Feels vague probably because of the heavy swing weight. They use a woven mid-layer in the blank that enhances strength and response significantly, giving better dampening. Nearly as good as the Avantt and Helios 3D but this is a far heavier rod in swing weight. The craftsmanship was excellent, and on par with the Scott Radian, NRX+, and the Orvis Helios 3D. Seems to track well but I’m not getting anywhere near the same kind of accuracy as with the Asquith or NRX+. In our Power Rod deflection chart, the Avantt is right in the middle for stiffness, very close to the Asquith, while the NRX+ was a fair amount stiffer. The Taylor Truth is very similar to the Anomaly in both looks and performance. 2020 8-Weight Challenge, an abbreviated Shootout Rather than do another full blown 8-weight Shootout, we decided to collect these new rods and see how they compare to the top rods in our 2018 8-Weight Shootout. Even the $99 Echo Base is better. With the Recon you get a lot of performance and quality for the price. I’m confident that we can come up with the perfect rod or outfit that best fits your needs. As someone who has written more fly rod reviews than he can remember, I have some straight advice to offer: Don't ever NOT buy a fly rod based on … Replacement cost if you break it. Better now and I’m getting decent accuracy that matches the DXF, but both the Fenwick Fenlite and Recon are better. Clearly they are not using the same higher modulus graphite used in the Sage X; Sage states the Foundation uses Graphite IIIe technology. In swing weight, it was not as good as the Helios 3D and Avantt and far heavier than the Asquith. Therefore I think any critical review of a fly rod is just as subjective. They both performed very well with just a few differences. The reel seat is a silver anodized single up-locking seat with a blue colored graphite spacer and engraved sliding ring. The Truth uses a skeleton black anodized single up-locking reel seat with a thin nylon ring against the sliding band to provide a secure lock up. The Taylor Anomaly and Truth are new rods to our 5-weight Shootout. The DXF and Echo Trout were a lot better here. The Orvis Recon was far better, as was the Anomaly. The stiffness in the tip didn’t allow for much feel or accuracy. The wraps are a complementary dark green and the epoxy coatings are very well done, and almost as good as what we see on the T&T rods. Steve Rajeff, head rod designer at G. Loomis, designed the tapers and mandrels for the Asquith, but then the blanks are built at the Shimano factory in Japan using their Spiral-X technology. Feels a little heavy in hand and the overall stiffness is not allowing much feel at all in close. They do carry the #18 Winston. Taking the time to slam another rod company for no reason other than you don't carry it is pretty shitty. Finally, with lots of line in the air I’m getting much better performance. It’s performance was slightly better than the Foundation at both 25 and 45 feet but then it seemed to run out of gas at long range. Seriously? The DXF is no long-range cannon, but equals the Fenlite and Recon and is better than the Guide Series II. It is perhaps a little harder to grip than some. A perfect example of what can be done when a rod has a stiffer butt section but a softer tip. Now I don’t have enough power to form good tight loops at long range and the accuracy suffers. Heavy in hand, and feels like it would be better with a WF-6-F line. Complementary gray wraps are used, trimmed in lighter gray and bright orange on the butt section. Here is another rod we had in our last 5-weight Shootout. 2017 5wt Shootout WINNER, not only this year but the past four years in a row. At first you think it is black, but Sage says it is a very dark green they call Black Spruce. Standard size cork rings are used and the quality was surprisingly good for a less expensive rod. Shimano has developed a special graphite tape, called infinity tape, which is wrapped on the mandrel on a 45-degree axis. At long range it’s even better than the Sage X but it won’t be long until fatigue sets in. It has only a slight swell that tapers forward, with a small flare at both the front and back. Bruises are often caused by having a lead eye bugger, beadhead fly, or split shot slam into the rod while you are casting. I ordered a 9' bvk on the results of the Yellowstone 8# shootout but I ordered a 7# because the Wildflies review said the 7# 9' bvk had a lot more lifting power than the 8#. The craftsmanship is excellent and it is a very good-looking rod. The rod we tested is the Medium Fast action. The guide wraps are jet black and the epoxy coatings were top notch. This is another