Quote Originally Posted by fritz View Post
I am finding the rods are somewhat better balanced when the reels are mounted further toward the butt, hence, less tiring at the end of the day.
You're absolutely right about that, and back when bamboo rods were the standard, down locking was much more common for that reason. More recent materials are lighter, so the balance point has shifted. Pushing the reel back isn't as necessary anymore, and I suspect to many people it makes the whole rod/reel system seem heavier. Other than that, the only reason I can think of for the switch is aesthetics.