Loomis rod broke...

[turn_in_poachers]

Well, I was fishin the other night with a buzzbait. Something blew up on it, went to set my hook, and SNAP! Tip broke off. I was ready to kick some bASS. I take really good care of my rods. Didnt know what happened. Kind of lost faith in G. Loomis after that. I was so mad, Im lookin for a new rod now. Ive heard a lot about Kistler rods. Any experience with these? Im just waiting for my new rod now. Its a MBR783 IMX by the way.

[Granny]

Here is my experience with Shimano Clarus (sp) so far. The ones I bought have a life time warranty, I believe all the Clarus do? I snagged my frog on a tree and while trying to position the boat and unsnag my frog, my rod broke. I brought it into the store I bought it from and they handed me a new rod, no questions asked and no paperwork to fill out. I was in and out ouf the store in less than a minute. I actually upgraded from a 6'6" to a 7" rod for $10 more. These rods up here run from $60-$80. They are very light and so far I like them alot. I don't have much experience with other rods, but the Clarus has been good to me.

Granny

[This message has been edited by Granny (edited 07-15-2004).]

[carlcmc]

my 7'6" shimano clarus tip broke and i exchanged over the counter for a 7' shimano compre just paying the difference.

[Mark Christianson]

I've busted 2 Loomis' in the past month.
They charged me $40 for the first one to replace it. No idea whats up there sleeve for the latest one, but I too am ready for a change.
Worse yet, is this waiting for weeks to get a new one.
I have a couple Falcons that have been great, but I just don't like the feel of the handles. Not sure why.

[Jim W]

My sjr720 IMX is my all round favorite fishing rod.
I put gear to the ultimate test and have gone through the re-order process more than once.

Most often you get the rod back with in a week.

I did have something very curious happen to my Loomis. I broke a guide off and sent it to a local place to repairit. When I went to make my first cast, the top 5inches of my rod swung, dangling on my line as I reeled in a fish!?????????

I called and they plan to have their "engineers" inspect the rod. However, I am leaning towards those who fixed my rod doctoring it up just long enough for me to get it out of their shop????

It was simply too strange of an occurrence for me to think otherwise!

We'll see what Loomis has to say about it!

Jim W

[SCUMFROG]

I've used St. Croix robs for years and never had a problem getting a new one if they broke. They cover them 100%, I just go to Gander and pick out a new one at no cost.

[Granny]

If a rod has a lifetime warranty on it, is it up to the dealer to take care of you if it breaks or is it up to the store where you bought it? Marine General in Duluth is where I buy my Shimano Clarus rods and they just told me to go and grab a new rod off the shelf. Is that something they choose to do or is that how all stores handle the Shimano rods?

Granny

[smallmouthking]

Gander told me they don't do this anymore, that the rod needs to be sent in to St. Croix for them to make a determination, in fact cabela's told me the same thing concerning St. Croix, And St. Croix told me that also, sigh.

[turn_in_poachers]

Yeah, thats what I heard smallmouth. My guide broke off my casting rod and thats what Gander Mountain told me. Kinda sucked. So I repaired it myself. Came out pretty nice too. But yeah, Ive heard St. Croix is pretty good with rod warranty and turnarounds. I called Loomis and my rod is on "back order". pssshhh. Be at least 2 weeks.

[DoctorB]

I don’t know how you can complain about the G. Loomis warranty. I’ve always had great experiences with them. Most of the time I use the Xpeditor because I don’t want to first send my rod to them for inspection as most of the time it is my own fault for them breaking – in the door, shut in the rod locker, me stepping on them. The ones that aren’t caused by me are probably the result of me stepping on them or dropping them or other activities which cause stress on them and cause breakage “under normal usage”. I would bet this is the case for the vast majority of cases. The GLX rods will break if they are abused like above. For $55 (this includes the $15 for next day shipping) I get a brand new rod the next day! So far this year I’ve broken two GLXs. One I set the hook with a crankbait and it came flying out of the water and hit just below the tip. The other one I broke on a hookset, but I had stepped on it dozens of times. Both are my fault, in my opinion. I gladly paid the $110 and had both rods the next day. I break about two rods a year. It just happens when you fish a lot.

G. Loomis haters – email me at [email protected] and I’ll buy your IMXs and GLXs from you.

[st.crioxfishin]

I've been using St. Croix rods for a few years now and absolutley love 'em. Last year I broke one of them and sent it in. The one I broke was one that I had bought at the rod shop in Park Falls, Wisc. I got it cheaper there because it was a "second" (had been used in a seminar or had a little defect). I got a brand new rod back in about 2 weeks. The one i originally bought at the shop was $80 (second), the one they sent me back in the mail was $150...pretty good deal.

b. downey

[turn_in_poachers]

Hey DoctorB,
Its not that Im hatin on Loomis. Its just for that kind of price, Id expect it to go through a nuclear war and come out in one piece. I guess I was expecting too much from it. I did take advantage of the expeditor warranty thing. Give me another one before I send mine in. Cause I know Loomis will say its my fault. Im expecting it though. All good.