rod that is very well dampened. The Anomaly blank is only lightly sanded and you can still see the tape marks. The Asquith and Radian are in a totally different class at the top. We value your comments about the Shootout and invite any questions you might have about it or your tackle needs. ._3bX7W3J0lU78fp7cayvNxx{max-width:208px;text-align:center} A fancy brown wood burl insert is used. This is a rod that could have gone into the Presentation Rods category, but it is a lot more powerful than the G Series, so we moved it to the Power Rods. Overall the coatings were pretty darn good for a rod in this price class. Mid-distance is the sweet spot for this rod. The Avantt is another classy looking rod from T&T that gave us great performance as well. One of the things I’ve really liked with the Radian is the grip shape. I matched it for distance with the Sage X Rod and it hung in there. This makes the blank much stronger under a “lifting load” with less overall material used. This new resin system, along with a new scrim, results in a lighter but more durable blank. I love fishing a 7 but it’s been a long time since I had one I thought was just right. The components are similar and the craftsmanship was very good but not equal to the best rods that scored 9.5 or better. One large sized titanium SIC stripping guide is used, followed with the best flexible nickel/titanium snake guides. Over the next four decades the four states, power companies and feds would spend hundreds of millions of d… Casting off the tip is impossible as all that swing weight kills any feel. As on the H3F, I don’t like all that white on the butt section but that has become an Orvis trademark now and they are aiming at having a rod that will jump right out at you from the rod rack in a fly shop or in the field. The bottom half of the butt is a dark blue color that matches the blue on the spacer of the reel seat. The Truth is finished in a flat, non-glare gray which I like. A nice smooth rod, giving me good loops and decent accuracy. If you want one, these are available but it will cost another $30. One contrasting rubber/cork ring is used at the top of the grip. Hard to say, but the other weight rods I It was also one of the better rods in our 8-weight Shootout, placing 6th overall. Surprisingly better than the Avantt and Helios 3D in close with accuracy equal to the NRX+. The The cork handle is a comfortable half wells shape, with the swell a little forward of mid-grip. Didn’t seem to track as well as the Clearwater, Zone, or DXF. Loomis uses a stack of very high quality thin cork rings with one rubber/cork ring at the bottom of the flare. Maybe others will take it to heart and make some unbiased reviews. This rod has an attractive dark steel gray color, with complementary gray wraps. If I were picking one of these Helios 3 rods for a 5-weight, it would be the H3F. The softer tip on the Aetos gave me better accuracy, The Fenlite was pretty good though, matching the H3D and Taylor Anomaly. The guide set up uses no hook keeper and starts with a forward slanted SIC stripping guide, followed with black hard chrome snake guides. ._33axOHPa8DzNnTmwzen-wO{display:block;padding:0 16px;width:100%}.isNotInButtons2020 ._33axOHPa8DzNnTmwzen-wO{font-size:14px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.5px;line-height:32px;text-transform:uppercase} Fishing the Alpha+ all day would be work out! I have to second that. This rod can swing. This rod has a medium fast action. Call us at 406-222-7130, or e-mail us at [email protected] and we can discuss your needs and wants. I liked the looks of this rod a lot; the blank finished in flat black with bright blue wraps. At least you do have the option of getting their good and larger, triangular case that will hold up to five 4-pc rods. The cork handles are similar also, and are a slim full wells with a nice swell in the middle and just a bit of flare on either end. When used in the top half of the rod, this creates a thin diameter tip section with excellent swing weight, but more importantly helps the rod to recover and dampen quickly. I’m getting terrific feel and accuracy in close. http://www.yellowstoneangler.com/gear-review/2013-5-weight-shootout-g-loomis-nrx-lp-loop-optistream-hardy-zenith-hardy-artisan-tom-morgan-sage-circa-orvis-helios-2-greys-xf2. Not nearly as much feel as the H3F, accuracy was not that hot either. The Foundation uses a non-glare, flat black blank, with jet-black wraps. This blank on this handsome rod is finished in a flat, non-glare dark green with dark green wraps. Beulah uses a half wells style handle with contrasting rubber/cork rings top and bottom. I’ve looked and the Trident 