Rod/Reel Brand Loyalty...Why??? 2024

ghost reply :

Just curious why you pick or stick w/ 1 brand of rod or reel. Are you sponsored by them or just have a liking to a particular brand? If you are that loyal to a particular brand, would you or have tried other brands & if so, did you like that other brand or just didn't like it for some reason?

I am not loyal to any brand rod/reel, I'm all over the board when it comes to what I like. It might be cuz it's new or something about it I just have to have. Or I found a very good price on that particular item. I haven't found a brand of rod/reel that makes me truly loyal to that brand.

I know that all brands have good & bad or okay features that we like, or some we like but will deal w/ some things that we don't like.

Why I ask this is for the mooks that are loyal to Shimano, Daiwa, Abu Garcia, Quantum, Pflueger, Browning, Okuma, BPS, Cabelas, etc...but not in that order. Don't get miffed if I didn't list your brand first or second, it's just how I put them; if I missed not giving props to your brand it's cuz I forgot.

So are you loyal to one brand or have a bunch of different brands? If you do have different brands do you like one more than the other? To me life is too short to be loyal to one brand...unless I'm sponsored to use that brand, then it's a whole different ballgame.

I understand that others will use only one kind of reel or rod to keep the qualities & feel they want & not change out & have a totally different quality or feel. I don't tournament fish & so I don't know if having all my rods & reels being the same will improve the quality or feel of my fishing.

I'm not trying to start a war here, just been curious since everyone has an opinion of what they like something & blast something they don't like for whatever reason. It could be cuz it broke, or the feel or quality wasn't what you felt it would be. Or someone talked you into that particular brand to like or talked you out of that brand for a reason.

Something I've noticed when I watch tournament fishing shows, it seems the pro's aren't sponsored by Gloomis. If they are they don't seem to really get the exposure as other companies do. I don't recall a pro who is sponsored by Gloomis. But it's nice to see some fishing shows & see the rod or reel they are using isn't all the real expensive stuff. I saw Ike using a Daiwa Light N Tough rod on one of his shows & use a Daiwa Zillion rod. I saw Jason Quinn on a BPS fishing show using an All Star ASR rod. Another thing that intrigues me is all those guys on tv fishing shows seem to use right handed baitcast reels. Once in a great while I'll see someone using a left hand b/c reel, but it's not the pro but a guest. But it's nice to see the BPS guys actually using BPS equipment...I know they are getting paid or sponsored by BPS, but still nice to see that they are not using some other brands...on accident. :

Step up to the plate & tell me why you're loyal to a certain brand of rod &/or reel.

firefightn15 reply :

I'm brand loyal for rods (St Croix) because for me, they are made locally. This does not mean I won't try or buy others.

As for reels, other than my first baitcaster, which was a red Daiwa millionaire back in mid to late seventies, it's Abu Garcia for me. I've had the Big A's on up to the current lowpros, and they have always preformed well. Again, I am not affraid to try others. I'm actually waiting on a Patriarch as we speak.

SirSnookalot reply :

In my view brand loyalty is going thru life with blinders on, it's being narrow minded. You just never know what may turn you on next.

If one is willing to try a different brand lure, and most do, why not rods and reels?

LakeAnnaBasser reply :

i am not brand loyal at all. I like to try all the reels. i dont have a pfleuger yet but the patriach looks very tempting to me.

Certified Public Angler reply :

For a lot of people buying a rod/reel is a big purchase, it is easier to go with what you know. That way there are less surprises.

I only have shimano reels bc the first baitcaster i bought was shimano and the value was great. But if the right deal came up I am certainly not opposed to trying something else. However the right deal recently just happened to be a chronarch

For rods I have a mix, shimano, st. croix, BPS...But once again now that I have used these rods if I needed another I would most likely look to what I know first.

Big Tom reply :

Quote
i dont have a pfleuger yet but the patriach looks very tempting to me.

