Soup...I'm looking at the 2005 Cabela's catalog; it shows the Stowaway7 and touts a new 'tip over butt' ferrule system and single foot titanium guides. Can't find the 2004 but I know they had different ferrules and snake guides. Maybe that's the improvement.

Still, you'll never avoid user error (carelessness).

I had a Stowaway5 in 8.5 3wt. that was great. Cast well (no pun intended) and was strong enough to land some nice LMB on occasion.