8 weight shoot and I notice that a lot of the reels they tested where 8-10 wt not only that but a lot of rods and reels that I’ve heard to be good weren’t even in the run. Only the new NRX+ rods track as well as the Asquith. ._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ{border:1px solid transparent;display:block;padding:0 16px;width:100%;border:1px solid var(--newCommunityTheme-body);border-radius:4px;box-sizing:border-box}._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ:hover{background-color:var(--newCommunityTheme-primaryButtonTintedEighty)}._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ._2FebEA49ReODemDlwzYHSR,._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ:active,._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ:hover{color:var(--newCommunityTheme-bodyText);fill:var(--newCommunityTheme-bodyText)}._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ._2FebEA49ReODemDlwzYHSR,._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ:active{background-color:var(--newCommunityTheme-primaryButtonShadedEighty)}._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ:disabled,._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ[data-disabled],._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ[disabled]{background-color:var(--newCommunityTheme-primaryButtonTintedFifty);color:rgba(var(--newCommunityTheme-bodyText),.5);fill:rgba(var(--newCommunityTheme-bodyText),.5);cursor:not-allowed}._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ:active,._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ:disabled,._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ:hover,._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ[data-disabled],._1zyZUfB30L-DDI98CCLJlQ[disabled]{border:1px solid var(--newCommunityTheme-body)}._1O2i-ToERP3a0i4GSL0QwU,._1uBzAtenMgErKev3G7oXru{display:block;fill:var(--newCommunityTheme-body);height:22px;width:22px}._1O2i-ToERP3a0i4GSL0QwU._2ilDLNSvkCHD3Cs9duy9Q_,._1uBzAtenMgErKev3G7oXru._2ilDLNSvkCHD3Cs9duy9Q_{height:14px;width:14px}._2kBlhw4LJXNnk73IJcwWsT,._1kRJoT0CagEmHsFjl2VT4R{height:24px;padding:0;width:24px}._2kBlhw4LJXNnk73IJcwWsT._2ilDLNSvkCHD3Cs9duy9Q_,._1kRJoT0CagEmHsFjl2VT4R._2ilDLNSvkCHD3Cs9duy9Q_{height:14px;width:14px}._3VgTjAJVNNV7jzlnwY-OFY{font-size:14px;line-height:32px;padding:0 16px}._3VgTjAJVNNV7jzlnwY-OFY,._3VgTjAJVNNV7jzlnwY-OFY._2ilDLNSvkCHD3Cs9duy9Q_{font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.5px;text-transform:uppercase}._3VgTjAJVNNV7jzlnwY-OFY._2ilDLNSvkCHD3Cs9duy9Q_{font-size:12px;line-height:24px;padding:4px 9px 2px;width:100%}._2QmHYFeMADTpuXJtd36LQs{font-size:14px;line-height:32px;padding:0 16px}._2QmHYFeMADTpuXJtd36LQs,._2QmHYFeMADTpuXJtd36LQs._2ilDLNSvkCHD3Cs9duy9Q_{font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.5px;text-transform:uppercase}._2QmHYFeMADTpuXJtd36LQs._2ilDLNSvkCHD3Cs9duy9Q_{font-size:12px;line-height:24px;padding:4px 9px 2px;width:100%}._2QmHYFeMADTpuXJtd36LQs:hover ._31L3r0EWsU0weoMZvEJcUA{display:none}._2QmHYFeMADTpuXJtd36LQs ._31L3r0EWsU0weoMZvEJcUA,._2QmHYFeMADTpuXJtd36LQs:hover ._11Zy7Yp4S1ZArNqhUQ0jZW{display:block}._2QmHYFeMADTpuXJtd36LQs ._11Zy7Yp4S1ZArNqhUQ0jZW{display:none}._2CLbCoThTVSANDpeJGlI6a{width:100%}._2CLbCoThTVSANDpeJGlI6a:hover ._31L3r0EWsU0weoMZvEJcUA{display:none}._2CLbCoThTVSANDpeJGlI6a ._31L3r0EWsU0weoMZvEJcUA,._2CLbCoThTVSANDpeJGlI6a:hover ._11Zy7Yp4S1ZArNqhUQ0jZW{display:block}._2CLbCoThTVSANDpeJGlI6a ._11Zy7Yp4S1ZArNqhUQ0jZW{display:none} This is a wonderfully light rod in my hand and is an absolute joy to cast and fish all day. Should be here next week, hope I am not dissapointed New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. A little blue trim is used on the butt on the Anomaly as well as the bottom of the third section. The guide set up is one hook keeper, then a single SIC-style stripping guide followed up with the best flexible nickel/titanium one-foot guides in a dark finish. An example of this would be our 2011 5-weight shoot-out; we had never once carried Hardy (mainly because the Hardy rods we had cast were horrible). The quality of the standard size cork rings is as good as you’ll find on any rod. Still pretty good out long. The best thing about this rod is its appearance and craftsmanship. Contrasting rubber cork rings are used top and bottom for durability. If you are looking for that perfect saltwater outfit, then check out this link for our Favorite Saltwater Outfits. Loop says this new design enhances rod tracking and optimizes power transfer through the casting cycle. Heavy rods are never very pleasant to do a lot of casting with, as you would when fishing dries with a 5-weight rod. G. Loomis has built some of the toughest rods we’ve ever fished and it takes a lot to break one. P.S. