orvis rods, are they good?

rhbuilds

rhbuilds

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Jun 9, 2010
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are orvis rods worth the money? they have a deal now for hydros rod and reel $495.
 
Yes... not to say there aren't better rods out there though. I've broke a few Orvis rods over the years and they stand behind their products. In each case, I've had a repaired or new rod back within 3 weeks.
 
are orvis rods worth the money?

That depends on who you ask. Personally, I've never casted an Orvis rod that I liked. I'm not sure why that is, I have nothing against the company and love many of their other products. Just not a fan of their style of taper, I guess. But I recognize that its personal preference and you may like Orvis rods and not like the rods that I prefer.

Bottom line, always cast and compare before purchase.
 
You really have to do your homework on Orvis rods and test cast them, as Orvis has introduced and discontinued quite a few different models over the past several years. Some have been hits while others have been flat out duds making you wonder if Orvis’ chief rod designer even bothered to test casted them before introducing them in the market. I do not know enough about individual Orvis series rods or the one you inquire about but I certainly wouldn’t buy one without casting it first. I’ve cast a few over the years and while I can’t remember the exact models, I can tell you some were absolutely terrible while others were nice. And it wasn’t necessarily that the higher end rods were the nicest either.
 
Different strokes, and all that.

Everyone's said try before you buy, and they're right. Even better if you can try on the water (which DOES change the dynamics), plus try with the line you plan to use (if you can).

Its not all about heroic distance throws in the parking lot, most of the fishing you do will be in a vastly different style, remember to check that out as well as your ability to fling 90' of line.

I own one Orvis rod, a full flex ultralight affair. I love it, and it fits my style perfectly. I wouldn't change anything about. Most people would probably NOT find it nearly as sublime as I.
 
im looking at the 6wt fast action hydros.
 
any rod is a good rod if you enjoy fishing it!! I don't think you could go wrong buying an orvis, they are a good company and have been making great products for a long long time! I've never had an orvis rod, but I use orvis reels and love them.
 
Used a 5 wt Helios last year on the Gunpowder and loved it. There is a 3wt sitting under my tree. Thanks Santa!
 
My favorite trout rod is a 5wt Orvis TLS tip flex. The rod really fits me and and the water I usually fish. It casts just the way I like it. I have found the company great to deal. I would say the Hydros is worth checking out. Best of luck!
 
Never fished the Heilos/Hydros rods but, the Superfine series are nothing short of amazing, IMO. Come to think of it thats the only Orvis rod I've touched lol..

Seems like quite a deal though, I'd jump on it.
 
i have the 9' 5wt pwr matrix -LOVE IT ! have the access 10' 5wt - LOVE IT , from what i am told by a friend who is a orvis guide that the hydros and access are both built on the same load ratios and tapers as the helios , i would venture to say that the access rod might feel really close to the same casting as the hydros but with cheaper hardware and the savings is substantial ! good luck , orvis is rock solid ! rods and reels are like cars everyone like one or the other for one reason or another ! beauty is in the eye of the beholder !
 
I have the 9 ft 5wt Power Matrix. Actually, it's my wife's, but as she doesn't fish much it pretty much became my backup. Side by side, it fails miserably to my closest comparable, the Loomis' GL3. She thinks the same of it. She liked it till I took her fishing. Now, her fishing means us carrying both rods, she fishes while I untangle. By the time I untangle, she's tangled, hence we trade. She commented on how much better the GL3 casts.

I also have a fishing buddy who loves his rods, and we frequently trade on stream to get a feel for the other. I absolutely hate his superfine, but I know they have a good following. Also had a Trident in the mix for a potential purchase once, but in the lawn outside the shop it came in last place compared to a Sage and a Cortland, I ended up with the Cortland though I liked the Sage better, price played a big part. I've liked just about every Sage I've ever cast.

Thats pretty much my experience with Orvis rods, just don't seem to click for me. That said, I use their reels religiously, my waders are Orvis, etc. It's a great company and I've had good experiences with them, just don't like their rods.
 
is the sage a fast action, i want to throw streamers and big bugs.
 
i dont see a GL3 on sage web site.
 
I purchased a TLS about 8 years ago and have been through 6 returns for breakage. It was upgraded to a T-3 and now it is a Hydros. Of course this is my steelhead rod but 7 rods in 8 years?
In the past 12 years the only other rod I broke was a Sage 1wt and it was my fault, I fell on it. Take it for what it is worth.
 
The GL3 is a G.Loomis rod, not Sage.
 
that should be a fine streamer rod rhbuilds. I have a T3 in tip flex and use it primarily for that purpose. Before you spend $500 I'd go check them out in Downingtown or Plymouth Mtg.
 
is the sage a fast action, i want to throw streamers and big bugs.

Sage is a company, and offers an entire lineup of models, from slow action to fast action, and from fairly expensive to ridiculously expensive, lol. They do tend to be known more for their faster action rods. Though I've never owned one (too expensive), a Sage XP was perhaps the sweetest rod I've ever cast. The XP is no longer made and was replaced with the Z-axis, I've manfondled them in shops but never really cast one.

i dont see a GL3 on sage web site.

The GL3 is/was a model made by G. Loomis, and Loomis was always one of the closer comparisons to Sage (i.e. known for good fast rods and fairly expensive). It was a "value" priced model, in the same price range as the Orvis Power Matrix, but a step higher than their entry level GL2, which I've never tried. The GL3 would be described as medium-fast, but IMO its much more powerful than the Power Matrix and would make a much better streamer rod. G Loomis' more expensive, faster model was always the GLX, and was more in the price range of the Sage XP/Z-axis category (i.e. very expensive). I cast one at a shop once and had a very positive first impression, but never was able to give a GLX a true looksee on a stream. Loomis underwent some significant changes rather recently, and I don't know what they make these days, but if there's something you want you can usually find one around somewhere even if its not still in production.

As far as rod quality, if you find an Orvis you really like, go for it, but their tapers never screamed powerful or streamer rod to me, rather they excelled in soft actions and that just ain't my cup o tea (perhaps why I never liked their rods). Of the so-called fast action rods they make, there was always something a little funny in the feel of the cast, not smooth enough or something. For streamer fishing, I think you want something with some backbone. Sage and Loomis do have some fast, powerful rods for streamer type work, but you don't have to go that expensive.

I fall far short of knowing the lineups for these companies, but its a place to start.

Cortland - always found their rods to be nice and crisp at a nice price range.
Winston
TFO
Thomas and Thomas
Scott
St. Croix
Redington

And the big box names, like Cabelas, can have some decent stuff, but its hit or miss.

Remember, the warranty is a consideration as well.
 
I've been an Orvis endorsed Montana fly fishing guide for over 15 years. I used to never buy Orvis rods even when I received them at steep pro discounts (back in the trident days). There newer rods have come a long way and the Helios and Zero G rods are now in the mix with the top sage rods.
 
The Downingtown store has just marked down all of their remaining Superfine rods down 40%. I beleive they have 6 left.
 
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