Just fell in love with an XP 490 again after a few years of separation. XP's and SLT's were made from graphite IIIe, and I have enjoyed many of those rods. I never could understand what the deal was with the G IIIe was, coming after the Durascrimm Graphite IV? The natural transition should have been from IV to V (graphite 5). How did Sage and Jerry Siem get to this alternate material yet be so very successful with it; only to develop the 5 just shortly thereafter with the TXL and Xi2's? So what really is the deal with the IIIe? All I have been able to find out was the graphite was about 57million modulus. Sage does well to keep their secrets.