The Patriarch is money.

Just be sure to look around before you buy. You can get them for as much as 70 bucks off of what Bass Pro sells them for.

As far as I am concerned, I am still trying out all different types of brands of both rods and reels. Like I mentioned above, I got my hands on a Pflueger Patriarch not long ago and I don't know if I have found another reel that I have liked as much. And I have fished extensively with everything from the Quantum Tour Edition PTs to the new Shimano Curado's. I owned a couple Abu Revo SX's as well.

If I cannot find another reel that I like as much as the Patriarchs, I may become brand loyal to the higher end Pfluegers as far as my next few reel purchases are concerned. Then again, I haven't tried a high end Diawa yet either...

For rods, I was mostly brand loyal the Bass Pro Shop name but that was due to tight financial parameters and mainly because I did not have access to information on places like this and Tackle Tour where rods are compared to one another constantly.

A couple of the Bass Pro sticks served me well but I feel like I am outgrowing them quickly.

Beyond the 6'6" medium power range is where I start to have the most problems with Bass Pro rods. If you move into the 7' Medium Heavy and above classes of rods, their weight significantly increases while their sensitivity drastically decreases. In this class of rods, there are significantly better choices out there, but they will almost always cost a little more coin.

As these are the only rods I have truly tested, I feel I am far from finding that one particular brand for me. Heck, I sometimes feel like I may never be happy with one certain brand and that is perfectly alright for me. There are plenty to choose from and getting new crap is a lot of fun!

I suppose spending a lot of time and money is really the only way to know what I will find the most appealing; albeit one particular brand or a combination of several.

cart7t reply :

I have been a Garcia guy for a long time before switching over to Pflueger. My reasons for the change relate directly to this thread.

I bought a couple Johnny Morris reels made by BPS, I was finding it far easier to fish with the JM reels than the Revo SX and STX's I had during a day of fishing. I found the Pflueger line of reels had similar features to the JM reels but also had features I liked about the Revo's. I still have JM reels, a couple REvo's along with the Pfluegers. Almost all my rods are All Stars.

I like consistency with equipment basically. When I pickup a rod to throw a spinnerbait, I want the feel of the rod and reel to be similar to the crankbait setup I just put down on the deck. I don't want surprises nor do I want to have to finesse a rig just to say I own it.

Sort of like golf clubs.

I wouldn't want a bag of completely mismatched clubs. I want the same feel whether I'm picking up a 4 iron, a 3 wood or a wedge.

Just personal preference I guess.

dodgeguy reply :

then u haven't fished a johnny morris rod yet.

cart7t reply :

Quote
i am not brand loyal at all. I like to try all the reels. i dont have a pfleuger yet but the patriach looks very tempting to me.

Outstanding reel.

you can easily get one NIB on ebay for $120-130.

roadwarrior reply :

It's not complicated. I fished a lot of brands over the years,

starting with Zebco and Johnson spincasters and fiberglass

rods. My first big upgrade was to a two piece Lightning Rod

and low end Shimano spinning reel which at the time, I found

challenging.

In 1997 I moved to Tennessee and made some friends with

a couple of "real bass fishermen". We all went to Hooter's one

Friday for lunch and the local mom & pop tackle store was next

door, Buck & Bass. I basically gave my boys a blank check and

said, "Fix me up!"

All Star was their choice, one spinning rod, one baitcaster. Shimano

Symetre, Abu Garcia Baitcaster, Trilene XL and XT, a hard tacklebox,

$800 worth of lures, soft plastics and gear.

After that, I started paying attention.

Today I'm interested in function and reputation. I prefer G.Loomis,

but have more St. Croix rods. I fish Shimano, but was given a STX.

I have been around the world with line and have settled on Yo-Zuri.

The list goes on, but once I found my groove, I've stuck with it. I

won't be buying Abbadabbado, Kissmyassler or vegetable sticks

anytime soon. When that happens I'll start driving a Chevy, Ford

or Chrysler.

