Clay, You are leaning way to far to the dark side of expensive fly rods. Look what happened to me. After much heming and hawing I bought my first Helios, an 8 wt. Now in more ways that I care to admit I am a crappy caster but that darned thing made the line just fly. I asked myself, "Did I just do that?" I couldn't deny it, I did it. Over a couple of years I bought a 10 wt. and then a 7 wt. when Orvis had a deal going like offering a free reel with the rod or something.
I use the 7 wt a LOT and then I abuse it too. This spring I was fishing an lily pad bed with last years old rotten stems in it. I got hung up lots of times and I just snapped the rod to free the fly. No problem. When the rod snap didn't do it I'd pull on the rod hard enough to guide the kayak to the spot so I could free the fly. Again no problem. And then there's the times I've dinged the rod with a clouser or errant popper. I've scuffed the finish a bit but so far no cracks have developed. In my opinion they are one tough and yet light and sensitive rod.