What are you fishing for, carp (size), silvers, sharks? What type of water, snaggy, heavily stocked? Budget? If you want to just try on a budget get a margin pole and fish the margins. Good silvers fishing can be had at 8.5m, feeding little and very often and slapping the rig.
To be honest if you are going for an expensive and long pole you need all the other paraphernalia to help protect the pole from damage. Roller(s), socks, rigs, elastic, bungs, bushes, the list is endless and expensive. Can you find someone local that will let you have a play with their pole (innuendo intended).