There is a old song by Nirvana that plays in my head,

"We Won't Get Fooled Again"

8-)

Catt reply :

One can go to Wal/Mart, Harbor Freight, or some other outlet store to buy mechanic, carpenter, electrician, machinist tools ect and these tools will work but they are not designed for industrial use. Yes these tools wills last the weekend guy a lifetime of light to medium use and serve him quite well.

Now look at it through my eyes I am a journeyman carpenter/mechanic my tools are what I make my livelihood with so I must depend on my tools to perform every single time I use them under extremely adverse conditions with limited failure.

Now relate this to bass fishing; when I hit the lake it will be from sunup to sunset, under extremely adverse conditions, and with full expectations of bass in excess of 6 pounds so any failure on the part of my tools is not accepted.

Muddy reply :

Excellent question Ghost!

I have been fishing for a lot of years, and have tried a lot of rods and reels, none expensive as I can not afford that.

First Reels: I Was a 100% Mitchell Spinning fan. In NYC they were readily available and most other brands were primarily available through mail older catalog. I am talking from the 60 to the early 80's.

When they changed the 300 I was lost I never took to the newer reels and when I moved to PA, most around here were Pflueger Fans, from my first Trion and President I was hooked. When I made the transition to Bait Casting I just stayed with what I trusted.

There is another reason I love the Trion. My hands are somewhat shot, from years of drumming and because of diabetese I have Neuropathy in my hands The Trion is a painless fit and I can fish with it all day. I also like the BPS Extremes a lot, but the way they fit in my hand is not as comfortable.

Rods: Now especially since my shoulder has come into play and all the pain from it I needed a light rod and the reel had to sit right.

In my Price range I found 2 rod brands that I love Fenwicks and Cabelas Fish Eagle II's. I was able to take advantage of the recent Cabelas swith out to their newer version of the Fish EagleII. They put the older ones out at 30 to 40 bucks, making them extremely affordable to me

I find what I am comfortable with and I stay with it. I do not need Lifetime warranties, as I have said before I fish with a rod not a warranty. I have never had to return either of these brand rods for anything.The Pflueger products are sound, give a lot of quality for the money and I have a private guy who cleans and lubes them and they service their reels at a reasonable cost with short turnover/

I like to use a few things I trust and My physical problems can coexist with these brands so I stay loyal to them and I am happy , happy 8-) KISS!!!!!!!!

I believe their are people here who get financial reward for pushing certain brands, there is also open sponsorship. What I love is when one guy is pounding the boards with a specific brand then he sends in a picture of a fish caught and his tackle is visible, in n his hand or on the boat and there is not one of those brands visible. It has happened more than once!

ps I have tried in my seach for what I like; Mitchell,ABU<Rapala<All Star<Zebco<Quantum and various BPS and Cabelas products/

and I CONFESS A STRADIC, Kent gave me

Uncle Leo reply :

Not really brand loyal what makes a differnce to me is fit and function. I do prefer certain brands for techniques. For instance, my favorite small crankbait set up is a Shimano Curado 100D paired on St Croix Avid Cranking Rod Med Moderate. Whereas my favorite jig set up is a G Loomis Mossyback Rigging Rod paired with a Revo STX.

bass wrangler569 reply :

I'm relatively brand loyal but if I found another brand that I like better I would switch (I'm currently switching from Quantum to Shimano). I'm comfortable with the brands I fish with which is why I use them. My primary setups right now are all G Loomis rods and Quantum Tour reels (the old ones) but I'm working on upgrading the tours to curados. I prefer to have the same rods (in different actions of course) with the same model reels. Maybe I have mild OCD but I like to think that it lessens the variables and keeps things relatively the same when you switch between rods.

senile1 reply :

I'm not a brand snob, by any stretch of the imagination, but like Cart7t stated, I like for my rods and reels to have a consistent feel that I am familiar with.

