Can't say enough good things about these rods. I have used them in kayaks, canoes, hiking, and on the motorcycles - both dirt bikes and Harley's for many years. My son ended up breaking a tip off one while 4 wheeling pretty hard in Colorado...so I swapped him out my last available one. I tried 2 other telescopic rods for a few months...and just missed the feel of these rods. Simple, tough, and casts like a dream with baitcaster, spincast or open face whatever you feel like. - (EVEN USED AS A FLY ROD NOW! added 12/18) Incidentally, my son did not have the tip/guides protected as he lost our "diy tip protector" on a multi day camping trip. I always cut out the bottom off a water bottle and slip it over the top guides. (Lid still on) A rubber band around the water bottle sides and I've it protects the tip/guides with no added weight. Great rods for a great price. Can't find them locally anymore, glad to see em on Amazon Prime. I have several in my rotation...might need to just buy a few to keep and put up if they are getting scarce...but then again, I bet some of mine are pushing 15 years old and still going strong. Edit 12/2018 - this summer/fall I started fishing with a backpack that held 2 of these - one set up with a Zebco 33 micro...and one set up as a FLY ROD! (yes, a fly rod!) and a short, inexpensive Tenkara Rod I got here on Amazon. ALL of these rods are way under 18"...they fit IN my fishing backpack easily...and I now can hike, fish, explore with this pack and cover about any kind of water I encounter! I used in on the Harley...it's all good. I LOVE these rods and I LOVE having choices with me...maybe a long, long way from my bike or Jeep...and NOT having to take apart a 4,5, or 7 piece fly rod is AWESOME! NO, I can't cast a full fly line...or maybe not more than 50 feet with this rod...but really...I don't encounter those issues on the types of trips I use this rod as a fly rod for! I've got plenty of regular fly rods for open water - big water - etc... But I do confess...the ease of use of it spoils me...I've even taken this "DIY fly rod set up" in the canoe and kayak. It's works just fine for casts up to 40 or even 50 feet! I can't say enough about these rods - and I have landed HUNDREDS OF FISH over several decades with these rods. Tiny to good sized...trout, bluegill, crappie, drum, carp, hybrids, stripers, wipers, and more. Is there a better value? I'm not sure...but I flat out love these rods. UPDATED 12/17/2019. Recently went fishing in the bass boat. Had 5 of these amazing rods rigged with mostly Abu Garcia baitcasters...and 2 with zebco 33 micros. The one with a 3.5" swimbait and a 1/8 ounce swimbait head landed 25 Stripers in about 3 hours. TWENTY FIVE! Big landing net, 12 pound line on the baitcaster, and many of these five were around 20+ inches long...4-7 pound stripers that fought HARD, as stripers will...they are solid muscle. These rods can handle a ton. Also, I didn't land it, but I hooked a catfish that was probably 15-20 pounds...easily 3 feet long... my fishing buddy tried to get it in the net but it started rolling and straightened the 1/0 size fish I was using for the bass I was targeting. It was a crazy fun fight for more than 5 minutes. This rod (again with an Abu baitcaster that time too) fought the fish just fine! I guess since I'm a fly fisher and have used UL rods all my life, I've learned how to fight fish on light rods. If you break rods, you might want to pick up a cheap fly rod and check out how a 10 inch panfish can fight hard on a 3 at fly rod! And... it will teach anyone to fight the fish from the butt if the rod, with patience, not horsing and breaking the tips. Just an idea anyway. Best rods I own. And I own some really great rods that cost a ton. I might switch over to these 100%!
