I have been a fan of their rods for some time now. I finally ordered a 804.4 Elite which is one of the best casting rods I have ever held. I had cast one several times before, tying to decide whether or not to buy. It is an absolute cannon, as all of the Elite series rods I've thrown are.

It exploded as I was fighting a rather large trout in fast moving water. It broke and collapsed at the female ferrule of the second section.

Just as described, the process worked flawlessly and quickly. They repaired my rod, rather than replace it (actually they replaced the broken section, but the rod is still perfectly balanced and there is no noticeable change in the action). I was a little concerned but on an every outing since, it has performed just as it did when new, and I have intentionally put pressure on it to test the repaired area. No problems at all, and it still is the finest casting rod I'v ever owned (blows all the $600 and higher Sage and Orvis rods I have out of the water).

I've had terrible problems with Sage (suffice to say I will never own another Sage rod), and long-lasting, pleasant contentment with Orvis. I own 3 St. Croix rods now, and the Elite series truly is the best casting rod I've ever held. The 2wt Avid is also a rod I will vouch for as surprisingly great, especially at the price.

I am delighted to say that I can finally vouch for their customer service as well. St. Croix is a great company turning out one of the best products available.