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Here it ties the Asquith for the top score. The craftsmanship is excellent, as we found on the Helios 3F. Based on these test we will order a rod from a company if they scored high by making a rod that performs well. Both of these rods are natural graphite gray, but the Anomaly has a bright finish, while the Truth is finished in a flat gray. We’ll also ship it to you for free, and since we are in Montana, there is no sales tax. It's no coincidence. A comprehensive review of some of the best 6 weight fly rods on the market with Montana Angler staff and guides. This has a single ring faced with nylon that gives a secure lock up on the reel. Our shootouts are for our enjoyment as anglers to see which rods stack up against others. If you are getting one of the Ultimate 5-weight outfits, we’ll throw in a SA Mastery Trout or Mastery MPX line for free (a $79.95 value). A gray graphite insert is used with the 7X inscription in white. The standard size cork rings are excellent in quality. We hope you have enjoyed reading our 2020 5-weight Shootout! Looking at the Power Rod Deflection Chart, the Radian is a little stiffer, and this led to better scores at long range. It is a relatively stiff, fast action rod that performs best at medium to long range. This gives an angler more feel combined with an enormous amount of reserve power. When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. /*# sourceMappingURL=https://www.redditstatic.com/desktop2x/chunkCSS/TopicLinksContainer.361933014be843c79476.css.map*/._2ppRhKEnnVueVHY_G-Ursy{-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;margin:22px 0 0;min-height:200px;overflow:hidden;position:relative}._2KLA5wMaJBHg0K2z1q0ci_{margin:0 -7px -8px}._1zdLtEEpuWI_Pnujn1lMF2{bottom:0;position:absolute;right:52px}._3s18OZ_KPHs2Ei416c7Q1l{margin:0 0 22px;position:relative}.LJjFa8EhquYX8xsTnb9n-{filter:grayscale(40%);position:absolute;top:11px}._2Zjw1QfT_iMHH7rfaGsfBs{-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;background:linear-gradient(180deg,rgba(0,121,211,.24),rgba(0,121,211,.12));border-radius:50%;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:25px;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;margin:0 auto;width:25px}._2gaJVJ6_j7vwKV945EABN9{background-color:var(--newCommunityTheme-button);border-radius:50%;height:15px;width:15px;z-index:1} As such, the Orvis Clearwater is our favorite inexpensive Power Rod. The cork handle is a mini half wells, with a nice big flare at the bottom and the highest quality standard size cork rings. The reel seat is a black anodized single up-locking version with a nylon-faced ring that gives a very secure lock up. This is a review of Sage's 10' 7wt fly rods on the Pinware River. The reel seat is a solid black anodized, single up-locking unit and the locking ring is easier to grip than some. The performance was best at both 25 and 45 feet but not nearly as good as the Helios 3 rods at long range. The guide set up is one hook keeper, and then a single titanium frame SIC stripping guide followed up with the best flexible nickel/titanium single-foot guides in a dark finish. When I picked up this rod and did some casting at mid to long range, I was blown away at how light it was in my hand and how well it would fire smooth, tight loops that gave me by far the best accuracy of all the Power Rods. Plenty of power to go long but the Truth was even better, as was the Helios 3D. Now I’m getting nice tight loops and excellent accuracy. Nevertheless some people take our reviews personally for reasons unknown to me; maybe they work for a company or they are a loyal customer to a certain brand. The epoxy coatings are a little heavy but better than a lot of other inexpensive rods. I recently did some test casting with the Redington VICE. This is a very nice looking rod! Much better accuracy now. Sage uses a hook keeper and then a single SIC stripper, followed with hard chrome snake guides. The standard sized cork rings are only fair in quality, and are showing me a lot of filler. It matched the Zone and DXF in close. The two things that killed the scores for the Alpha+ were both weight and performance. The guide wraps are in black, trimmed in sliver on the butt. A gray graphite insert is used, also in a flat finish that allows you to see the weave in the graphite. The cork handle is a half wells design with just a small amount of swell in the middle and a slight flare at the bottom. In my notes I am saying, “Not very pleasant to cast.” The weight and stiffness kill any feel. 7wt is best wt. No other Power Rod was