Issue with marketing

[Paul Arden]

Well they were nice while they lasted. I broke one at a trade fair third Cast making a Snap Lift switch. It was quite amusing because I had just listened for an hour about how they were the lightest strongest fly rods ever made I put my thumb through the cork and the rod broke beneath the grip. We were looking for sponsorship/advrtisilng at the time. Didn't get it

Cheers, Paul

[Paul Arden]

I don't remember breaking four in Scotland. But it's possible. I though it was only two there.

[Graeme H]

Two to start with, four by the end ...

[Michal Duzynski]

I had just listened for an hour about how they were the lightest strongest fly rods ever made

Cheers, Paul

I better dont touch them, after breaking 10wt rod false casting 5wt line

Mike

[Paul Arden]

Yes stay away from them, Mike Curiously the first one I was given came along with the words "try to break it distance casting". It took an hour. That's by far the longest any have lasted me - all the rest have popped in 10-15 mins and some in 3-4 casts. I won't cast any that are privately owned. I'm not even hitting them particularly hard to be honest. It's a shame because apart from that they have all felt and performed exceptionally well. In 2 hrs of casting I've broken 8 or 9 of them. I don't know how their latest models stack up.

Cheers, Paul

[Michal Duzynski]

Far out mate...
I think marketing people should concider distance casters.
Write what you want, but include a small font ps.
Not for extreame casting ha ha ha
They should do some resaerch bfore posting review about rod (strengh) performance. For some 80 feet is extreame....
Mike

[Paul Arden]

It always surprised me. Not only Orvis and it's unfair to single them out. I've had similar issues with Hardy and potentially Vision (I broke one off the shelf third cast and wasn't allowed to cast any more ). I always make sure our rods go through lots of Shootouts. Any problems appear there (and they do).

Of course the argument would be that they're not making rods for "extreme casting" which is fair enough. But I don't think a Snap-Lift Switch is any way an extreme cast!

I suppose it comes down to profit and all rods break at some point after all. It's about what is acceptable to the manufacturers in question.

I would break a TCR after one year of 2hrs daily distance casting - First ferrule up. For me that was acceptable and a hard-wearing rod.

Cheers, Paul

[easterncaster]

Re Orvis H3:


NO ROD HAS EVER SILENCED ALL THE VARIABLES
No engineer has ever found a way to transfer backcast energy into forward accuracy. No angler has ever erased all the doubt from his or her mind. First time for everything.

[Will]

Dodgy marketing claims notwithstanding I feel a little balance for the Helios is required here:

As I recall, the rods Paul broke were early samples of the first gen. Helios. Clearly a problem there, but not a reason to steer clear of them now.

I have owned several H1,and H2's in different weights. I haven't broken one yet - and they've all had lots of use at all distances and with all sizes of fish.

I know Ben D. used his #5's and #6's for lots of distance work and fishing, and I don't remember him breaking any. (oh, there was a #9 which exploded, but that was high-sticking on a big pollack in a big swell off high rocks - an honourable failure! )

I fish and own single-handed rods from Orvis, Sage, Loomis, Epic, and some old Hardy models. (I've heard the "oh they break" rumours for most of these brands).

IMO the Helios stands comparison with the best of any of the others. No, they don't make me a better/more accurate caster, but they're really nice to use. (Have to say I HATE the logo on the H3 though!).

Disclosure: I do the odd day working at the local Orvis store now and again, but that doesn't stop me using other brands (love my old TCR #9!).

Cheers

Will

[easterncaster]

Orvis makes and sells some high quality gear. I own a couple of Orvis rods - an H2 that is really quite nice.

On the other hand, the H3s (the 5s that I have cast) are odd, never mind the f'ugly white growth of a label. It's easily large enough to write the owner's name on it with a Sharpie. Friends thought it was a peel off sales decal.