Greys GRXi+ Fly Rod

The plaudits just kept rolling in for the original grxi range yet greys have tweaked it to produce the new grxi+ series. Its always a gamble tinkering with any product that has gained widespread praise. Overdo the tinkering and you lose the winning formula that made the original so popular. Did greys get it right? Read on....The new grxi+ is in a four piece format so it is easy to carry and stow away. A divided rod tube protects the rod from clumsy feet or similar and the segmented tube dispenses with the need for a cloth bag. One less thing to blow away at the bank. A carry strap would have been a nice addition to the tube for long walk ins to the loch but this isn't a major niggle. Out the tube the rod looks very nice. Its a gun metal grey finish for the blank that looks business like and understated without too much flash or shine too spook wary fish. The handle is very comfy in the hand and seems well finished. The double locking reel seat is very good. Reels are held securely and the nuts track very smoothly indeed which isn't always the case! The finishing of the rod in general is very good. I bought a 6wt in a nine and a half foot length but I have tried the 7wt as well and they both perform nicely. The rod action is mid tip in my opinion so this gives it an easy going / user friendly feel that will appeal to seasoned anglers and beginners alike. You can cast a long way with these rods but they feel pleasant to use for extended periods and theres enough flex to make it fun when you get fish on. Downsides?..Little to say here. There are lighter rods in the same price bracket but I feel that you sometimes pick up a minor weight penalty for a better reel seat, so I would rather carry the extra few grams on the grxi+. On the whole a great rod that will sell by the crate load probably. Worth a try for sure. (Posted on 26/10/2010)