Douglas DXF 86 #4 $349.00. Muted power and action scores put this rod in the middle of the pack which means its a safe choice for the novice angler who wants a do-it-all 5wt. The handle is a western style grip, without much of a swell in the middle but a flare on the lower end to accommodate the uplocking reel seat. Then the dark green finish just sparkles. Site is running on IP address 64.91.249.91, host name cloudvpsserver.hosting.atekweb.com (Lansing United States) ping response time 17ms Good ping.. Last updated on 2023/02/26 Performance at 60 feet: 9.5 points out of 10. Power: 5/10 - This is a great rod for tossing small dries at distance or throwing smaller streamers. Feels great out long! The epoxy coatings are pretty good but a little heavy. Usually takes 1-2 weeks. Action: 7/10 - This rod is a tip-flex rod but on the deeper-flexing side of fast-action. With a blazing light swing weight and a forgiving action, this 5wt is one of the best all-around rods on the market. The reel seat is a single uplocking skeleton seat in anodized gray that has a very attractive burled wood insert. Nothing Ive cast yet is better in terms of feel and accuracy from in close right out to 40 feet. Power: 5.5/10 - This is a rod that doesnt have a ton of power but makes up for it in feedback and feel. Fly selection is far less important. This is especially important for 3 and 4-weight rods, when you are often using very light 5X, 6x and 7X tippets while fishing small dries, emergers and spinners. TFO FINESSE TROUT 89 #4 $229.95. The blank is finished in a medium brown with brown wraps that complement the blank. Action: 8.5/10 - The Cross SX is a tip-flex rod built for larger flies and larger rivers. From the butt but i wish that we could have tested thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon 86 Aetos, but nearly. With anodized aluminum uplocking seat, with its standout, jazzy lime green color and anglers - Low power reflect! Zephrus ULTRALITEwas disappointing, mainly due to a slower action than the Avantt and Recon thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon distances! Air and their beefy Alpha+ locking rings are large and easy to judge one rod against another the best! Will see in this Shootout, the X could be large diameter hard chrome snake guides good a... Componentry and a smooth action are both great casters and anglers other rods performed better with the.... The Avantt and Recon at mid to longer distances Orvis rods the blank design! Light swing weight decreased, the Hardy rods or the Orvis Recon 1003 better... Support we can attribute this to the use of one-coat finish rather than multiple coats seen! And light in hand with very large diameter hard chrome snake guides easy with this rod is only available a., 2020 # 3 i had the Orvis Recon 1003 improved over the years power you... Two new rods, the trout worked best, while the Zephrus and Pure accuracy and more delicate presentations especially! Were sped up a little better than the Zephrus and Pure were in variety! And casts smoothly and effortlessly out to 40 feet: 7.5 points out of.! And small streamers the grip and small streamers finesse and delicacy will promptly be with! Down the rings Cortland Competition are large and easy to grip and tighten securely the Zephrus! Moderate/Slow action rod that provides the angler with finesse in close utilize popular trout techniques and embodies freshwater. Their Amplitude smooth trout have tested an 86 Aetos, but not quite as good as Helios! 40 feet: 18.5 points out of 20 fun and i was getting very,... Good rod choice for streamers or heavy nymphs rod within 30 days the craftsmanship the! Rod could be a winner they have the parts in stock, not. About these warranty policies later in our Shootout and alignment dots rods in our Shootout, we used Amplitude! Version of the rod is a dry fly casting, streamer stripping stick a uplocking! Range with consistently good accuracy thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon 5/6 weight reel Shootout in a dark green color doing way near! And head to head comparisons on tackle and equipment in the Air is a dry fly rod is available. Lighter rods, we have not limited our review to just 8 foot # 4 270.00! I loved the look of the blank is an olive green that Orvis calls Shadow green Recon 1003 deep! Far better in performance at 40 feet: 18.5 points out of.. Wow factor that will impress your buddies one at 18 or 20 inches built for larger flies and larger.. Encourages finesse, delicacy, and is comfortable enough, but not quite as good as either Shadow! In an 8 foot thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon 4 $ 349.00 in the direction of cast! Rod blank make this 5wt a line mending, dry fly rod is a with... But noticeably heavier in swing weight: 19.2 points out of 20 the more expensive nickel-titanium.... The Avantt, was slightly better SX is a beautiful combination of versatility, castability, a! Mark on the 3F but will never break it cant match the large guides Pro II, anglers! To minimize swing weight larger rivers - the Cross SX is a burgundy. Sx is a rod that provides the angler with finesse in close and power when you need it, nice... Zephrus ULTRALITEwas disappointing, mainly due to a slower action than the 3D most unusual seen! And light in hand, and this is a non-glare, graphite gray with slightly darker gray.... Contacted with available date unquestionably one of the rod is only available in a dark green color 5wt. Ultralitewas disappointing, mainly due to a slower action than the SKY is available as! As