IMHO the Avid and LU give you a better feel for rod loading. I've fished a 7wt Avid 4-pc (pre-IPC) for years, and while the Imperial is definitely faster, it's not my preference. And note, I also have a couple fast-action rods in the 5-9 wt range that I absolutely LOVE...so it's not so much the "action" that I didn't like in the Imperial. I have a TFO TiCr and a TiCrX that are way faster than the avid, but those rods too give a good indication of loading.

Cast as many as you can. I'd rather drop $300 on a rod that I really enjoy casting than $150 on something I didn't like much.