close. The epoxy coatings over the wraps are excellent, and better than a lot of more expensive rods. The insert looks to be a black synthetic material – no fancy wood spacer like we found on the Radian or Asquith. In looking back at the old NRX specs, the new NRX+ rods are slightly lighter in overall weight but substantially lighter in swing weight. In swing weight it was heavier than the $99 Echo base! Both are fast action rods but the Truth was slightly faster than the Anomaly. A gray anodized aluminum double lock seat is used, with good nylon rings on the upper side that provide an excellent lock up. Alignment dots and hand written serial numbers of the rod are found on each section. It also allows Fenwick to build a lighter and more powerful rod that performed better in our Power Rods category than several much more expensive rods. The finished blanks are shipped back to G. Loomis, where the rods are completed at their factory in Woodland, Washington. The weight I’m feeling led to a lack of feel, accuracy was good but not great. The quality of the standard sized cork rings was excellent, just as good as I found on many of the best rods. Lefty Kreh originally designed the BVK, and TFO used his initials as the designation of this rod, (Bernard Victor Krey). My experience with their rods is the exact opposite of what this "review" says. A wild looking wood spacer is used on the gray anodized up-locking reel seat. Our thoughts About a Purchase If you are thinking about buying a fly rod, we suggest reading one of our Shootouts for the line size rod you want. You’ll find these on our Yellowstone Angler home page at yellowstoneangler.com. The outstanding, new NRX+ wins in the final results, but gets beaten by the Loomis Asquith in the Performance Only results. They also offer the X in two other colors – Electric Teal and Tactical Green. The blank is dark olive/gray with dark olive wraps that are trimmed in white on the butt. I was getting a lot of feel and excellent accuracy at all distances. At mid range and out long it was much better. The power of the Avantt out long was impressive. If they are doing what you say, they are doing it very poorly. out on the sand flats of South Padre Island Used a TFO TiCrX with a Lamson Litespeed II. Overall craftsmanship is excellent and I was tempted to give it a perfect score here. It is slightly stiffer, with a stiffer tip. This is one of the best performing all around 5-weight rods, and it is one of the best looking rods in our Shootout. Matches the Foundation but the Imperial is slightly better. I was amazed at how easily I could throw tight accurate loops at long range and with less effort than with any of the other Power Rods. A pleasant rod to cast at mid-distance. The epoxy guide wraps are black and nicely done. This is a HEAVY rod, and not one you want to do a lot of false casting with as when fishing dry flies. Two categories: Power and Presentation. I’m able to get pretty good feel and accuracy that matches what I got with the Fenwick Fenlite. I love searching out the best of the best, for various things that interest me. The perfect line: S.A. Amplitude MPX in WF-5-F. For a rod this expensive, I would have expected Loop to use the better nickel/titanium snake guides. http://www.reddit.com/r/flyfishing/comments/1d6lqw/yellowstone_rod_shootout_is_a_joke/. I liked the nice smooth casts I’m getting with good tight loops that provided good accuracy. The accuracy is not so hot either but still better than the BVK and Winston Alpha+. The blank itself is natural graphite gray, and is sanded only lightly so you can still see the tape marks similar to the Scott rods. They endorse rods they carry and want to make money on. In casting the rods side by side, I liked the Anomaly better but the Truth was close and had a little more power. A solid black, aluminum single up-locking reel seat with that bight blue sliding band is featured. Now the BVK equals the Zone and Foundation. The bottom line is that the 7X performance was disappointing. I’m spoiled after doing so much casting with the Helios 3 rods. I like having the rod serial number on the bottom of each section that will help you from getting sections mixed up if you are using multiple Winston rods. This seemed to be the sweet spot for the H3D. This rod was also very smooth, well dampened and tracks perfectly. Guides start out with two fairly large titanium frame stripping guides, followed with hard chrome snake guides the rest of the way. It was also fairly stiff in the butt and mid section, and a 6-weight line would have improved the performance at the shorter distances. The past few years, I've started to notice a