I recently purchased a rod with the sliding rings as well, the first I've ever owned like that. Mine has a cork reel seat, so perhaps that leads to better performance than what you've experienced, but I've just learned to push the rings on there with more force than what seems appropriate at first. It has led to a small mark on the reel foot, which I'm not overly happy about, but it's not a huge crisis and the reel stays put.