Hey Mark,
I’m new to the forum (and the sport), and also in West Texas. I’m in Midland, where are you?
I can sympathize with being unable to try things out. Being out here in the desert, we need others to try out stuff for us and give us opinions. Not the perfect world option, but better than nothing!
Tyler
I’m still not convinced that a person should wait to purchase their equipment until after they learn to cast.
Jim’s availability of equipment in his classes are very much the exception, and not the rule. It’s rare to have a big variety of rods to test cast. Even if one were to take lessons from a shop, they wouldn’t have nearly the breadth of product available that has been discussed before. Some of my friends who are FFF master certified instructors, who teach regularly, have only a couple of rods and usually expect the student to have their own equipment.
And, even after a few classes, a student is not likely going to discern some of the differences in the rods. My example would be the posting by NoLuck. That posting implies that person has a little experience under their belt. They state:
“I casted many of rods, and with my lack of knowledge I just could not tell much of difference.”
NoLuck goes on to say:
“I now can tell the subtle differences. The FLi series Sage didn’t really cast much different from the Launch then or now to Me.”
This person states my point(s) exactly. As a beginner, they couldn’t tell the differences in the rods, and are now just being able to tell the differences.
To exemplify that more, the difference between the Launch and the FLi is readily discernible to a reasonably experienced caster, but still yet to NoLuck(who now presumably knows how to cast) there is really no difference. And, even though there are differences in the rods, either would have worked very well as a first rod.
Many of the rods listed so far have very similar actions, and any one of them would work great for this person. My first premium stick was a IMX,a move up from the yellow Eagle Claw rod my grandfather gave me, and I’m sure glad I bought it adn learned on it. At the time it could have been a Sage DS, it could have been a Loomis Premier, it could have been a number of different options; however, I was able to grow in to it, and I never had to worry about if it was my equipment or me holding things back.
That IMX sure as heck wasn’t the last rod I ever purchased, and I don’t even own it any more, and by the way MarkF worded his initial email, I bet this rod purchase we’re discussing won’t be his last! 
When my daughter goes basketball camp,I’ll expect her to bring her own shoes. We won’t wait until we get through the camp to figure out if it’s Adidas, Nike, New Balance, or whatever that works best for her. She probably will want something new, though . . . kinda like fly rods; always wanting another one.
Just a different perspective.
After much consideration, reading and studying y’alls posts, here is what I went with, felt this was best value for dollars.
Rod: Sage, Lauch Series, 5wt, 8’ 6" more suited to beginner/intermediate that the super fast models.
Reel: Teton Tioga, Standard Series, 5-6
Line: SA Mastery GPX, wf 5wt
Not that getting to cast stuff would not be the best, just not much oppertunity in a Semi Arid Dessert.
Thanks and Gig’em
Mark Fairchild
Hey MarkF,
I don’t think that you can go wrong with your choices mentioned in your last post.
The only thing that you may consider is buying a 9’ rod.Unless you are going to be fishing in confined spaces.My older brother bought a Launch in the 8’6" and casted my 9’ rod and wishes he would have bought the 9 instead.The shop that I bought my rod from really encouraged me to purchase the longer rod.Not because he had more of them but, he honestly thought that it was a better rod for more situations.A little more distance in reserve is always a good thing.
Good luck and have fun with it all!!!
It’s a recreation not an occupation.
Rich
NoLuck (Rich) beat me to it.
If you haven’t already done it, I would also recommend the 9’ rod. I love 8’6" sticks for dry flies, but that itty bit of extra length to go to the 9’ rod changes the rod quite a bit. It becomes not only longer, but the butt section is a little beefier, too, and the rod is a little more powerful. I share the opinion with Rich that the longer stick will be more versatile.
Also, if there is a 4 piece option, get it. Much more versatile than the 2 piece. The one downside is you have to tighten three ferrules throughout the day as opposed to one ferrule connection on the 2 pc.
You did fine, though. Great line; bulletproof, sturdy reel; and a rod that you can grow in to. Good for you!
THANKS again! I called and changed my order to the 9’ stick!
Thanks and Gig’em
Mark Fairchild
Mark, that outfit will serve you all for years to come. My experience is that every rod I own is a pleasure to cast whether it be fast, medium or slow action, made of graphite, fiberglass or bamboo. I think that casting before buying is overrated, but that is my opinion. I have never had aproblem casting any of the rods. They all are different and I like that. The exception would be spending many hundreds of dollars for a rod if a person did not really have lots of $$$ to spend if he or she did not like the rod.
“Give me ambiguity or give me something else”