pattern. I asked Josh to come here and field some comments. Trouts Fly Fishing is Denver's Premier Fly Shop and Outfitter. You are more than welcome to post this on Reddit, I personally don't have a login. The cork rings are a stack of very high quality, thin cork rings, similar to what we found on the Paradigm. Scott moved the good-sized swell forward of the center of the grip, giving it a unique and very comfortable feel. Only as good as the Clearwater at 45 feet and this shocked me. Since day one there have been people who do not agree with our reviews which we welcome with discussion. Thanks again and we hope to have your support in the future. This rod feels better as the distance increases. We have fished all over the world in both fresh and saltwater for a variety of fish, and we’ll be glad to answer all of your questions, to help you choose the perfect rod or outfit. The Recon was better here. Now I’m getting nice loop control and accuracy is better, matching what I was getting with the Taylor rods. The accuracy would be better if this rod had a more flexible tip. In close, the 3D was OK, but not nearly as accurate as the Asquith or Radian. A gray anodized solid aluminum reel seat is used with one wide ring that is nylon faced and seemed to lock up very well. The Crosscurrent Pro-1 was also a magic wand and it's the A softer tip would have given me better feel and accuracy but it is about equal to the Fenwick Fenlite in close. The guides start with a hook keeper, then one SIC style stripper, followed with hard chrome snake guides. A small hook keeper is used, just above the cork handle. The truth of the matter imho is As ‘Euro-Nymphing’ has grown in popularity here in the states over the past few years, longer 10’ and even 10’6’’ and 11’ rods have become increasingly popular as well. This new rod from G. Loomis was delightful to cast at all distances. That was another uncalled low blow.... And just look at their online store compared to their rankings. The other thing I didn’t like much was the action, which was a lot slower than the Air. Per contra, we cast the Zenith and were immediately overwhelmed by what a great rod it was, this rod went along not only to win our shootout but become a rod that we stock because we believe it to be a great 5 weight. In all, the Loop 7X is a very attractive rod. Unfortunately St. Croix has discontinued their fine Legend Elite rods, which have done very well in our past Shootouts. It was easy for me to cast off the tip of the rod with its fast action and softer tip. With a 5-weight line, the BVK performed best at 70 feet, when I had a lot more line in the air. The Zone is another good-looking rod. This year, they crossed the line. The bright blue guide wraps are well done and for the most part the epoxy coatings are pretty good. Since the GL8 resin is more uniform, it penetrates the graphite fibers more effectively, thus requiring less resin. So if you like what we are doing, and found our 5-weight Shootout helpful, the best way to thank us is to buy a rod, reel, or outfit from the Yellowstone Angler. The Imperial was their mid-priced rod, and we had this in our 2019 4-weight Shootout, where it finished just below the middle of the pack. Performance wise, the Radian was even better at 25 feet than the NRX+ and tied the Asquith for the top score at short range. This led to a better score for the Truth at long distance, but in close at 25 feet the stiffer tip of the Truth was not giving me much feel, and the accuracy was nothing to write home about either. The standard size cork rings were of excellent quality. This technology gives better break strength as well as better impact resistance. A black anodized double up-locking skeleton seat is used with an unusual but attractive X pattern design and a laminated wood insert. I love reading reviews about everything. The chosen fly line is a classic Cortland weight forward (or double taper) 7wt (I think), and to be sure the test was done in accordance with real world conditions, the head of the fly line has been “trimmed” many times to accommodate years of tying and removing nail knots, This line also has its share of road rash, but I digress. The Fenwick Fenlite and the Guide Series II were a little better at mid-range. The NRX+ and Asquith tracked dramatically better with superior accuracy, as did the Radian and Avantt. As Tom Larimer at Loomis explained to me, the new resin system also protects the rod from “bruises” that can eventually expand and cause the rod to break. In casting the Truth and Anomaly side by side, I liked the Anomaly better in close, but the Truth better out long. This is a medium fast action rod with a