We get many threads and debates about rods and the dramatic difference in cost between top end Hardy,Sage, Loomis etc, and the various lower end rod makers, some say they cant tell the difference and that there`s no need to pay so much for a rod so...

Can someone, hopefully in the trade who can once and for all tell us if the extra cost is justifiable or is it just a load of hot

forget the warranty aspect, I want to know if the more expensive rod itself is made from far superior material?

I found this a little while ago

Graphite Rods - the true costs

Interesting. I'd never pay more than around £100 for a fly rod - how can you look at a simple thing like a fishing rod and justify paying more? I eagerly await the replies.

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How poor a thing, sometimes I find,
Will captivate a greedy mind - Isaac Walton.

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Brilliant blog on the subject!
Im shocked!

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Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught!!!

Very interesting..

Why Do Some Rods Cost So Much?
I had a conversation with a member just before Christmas about a new rod he had bought for £36. It looked good and was nicely finished. We had the debate about why some rods cost so much and what is the difference that justifies the extra cost? I’ve done a little research in order to come up with an answer.
It might interest you to know that it only costs £5 to manufacture a 9 foot, weight 7, fly rod, bag, and tube in China. A Hardy’s or Sage standard of rod costs a little more coming in at £12. So how do the top names justify charging £100-£700 for their range of rods that may have come from China and just had a posh name applied to the blank?
Top names have:-
Factory and office overheads
Staff and workforce to pay
Shipping costs
Advertising (Massive costs)
Sponsorships
Research and Development costs
Retail outlet proportion of selling
Warranty provisions
All of the above on-costs are added to the manufacturing costs and this is why a rod can cost hundreds of pounds even though it may have cost £12 to make. Not all rods are manufactured with the same standard of materials and with cheaper rods the standard of fittings and paint finish has been reduced. Rods are also made in England and America where manufacturing costs are very much higher.
Carbon fibre sheet for the rod blanks comes in different qualities. The most expensive is used in the most expensive rods. Higher grade carbon fibre sheet produces a much lighter rod capable handling higher loads and coping with greater bends. Some rods such as Loomis boast special actions and tapers. This is done with clever use of the carbon fibre mat in the manufacturing process. There is no doubt the finish of their rods is second to none but then it should be if you are paying £650. Some British companies like Thomas and Thomas boast about their hand made rods and charge the Earth for one. Their top of the range salmon rod will set you back £2,610. As far as I am aware most rods require a high percentage of manual labour to manufacture.
So what can you conclude from the above? The more famous the name the more a rod will cost. The greater company overheads the higher the price of a rod. If you are not worried about a well known name then you can pick up a new fly rod from China for as little as £20 on E Bay, with a warranty. So there you have it whether you pay £20 or £2000 a rod is still a rod and will catch fish. One will have a prestigious name, a better bending modulus, a unique casting action, better finish and fittings, the other will not.

Why are we sooooooooooooooo hung up about how much the rods cost?
Is a sales principle which is in use every time we buy anything.
New car madam?
Look at these two
Ford KA or Fiat 500?
One costs a good bit more than the other.
Both roll of the same production line.
Both share a high number of components/parts/panels.
One drives a lot better than the other!
Same could be said for fishing tackle.
Goods are priced at the level the market will accept.
not the cost of production.
Is a sales principle on everything we buy!
regards
bert

Although i agree Loomis rods are built on great blanks,I'm sorry BK but i have to disagree about their cosmetics.I've owned two in the past and both were sent back,one because the cork started to fall apart the other their was a split in the varnish of the first stripper ring.Even some Sage rods have poor cosmetics especially the quality of the handles,i own a RPL+ and the handle isn't top notch.The other week i was in a tackle shop looking at some Sages,and some of handles haven't improved since i bought mine

Neil

I was chatting with Scott McKenzie at the last open day at GLAC, In his own words “there is not really, a bad rod on the market“ . It's not always about the cost, but wither the rod suits you.

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All that glitters, will catch anglers.

Thomas&Thomas are American.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.