Anyone using or have used any of these? I recently picked up a J Austen Forbes Expedition Rod, an eight piece, nine foot, five weight and it's a beauty of a rod with what seems pretty fair action. Anyone pros, cons etc?
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Anyone using or have used any of these? I recently picked up a J Austen Forbes Expedition Rod, an eight piece, nine foot, five weight and it's a beauty of a rod with what seems pretty fair action. Anyone pros, cons etc?
My primary rod is a Stowaway 7. Only con is that it takes a bit longer to assemble. ;)
With more sections there is more to go wrong. If you regularly check the ferrules to make sure they are seated correctly you shouldn't have any issues. I haven't tried any of the currently available 9pc rods but the 7 and 8pc rods I have handled all seemed to work pretty well. None seem to perform as well as my favorite 4pc rods but they are good enough. You can't beat them for ease of storage and transportation.
I have 3 8.5ft 5wt rods. Stiffest is the StCroix UL, next is the Lamiglass 700 mid-flex. They are both 2pc. I also have a 7pc Flextec which is the softest and bouncyest. The StC casts comforatably to about 60' and the others only slightly less, like 55'. Two weeks ago I used the Flextec at a friendly competition at our casting club where 6wt rods are the norm. I won with 98/100, so I have no doubt it is fine for fishing - I have only used it twice for that. The only con that occurs to me is that the 7pc rod is softer and so would not be so good in the wind at distance. A friend of mine has a 6pc Orvis that doesn't have this issue, so maybe it is the brand/model. Never-the-less, Flextec is fine for putting in the suitcase or backpack for those trips where there will be SOME fishing, but most of the time will be something else - sightseeing or just paddling, paddling.
I also have a 5wt Flextec that I bought to go in my Tourpack on my motorcycle . I find it is great rod, love it for Bass from the pontoon boat. My StCroix wouldn't fit in bike by about 5 mm :(
I have a Cabelas Stowaway and an Orvis Frequent Flier. Both are nice rods. I got them for my son and I to hike in the mountain with in CO. Works out great.
I have a stowaway, no issues at all. Good rod.
Wow...I have enough of a time trying to get 2, 3, and 4 pieces to all line up! It'd be getting dark before I got a 9 piece all strung up!
A little bit to the side of the topic, but I bought a Cortland 8.5' 5wt. 7pc. rod, and the zipper on the cordura case went flooey, and the rod is in constant danger of falling out. Does anyone know of a place to buy a replacement case that actually fits the rod. I've looked on Cortland's site, and searched the web, but haven't hit the spot yet. Any help is appreciated. (Oh. The rod works great. One of my go-to rods for streams.)
Lew, when in doubt go to the source. Call Nate Dablock at Cortland. See the Cortland Ad on the Sponsor page for the 800 number.
Hugs,
LF
I have the Cabela's Stowaway and the March Brown "Badan Powell". Both 7 piece rods. I have no problems with them. They cast well. Medium to medium fast action.
You do have to check that the ferrules are snug from time to time because I've launched the odd section from time to time. I don't use them very much but they are handy to throw in a backpack when you're out hiking around, geocaching etc.
Try Cabelas, or just go to the hardware store and get a pvc pipe and cut it to size and get caps for it in the pluming section.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lew
I've decided that the pvc would be a better option than a replacement that would possibly do as the first one did. Maybe that's why it's so difficult to find a replacement. Bad design.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mato Kuwapi
In fact mine originally came with a neat little alum tube but that was long gone before I got the rod where it was firmly cradled in a PVC tube cut to length and capped.