I'm curious about everyone's take on one of the items that ghost mentioned in his initial post:

Quote
Something I've noticed when I watch tournament fishing shows, it seems the pro's aren't sponsored by Gloomis. If they are they don't seem to really get the exposure as other companies do. I don't recall a pro who is sponsored by Gloomis.

G.Loomis rods are well-known for their sensitivity. To win an Elite Series tournament, it would seem that an angler would try to use the most sensitive rod for some applications. What do you all think is the reason? (i.e. money from sponsorship of a less sensitive product more than balances out the chance of winning with a different rod, G.Loomis may not be that more sensitive, they use them but not in front of the camera, etc.).

Matt 825 reply :

I am all over the place with what brands of rods I own. I have rods by St Croix, G Loomis, Shimano, Daiwa, Bass Pro, Cabelas, Lamiglass, Sage (Fly Rods), Rainshadow (blanks), CTS (Blanks). I look for deals and when I see one I grab it. I do have my preferences but $$ is not growing on a tree outside my house right now so I buy what I feel is a good value. I wish I could have all G Loomis rods for bottom fishing and mix in a few St Croix Legend rods but for the vast majority of us that is a pipe dream.

As for reels I am slightly less all over the place. I have reels by Shimano, Daiwa, Abu-Garcia, Bass Pro, Cabelas, Quantum. I prefer Shimano and will only buy other branded reels on sale now. Over the years my Shimano's are the only ones that have lasted and still perform as they are new.

For me the botton line is value!!!

J Francho reply :

Quote
Something I've noticed when I watch tournament fishing shows, it seems the pro's aren't sponsored by Gloomis. If they are they don't seem to really get the exposure as other companies do. I don't recall a pro who is sponsored by Gloomis

G. Loomis is a much higher profile in the trout/salmon/fly world.

Muddy reply :

At least you get to fish for real Salmonoids, we have truck transported trout around here, just about aquarium sized :-/

roadwarrior reply :

Quote
For me the botton line is value!!!

That's the best statement anyone has made and something to live by.

However, for "collectors" that is not always the case. As a specific

example, I don't think anyone "needs" more than a Stradic 2500FI

for a spinning reel, but the Stella is really nice!

Value? Not a chance.

8-)

David P reply :

I'm definitely brand loyal. I like having all the rods and reels feeling the same, so when I put one down, I pick the next one up not having to get used to any different feeling. I also like it because I don't spend hours trying to figure out which reel to get next, I already for the most part know. I fish with 4 STXs and 7 Daiwas. I have all Dobyns rods and fish with them because I truly think they're the best. I have fished with them long before I got put onto the pro staff, and wouldn't have wanted to be on it if I didn't think they were the best.

roadwarrior reply :

Your picture album speaks for itself...Awesome!

8-)

J Francho reply :

Quote
Your picture album speaks for itself...Awesome!
8-)

LOL, I'll say! His album moves from stupid big to really big at the end. His smallest fish in that album beats all my fish from last year, except three of four

J Francho reply :

Quote
At least you get to fish for real Salmonoids, we have truck transported trout around here, just about aquarium sized :-/

I personally think most of ours come from the fish truck too. Just that they have access to the big lake to spend some time getting huge on pelagic baitfish. Since the state decided to spend over $1M on a freaking fin clipping machine (as public launch sites sit in decrepit state) we'll soon be able to confirm what I've suspected all along. That there might not be as much successful reproduction as we thought.

MSPbass reply :

I'm a rod/reel snob too. But, as Brokeju said above, it has its advantages. When I first started upgrading my gear, I did a lot of research and settled on a Fenwick HMG with a Pflueger Trion. Actually, settled isn't the right word, I carefully selected. It's a great, solid, combo and it helped me fall in love with bass fishing again. From there, the Fenwick/Pflueger lines only get better and I now have a few Patriarchs, Techna AV and World Class Rods and I honestly cherish my gear. Quality, comfort and consistency are important things and I know I never have to worry about that when I'm looking at a new Fenwick/Pflueger combo. It's sort of the Rick Clunn theory, except I still have more options than RC.