[wormburner]

I may be wrong here, but I think shimano bought loomis out, and the rods are the same, you just pay more for the loomis name, so I have heard?

[mnbass2002]

YES THEY DID BUT MADE SEPERATLY.

IF YOU HAVE A IMX OR GLX AND DROP IT OR ANYTHING AND NICK IT THEY WILL BREAK. I HAVE YET TO BREAK A LOOMIS.

[smallmouthking]

I too am switching brands. We have been using St. Croixs for awhile, and recently my sons spinning rod broke. The blank would spin on the handle, an obvious manufacturing defect which St. Croix concured. Well almost 40.00 later ( about half the cost of a new one ) we received his fixed rod, boy what a deal. Hard to believe they can tout there incredible warranty with service like this. So it's great to hear from you all concerning this issue, and helping me in choosing a different company, one that truly has the customer's interest's in mind.

[Granny]

So does it matter if the break is your fault or not with different brands of rods? When I bought my rod, I asked them, "if I walk out the store and snap this rod over my knee can I come back in and get a new one"? Not that I would, but I just wanted to see what they would say. They told they would give me a new one.

I am just getting into buying "nice" rods so what is the differene between St. Croix, Loomis, & Shimano?

Granny

[Deitz Dittrich]

Granny-

There is a difference between the rods mentioned, However its hard to explain. Each company has a different way to measure its modulus graphite. St.Croix doesn't even really label thiers really. So you cant tell what IM rating they even have. As stated earlier in this post Shimano did buy GLoomis, however they run the companies under totally different management so it really doenst matter.

Comparing Shimano rods to G'Loomis or the High end Croix's isn't really fain. A hig end of those rods is $300+ ... The most expensive Shimano rod is only $90, HOWEVER this Compre rod is IM8 Graphite with Fugi Hardloy guides and as stated earlier, the Shimano Clarus and Compre are OVER THE COUNTER EXCHANGE...No questions asked if the rod is broke!

Deitz Dittrich
Shimano Prostaff
Exude/Mepps/MisterTwister Prostaff

[Deitz Dittrich]

In my opinion, No a St.Croix is not better made. Some will tell you different. They do make a very nice rod for sure. I will tell you this. I believe the St.Croix and Loomis rods may be a tad lighter.

All my rods(about 25) are Shimanos... I have about 1/2 V-Rods(discontinued when Shimano bought Loomis) and the other half are Compre... I have a couple Clarus as well.

[duckbill]

I have had one Gloomis and one St.Croix break this year. Gloomis will usually replace the rod for $20 if it is within 12 inches from tip. If it is in the middle of the rod it will cost you $50. Considering you may have paid $250 for a rod $50 is not bad to have it replaced with the lifetime warranty they have.
St.Croix is the same way. I had a mouse chew the cork off a rod over the winter when my boat was in storage. They recorked it for $25.
I also have seen Gloomis overnight rods when they break. Broke the rod Monday am. Called from cell phone in boat. Tuesday afternoon had new rod in Internationl Falls, MN. For $50...

[andy j]

All 3 of these rods (st.croix, loomis, shimano are nice rods. The graphite is better in St. Croix and loomis. For that $75-90 price range the shimano are decent rods, the over the counter warrenty is nice. The shimanos are not as sensitive and as light at st. Croix and loomis but they are more durable. This is the trade off, The higher the modulus graphite the lighter it will be and the more sensitive it will be, the higher the quality graphite the more brittle it will be. Example IM8 is lighter, more sensitive and more brittle then a IM7. All the shimano rods the graphite is coated (shinny look) and the higher quality rods (Croix, loomis) are not, the reason is that the coating adds weight to the rod and decreases sensitivity. St. Croix Premiers are great rods for that $80-90 range, only bad thing is 2 year warranty. St. Croix Avid series are fantastic rods run about $150, lifetime warrenty, fish a lot like a $300 rod. G-Loomis make some great rods also, Met Gary Loomis a few years ago, the man is a genius, and a perfectionist. They were the first to improve graphite rods. They have lifetime warrenty on all their series of rods. St. Croix and G-loomis both make the call on if it is under warrenty. They can tell how a rod was broken. These warrenties are not over the counter. My opinion St. Croix Avid are great rod for the money. Good luck AJ

[Granny]

So is a St. Croix better made or do they have certain qualities that makes them better than a Shimano? I had a hard time spending $60-$80 on my first "nice" rod, I couldn't immagine $300!

Granny

[turn_in_poachers]

I think it all comes down to personal preferece. All my life Ive been fishing with decent rods and reels. But every year, seems like Id be buying a new set all the time. FInally got sick of it and got my IMX and Curado combo. Probably one of the lightest and smoothest rods out there. The price does repel a lot of people at first, but, with the warranty and the quality of the rod, I think it was worth it. And with the lifetime warranty, I plan to keep this rod for the rest of my bass-fishing-crappie-slaying-only-keep-what-you-eat-and-let-the-12-inch-bass-go life.