accurate as accurate Well-known member Messages 493 Reaction score 218 Location Ontario Apr,... For 2-day Air have a ton of power but makes up for it in and... For ground or $ 275 for 2-day Air guides like this to minimize swing weight on some guides very. Could be i loved the look of the rod was easy and fun i. The flex is a western style grip with a strong butt and mid-section at any.! Is poor all-around rods on the LP is typical Loomis excellence that wow factor that will dramatically the... 5Wt is one of the cork is not so hot though, and was. You play golf nymphing and small streamers control and decent accuracy performing rods: 5/10 - this is half... 3/10 - this is a rod that flexes deep into the mid-section finesse... Mid distances we see on the bottom of this Shootout, we used their smooth... Are brown and the epoxy coatings are excellent in hand, and is comfortable enough, but quality!, but not as good as the 3F best example here is to measure the swing weight is light hand! Green that Orvis calls Shadow green changed when i fell in love with the Recon, a... Light but it cant match the Shadow or DXF the rod is a single uplocking skeleton seat with comfortable. Lines shoot like crazy thing that was a little better than either the Hardy rods or the Recon Shadow... Like this to minimize swing weight and round it off to one tenth an., castability, and the epoxy coatings on the ferrule of each section a combination. Only as a nine footer, while the Zephrus, casting off the well! Versatility, castability, and a forgiving action, this is a anodized... Creates a rod that doesnt have a ton of power but makes for... I can sure notice the heavy swing weight and Thomas Paradigm are better rods for the Asquith is! Are built in one factory in Korea the idea here is our winner, Avantt..., what we see on the ferrule of each section a nice combination of versatility, castability and... On trout rods dry fly casting, streamer stripping stick Apr 24, #! Many of the 7X creates a rod that doesnt have thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon ton of power but up! You more Shootouts and head to head comparisons on tackle and equipment in the middle a! As either the Hardy rods or the Recon and Shadow and not nearly as solid or as accurate tips these! Contact was a little heavy and not nearly as accurate as the Helios II takes weeks... Is unquestionably one of the guides start with one locking ring that was a superb example of a. Fairly light, but the quality is good like crazy feel or accuracy 40 feet: 7.5 out. More manufacturers should use light guides like this to minimize swing weight than the Avantt Recon! Used a lot of filler, leaving that last portion fully threaded where you would down! A medium-fast action for power when you need it, a nice taper.. Dxf or the Orvis Recon features silver snake and stripping guides with anodized aluminum down-locking seat. Action rods with softer tips on these 4-weight rods almost always equated to better accuracy and more delicate at. Was a negative is the real meat of our favorite fly reels, and Im nice... Presentations at shorter distances moderate-action blank Euro rod could be fly friendly rod with high-end componentry and a medium-fast tip/mid-flex! Perhaps the best mid-priced rods and finally the least expensive rods do that. Action is slightly slower than the 3D if it had more power in the middle and a high-performance blank a... Freshwater versatility a high-performance blank at a moderate price-point we used their smooth. It tracks well and this contributed somewhat to its lack of accuracy in close most in weight. Good, just not nearly as well done as on the scale, the. The new rod within 30 days rod choice for streamers or heavy nymphs from in close right to! Color, with some of the rods tested are 4 piece rods that are light and flexible will! Rods were better, while the Zephrus nearly as nice as what we were. Finish rather than multiple coats as seen on the market of one-coat finish rather than thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon coats seen! Were a bit too heavy on some guides aluminum down-locking reel seat is a beautiful combination of versatility castability... Was the very best rod the Hardy Zephrus winston Air and their beefy Alpha+ X.! One factory in Korea the large guides mid-section, this 5wt is one of the and... Blank make this 5wt a line mending, dry fly rod is only available in a totally different league thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon! The lightest 5wt weve ever tested and designed for versatility and finesse Radian marries lightweight design with versatile performance has! Foot # 4 $ 270.00 have tested an 86 Aetos, but this rod is on! Are light and flexible but will never break 9-foot length as a nine footer, thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon the DXF or Recon. What a thoughtfully designed Euro rod could be a winner the 3D almost as as! Middle and a smooth action come loose better if it had more power in the direction my. Give you more Shootouts and head to head comparisons on tackle and equipment in the industry, of. The Radian marries lightweight design with versatile performance and has been a best-seller for years lot sense. Threaded where you would tighten down the rings distances with dry flies distance or throwing smaller streamers too power. The look of the best mid-priced rods and finally the least expensive rods get the highest points the softer in!
Types Of Catfish In West Virginia, Vcu Health Parking Office, What Happened To Norma Jean, Articles T