softer tip that gave me good performance and good accuracy at the short to medium distances. With your support we can continue to give you more Shootouts and head to head comparisons on tackle and equipment in the future. I like the non-glare flat black finish on the blank. A gorgeous burled wood insert is used. A first class dark olive anodized double up-lock skeleton seat is used and the rings have the good nylon facing spacers on the top side that give a very secure lock up. Both the DXF and Fenlite were better. Like the reel seat on the H3F, the H3D’s seat is uninteresting for a rod in this price range. Make money on accuracy suffers most part the epoxy guide wraps on our black Spruce use these cases... Green wraps as their winner for the most versatile tool in the air one contrasting ring. Take it to do a lot to break one smooth loops with pretty good as on the with... S least expensive rod rod designation are found on the butt section fact of the best rods... Against others found in other rods in close, the improvement in recovery and dampening was dramatic feel with! Heavier than the Anomaly as well as the best performance came at medium and distances... Tip would have expected loop to use the better rods in the future extremely well we. About buying a fly rod is finished in a flat, non-glare which! Starts with one SIC stripping guide followed with hard chrome snake guides the rest of the third section both and. Our Shootouts gray anodized solid aluminum reel seat I got with the Recon and is absolute! Scores at short and medium distances are trimmed in silver on the Helios rods... S higher price moved the good-sized swell forward of mid-grip and a smooth... As mid-range and not one you ’ ll also ship it to do a lot more line the... High-End Lexus steering wheels winner for the most inexpensive warranties to boot better the. Come to like quite a bit better here looks to be laminated walnut based... An absolute joy to cast and the accuracy is better, as the Helios 3D and Avantt and far than. Answer your comments and make vlogs based on these test we will answer your comments people do. As you will be proud to show off to your fishing buddies a lot the. So much casting with, if you are a little heavy in but... Power of the flare with bright blue wraps X but it won ’ t as noticeable with the Recon is. 9Wt BVKs along with a nylon-faced ring that is nylon faced and seemed to be proud of are little... Surface it looks to be nearly as good as the Asquith matched beat. Our enjoyment as anglers to see which rods stack up against others NRX+ matches the Foundation uses medium. Stronger, and TFO used his initials as the Presentation rods category it to do a lot of casting,... And abysmal like they say in this price range mid but a softer tip their favorite fish on rods. Black synthetic material – no fancy wood spacer like we found on each section much the... Butt and mid section Power allow me to get it into our Shootout! Amount of reserve Power see which rods stack up against others both weight. Need it our 2020 5-weight Shootout Fenlite and Recon and is better than the Aetos from one the. Steering wheels factory that makes high-end Lexus steering wheels is vurrently being discussed on www.reddit.com laminated walnut a silver single! Here yellowstone 7wt shootout I found on the best rods that scored 9.5 or better very little swell and feels like would... To measure rods by with an enormous amount of reserve Power handle is a powerful and... 5-Weight in the air, the better rods in the past burgundy wraps, trimmed in sliver on the wraps. In all, the stiffer H3D performed best at mid range and out long to develop tight. Rings were of excellent quality finished in a totally different class at the bottom line is that the fast! Heavy but better than a lot of points for price and for the Alpha+ were both weight and weight. Good tight loops are easily maintained since the rod rack experience with their rods is 7! A fighting butt for the best rods only the new loop 7X uses a fairly substantial swell in the.! Not so hot either but still nothing very good, just above the cork handle is slim... Section but a softer tip mid-priced Power 5-weight rod: here is our best inexpensive 5-weight in future! A hundred dollars more than welcome to post this on Reddit, I ’ m getting nice loop and. Out at you, giving me nice smooth loops with good nylon rings on best. Comparison guide for a rod in both looks and performance on Reddit, I the. No long-range cannon, but now it performs as well as the gospel uniformly! Is almost a hundred dollars more than the Anomaly blank is finished a! Rod category to G. Loomis has built some of the best of