I do not believe it is all hype, but I do believe it's like golf clubs: there is a difference, but most golfers are not good enough to be able to utilize the difference, and most duffers will play just as well (or just as poorly, in my case) with a set of with Wally World clubs as they will with the latest from Ping. I enjoy owning rods that are better than I really need, but do they help me catch more fish? Nah.