I will venture a guess that someone has been thinking of ergonomics and trying to make the grip fit the hand better. If your hand is the right size it will probably be very comfortable to hold and you will have a pinkie or index finger tip resting on the blank and feel the take on a nymph or streamer much better than with a tradition grip. That said, I don't think it will sell JLDR (just doesn't look right.) They have been looking at too many casting and spinning rods.