Captain Chaos II reply :

Daiwa reels because they are great little fishing machines and I love all of the ones I have. I do have different models though.

Rods, I have varying models and types because there just are so many great rods out there these days.

The Rooster reply :

I've tried a lot of different stuff over the few years I've been fishing. Quantum, Shimano, Abu Garcia, and many more. Mostly once I find a particular reel or rod that i like then I stick with that until they change the design and I don't like it anymore. Right now it's Shimano for rods, Pflueger for spinning reels and Bass Pro Shops for baitcasters (which are made by Pflueger currently). Once they change their current designs, if I don't like the new ones then I'll go on the hunt again, but otherwise I'm totally satisfied so I won't be looking for anything different for a while.

So I'd say I'm not brand loyal, I just like what I like and that's all. I have no problem switching brands if something better comes along. Just at the current time, there's nothing better than a Pflueger reel or Shimano rod.....for me anyway.

Hawghead reply :

For reels I am really leaning towards Shimano. Performed well for me and my needs and have had great customer service when I have needed it.

Rods I am all over the place....look for value first. Been using BPS rods, couple of lower end Shimano, and last year I got a couple of Berkeley Tactix rods, they do just fine for me.

flechero reply :

To those that say being loyal is just closed minded, I have to disagree. To ignore the specific reasons why loyalty exists is only looking at part of the story.

Take Loomis rods for example. Until pretty recently I was a Loomis IMX guy, had a stable full of them. Why? I like the blanks action better than any other rod I had used. No one else had a rod with that delicate tip that would lock up as tight and stout. It didn't hurt that I felt it was a great value- price vs. performance. I knew that any IMX rod I bought would be liked. No risk.

I'm not a Shimano die hard but I do have more shimano reels than any other... why? Each reel was purchased with a specific set of requirements and "needs" on my end. It just so happened that Shimano made the reels that best fit the criteria and my hand. But the fact that Shimano offered a great performing reel at a fair price and has a great reputation doesn't hurt either.

Being comfortable with a particular brand or series is a good thing... it shows (usually) that someone has had good products and paid seemingly fair prices. It only makes sense to give them a first look or the benefit of the doubt over an unknown brand when looking for new purchases.

Many brands have a following (loyalty) that's based on service... even some for lots of product failures that have been replaced.

For any that are loyal, there are reasons... for those with none, also reasons. If we all though the same, there would be one brand of each item.

Big Tom reply :

Quote
then u haven't fished a johnny morris rod yet.

I have fished a 6'6" medium Johnny Morris Elite rod and thought highly of it.

I haven't tried the longer, more powerful models but I wouldn't mind picking one up on sale sometime to try.

Grey Wolf reply :

I am opened minded about my fishing gear. All of the companies have quality gear if you want to spend the money.

Big Tom reply :

Quote
I am opened minded about my fishing gear. All of the companies have quality gear if you want to spend the money.

This is how I think too. After a certain price range, it seems just about everyone makes high quality stuff.

ghost reply :

Thanks for all the replies, this has been most informative & entertaining. As I said, I completely undstand why one would be brand loyal & that's great. But for someone like me, it would eventually become boring, but that's me. Now if I was in your shoes for tourney fishing, then yes matching rods & reels would be the way to go cuz the consistency is there & "no" surprises.

