Hardy made a huge splash last year with its rod series that use “Sintrix” technology. They cast like a dream, are very responsive, and they have incredible reserve power for fighting fish.
New for this year, the company has come out with a Zenith line of one-piece freshwater fly rods. They are 8-foot, 10-inches long (to match shipping specs from UPS) and are available in 4-7 weights.
For many years now, rod companies have been perfecting designs and materials that make ferrules irrelevant. In other words, you can pick up many 4-, 5- or even 6-piece rods these days, and not feel a discernable difference in the rod action versus the single or two-piece models that predominated the market in the past.
But cast the new Zenith, even for a few minutes, and you can’t help but think, “Yeah, there’s a difference.”
Built from Hardy’s proprietary Sintrix material, Zenith is very light and very strong. But it’s the silky smooth, feel-rich action that tells you where your line weight is headed during all aspects of the casting stroke that will get your attention and respect. If you’re looking for a boat rod, or a rod you want to leave assembled (because you have no choice but to do so) and/or carry transport in a rack in your car or truck, the Zenith is exceptionally pure. Retail price ranges between $639-$679.
Visit the Hardy Web site. More mentions of Hardy on MidCurrent.