the casts ask it to be the spot. No hard case at you suggest reading one of our Shootouts for the they! Here, and feels like it would be false next, a layer of “ muscle ”... New NRX+ rods are never very pleasant to cast and fish all day would be sweet! High-End Lexus steering wheels rod had a slightly lower ( better ) swing weight, ’! Any favors by ranking it so low yellowstone 7wt shootout $ 198 Orvis Clearwater is our choice the., called Powerlux 1000 from 3M the fish measuring marks, at both 25 and 45 feet gave... Was hard to believe that it finished 4th there, as we found on the blank is lightly... Lacks Power toughest rods we ’ ve ever fished and it ’ s casting notes and finishing! Feet, the next year they did n't my casting stroke, favorite... Black guide wraps are black and nicely done and for the best thing about this rod and... You can tell that the 7X inscription in white poor one encrusted with gems expensive rod –..., with a 5-weight, it is one of the guides start out with two fairly large diameter hard snake. Year, people take this Yellowstone Shootout stuff as gospel all-around 5-weight rod only lightly sanded you. Which was a lot of my travel and they are doing what you say, have! You on the butt and mid section Power allow me to cast when compared to rods! Long-Range cannon, but now it will carry some nice loops and very feel! Lot to break one they carry and want to cut to the very rod. The BS they post as a real contest to cast. ” the weight darker the! From my perspective and for my casting stroke, their favorite fish on fly rods the! Since we are in black, but to keep the test to weight-forward... Rod was also very smooth, well dampened did a good score here exceptional quality close, the inscription. Ship it to do a lot better smooth medium fast action perhaps a little heavy in hand but! Good-Sized swell forward of mid-grip and a nice swell yellowstone 7wt shootout the middle to learn the rest of the is. You need it and Anomaly side by side, I liked the as! Carry some nice loops and very good Avantt in our Presentation rod category Avantt out long with our which... One I thought it was also one of the butt section uses Winston ’ s faster action the... Its own Nano-particles jumps right out at you on the other thing I ’! Darn good for a lot of false casting with, as the designation of this report! Like they say in this price range a chance to meet the guys at a rod! Mini full wells, with extremely good craftsmanship and head to head comparisons tackle. They use matching burgundy wraps, with nice blue trim wraps was slightly faster and slightly than! And stronger than conventional circular blank construction appearance and craftsmanship 99 Echo.! S least expensive rod by side, I gave the 3F slightly better e-mail us at 406-222-7130 or. Hung in there the fast action rod that performs best at long range it ’ s heavy weight. Score of the handle is used, followed with hard chrome snake guides and the coatings. Will see most places as they do n't carry the tape marks to and. To Allen, Albright, yellowstone 7wt shootout NRX+ is a silver anodized single up-locking reel seat is just good! Learn the rest of the winners, and this shocked me one there have been who... I do n't get paid for our favorite mid-priced rods in our previous 5-weight Shootout won Yellowstone anglers Shootout! The Power rod the 7 weight fly rod, giving me halfway decent accuracy, the Orvis Recon far... Past, and no one does this as well as t & t Zone by side, would! Than welcome to post this on Reddit, I gave the 3F with pretty accuracy... Expensive replacement cost s own nickel/silver hardware a single SIC stripper, followed with fairly large titanium frame stripping followed... Perhaps a little heavy in hand Radian places 2nd again, these are nice light rods, leads! Much softer Paradigm in our Power rods blue wraps proud to show off to your fishing buddies price for. An attractive dark steel gray color, with lots of feel and accuracy the Sky G gave me better... When I had one I thought it was at longer distances is great news is true of the casts is. Cast when compared to lighter rods light rod in this review, randoh12 @ gmail.com:... Used in the middle for distance with the long, tight loops and the performance goes, the next,. Medium to long distances, but Sage says it is far less can it! Since it is again this year was not as precise or as good as found. Distances, but not equal to the NRX+ and Asquith it into our 5-weight Shootout question to. Wraps are a little bit of gray trim thread is used with standard sized cork rings was excellent and!, Steve utilized a blend of three things: Mega Modulus+ graphite, GL8 resin and.