In regards to Pflueger, I would love to try out their reels, especially the new ones, the Summit, Patriarch & the new President. But alas, they don't make left hand versions of those reels. Which makes me wonder if certain or most BPS branded reels are Pflueger, why does BPS they have similar Pflueger reels & offer them in left hand??? While Pflueger only offers their newer reels in right hand. Also I'm sure Pflueger if they wanted to can incorporate the swept handle & star drag like the BPS brand b/c reels have. I even asked a Pflueger rep that I ran across in a fishing store why they don't have any of the new b/c reels in left hand. The previous President had a left hand verision b/c reel, now in 2009 they don't. I would think that was a pretty good seller for them. The rep didn't give me an answer & just said that "yes, they need to come out w/ left hand b/c reels." I know the Trion b/c reel is a very good reel & it seems that alot of you guys own them, But I'm talking about now, 2009 models that the left hand user if not part of the batting line up.

Again, thanks to all who respond to this post, it's just interesting on your guy's take on brand loyalty...it would be an honor of mine to one day have a chance to fish w/ any of you guys here on this board. You guys are very well educated & well versed on what you prefer for fishing equipment & don't mind sharing here, even though you'll get kudos for saying or get slammed. But most of you guys stick to your guns why you would use this or that brand & for this or that reason.

Lets all have a great 2009 fishing season...it's starting...NOW!

burleytog reply :

Because I prefer to buy only once.

hawgchaser reply :

I used to be a shimano/all star only guy. I knew these combos were what I liked and thats all I needed to know. However, there is so much good gear out there, I started trying other stuff. I found that BPS offered the best value for me. Then they changed their reels to magnetic brakes and I was out.

I very reluctantly bought a Quantum rod/reel combo last year. I shockingly loved it and now have 4 Quantum PT reels and 3 PT Energy rods. They are the easiest reels to adjust, are super smooth, and the rods are the most underrated rods around. I enjoy fishing with these combos more than my curados and citicas. In fact, my fishing buddy uses my 3 curados and 6 citicas. I still love the chronarch though. IMO Quantum has made leaps and bounds in the quality control department and offer some of the best gear around right now.

So basically I stick with what I like but what I like changes as new equipment is introduced.

ChiCityBasser reply :

I'm pretty new as far as fishing goes and only been doing it a 2-3yrs and started off fishing cheaper rods and reels purchased off ebay. I didn't know much about reel size or fiberglass vs graphite rods or anything. I started fishing with my brothers in our 3 man yearly tournament and the first year I caught a total of 10 fish for a season. After reading and learning more about the sport I stepped upto a Cabelas Fish Eagle II rod on sale and really noticed a difference in feel and sensitivity over what I was fishing with as far as rods. Last season that total was up to 56 fish for the season. From there I purchased a Cabelas XML again on sale and really liked the feel of the rod. I experimented with Daiwa, Okuma, Quantum, Mitchell and a off brand spinning reel called a Rainbow. Of all the reels I have pretty much stuck with Quantum for spinning and for baitcasting it was Daiwa til the recent purchase of a Quantum Accurist PT.

For me I like the feel of the Cabelas rods and they are pretty much what I have from the Tourney Trail thru the XMLti for both spinning and baitcast setups. I like the feel and sensitivity, the price and warranty with me catching them all on sale. I could purchase others but sticking with what I know or like and whats been working for me so far.

retiredbosn reply :

I have been all over the board with my purchases, due to being a newbie to baitcasters, just started baitcasting five years ago. I have owned Shakespeare, Pinnacle, BPS, Abu Garcia, Quatum, all low profile, my rods are equally divided between BPS and Quantum, mainly due to availability. Recently my wife purchased me an Abu-Garcia EXT Pro, my first round reel, and I am really impressed with that reel. So impressed that I have sold a couple of BPS baitcasters and replaced them with the EXTs. So now my set ups include 1 quantum accurist pt, one bps extreme finesse, and 3 exts. If I like the reel I buy it.

David P reply :

If it ain't broke, dont' fix it. Stick with what you like instead of looking for the next best thing. You'll save money, and save yourself a headache.

Muddy reply :

Quote
If it ain't broke, dont' fix it. Stick with what you like instead of looking for the next best thing. You'll save money, and save yourself a headache.

