A couple months ago I bought a St. Croix 9ft 5wt. I love the rod, but managed to crack the connection of the first eye. As I don't have a file room for receipts I was worried about them honoring the warranty. I hopped online and was floored by there policy's. They actually have a program where you can pay the difference between your current rod and what ever upgrade you want (plus a depreciation cost). I think their attitude and philosophy just might make me switch my other rods out down the road...when the time comes. If it is not yet obvious I was impressed.
FYI I don't work for St. Croix. My wife and I use the heck out of a GL3, Ugly Stick, and Berkeley lighting. The Berkeley has been a disappointment.
Anyone find a similar policy with another company? good experience/ bad experience? Hopefully this helps some of us picky folks narrow down the options and weed through all the fluff.
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Check out Anglers Habitat in Caldwell. They have a similar program if you buy from them that cover most major brands of fly rods. They have a ton of rods for building also. You can see some of what they sell on Ebay.
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i love the idea of paying for the diffrence for a upgrade. I just got a temple fork fly rod and they are all life time warranty. I got my rod for just over 100 bucks and its the only "cheapo" that i know of that has a lifetime warranty on it. My shamono (dont know how to spell it sorry) 8 1/2 foot medium heavy rod that i use for steelhead and salmon has been broke 3 times, most recently last weekend and i have sent it back with no problems they will send a new one of equal value or upgrade you and all you have to pay for is the shipping.
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I agree that the temple forks are best of the cheapo rods with a lifetime warranty. I also have st. Croix and like them.
I have broke my Winston 5 wt. three times and had the broken section replaced for only the $30 handling fee. I don't know if that says anything about Winston as much as it says about some of the places that I have packed that rod into.
Windriver
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GLoomis has a replacement fee of $50 when you break a rod. No questions asked on how it was broke. They send you a new one and you mail the broken rod back in the same case and they pay the postage.
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TFO is $25. Okay so, I bought mine for the cheap price of $150. and it has now broke twice in the same spot (no idea as to how or why).
So, $25. twice = $50. The rod is now up to $200. and I have been unable to fish with it for about 3 weeks (combined between two breaks).
Not turning into the sweet little cheap rod anymore.
Orvis has the unconditional 25 yr. ( and lets face it, for allot of us that is life..LOL) In that 25 yr. you break the rod, they replace it with a new one, and you start all over. They will also up grade as far as I know.
$30. for all rods made AFTER 2003.
Winston is great. Hubbys tip broke, so for the $30. they replace and for $70. they made an extra tip. Not bad for a $600. rod.
There is still allot to be said for BUYING AMERICAN, but hard to ignore the price of the Asian.
All I can say in my defense, for every Asian rod I have bought, I have bought 5 American....LOL
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The problem with "buying american" is anymore the company is based from america but made in asia.... were has your tfo been breaking. I have only had mine a few weeks and have been pretty impressed but its my first rod and i dont realy have much to compare it to.
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It is a four piece. Breaks about 6" up from last ferrule on tip section.
Weird, but exact same place both times. Then I read another person was having the same problem
Don't panic, it is not uncommon for a particular MODEL to have a problem,
This is the 10' four piece 5 wt. Professional
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