Truer words never have been spoken> I went around the block and have the same rigs I started out with in the first place

cbreeze22 reply :

Great thread question. 50 yrs owned and used the same two rods one 6' fiberglass spin very wispy tip and one bait cast Quantim.Have gone thru a number of Shimano Spin reels over the yrs. Caught tons of fish with this out of a 12' Sea Nymph and off the bank. Never thought twice about if I needed other set ups for different techniques etc. Retired got the bass boat fishin more and now have two Revo STX two Shimano Symetres a Gloomis,Avid Shimano Crucial crank rod and two Powells. I selected my tackle based on whichever brand I thought would suit my applications . If I needed another all purpose reel Id go with Revo solely because I like them . Thikin maybe getting a Shimano Curado E5 for Crucial crank rod. Reason cuz of the gear ratio and just feels balanced on the rod so not adverse to changing brands. :-?

rfrazier reply :

I have g.loomis, all star, e21, daiwa, airrus, croix rods... As I'm starting to fish more tourneys, I do feel having such a broad range is not ideal. The feel of the rods is all over the place. Considering selling off the majority and going with daiwa/ zillions. But yet again, I don't want to part with my MBR844c GLX. :-?

Reels, all daiwa except for one Curado E7. Got comfortable with the extremely low weights of the Daiwa LP's.

Cravin reply :

RODS = Not brand loyal at all! I have had nice rods I've hated and cheap rods I've loved made by a bunch of different brands and vise-versa.

REELS = I like to try to stick with what I know and like, I have returned a few and also gave some away when I've concluded they weren't what I would consider up to snuff. Nothing like buying a new reel and finding yourself fishing with your old ones. >

Red reply :

i am pretty brand loyal for reels, i have two revo's, one black max, one cardinal 802 and a daiwa. i plan to replace the daiwa with another abu reel. i have had good luck with AG and i like their stuff, like somone said, if it aint broke, dont fix it.

as for rods, mine are all custom, three are on allstar blanks the other is a shikari blank. i have one more to build and i will buy what i think will work and has the right price tag.

SWMIBASSER reply :

My reel brand loyalty stemmed from growing up ONLY Musky fishing. An Abu was simply the only thing that would hold up.

Because of that, up until this year I've only used Abu reels. Revo's were out of my price range, and I've never had a problem with the round reels. So I've been using either 4600c3's or c4's depending on what I'm doing.

I do want a revo, but based on the feel of those vs BPS reels, (also taking into consideration price-obviously) I've decided to go with a few BPS reels. Simply because I want a lower profile/lighter weight for some things.

I'm not brand loyal on rods. Loomis are nice, and they have a good warranty but are overrated IMO. What you gain with a Loomis is availability of a model with a very specific application.

With that said I do have a Loomis rod and plan to pick up the 7'6" Bronzeback spinning rod.

But when simply comparing price, my Rogue, and BPS Johnny Morris ELITE, are just as good if not better and much cheaper. The BPS rod wasn't much cheaper, but it is also comparable to a higher end Loomis than my 6'10" SHR

I've also had a couple Falcon rods, and still have one. For my money they offer the best bang for the buck.

Calcutta reply :

I used to be all over the map on all my purchases and still am except for my reels. My shimano calcuttas are barr none, hands down, with out a doubt, the best longest lasting reels made.Period. On my rod prefrences well, Im kinda rough on rods so I dont have many exspensive ones . I do think its hard to beat berkleys lightin rod. Its my favorite.

Bassn Blvd reply :

I'm brand loyal to rods and reels. Shimano and G-Loomis. And that's how it will stay until you can show me something better. Actually I do have 2 non Shimano reels. A Daiwa Sol which is the closest reel I have found to be nearly as perfect as Shimano. The 2nd is a Revo Premier which I will put for sale here in the flea Market after Abu sends the replacement.

I was also brand loyal when I drank beer. Budweiser...

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