Old gear or new gear

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symonh2000

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Which do you prefer?

Personally I think it depends... There is no doubt that the general prices of rods and reels has come down, but I think in many ways rods have got worse.

Most modern Carp, pike and beachcasting rods no longer have a proper handle, instead the reel seat is fixed pretty much straight to the blank. In the old days most rods of these types had an abbreviated cork or EVA handle which was much nicer to use. They also seem to have too few rings which causes the line not to follow the bend of the rod correctly.

Reels on the other hand seem to have got better. I remember my old Silstar reels were fairly clunky in operation, and the anti-reverse would take a while to engage when the reel was turned the wrong way.

Even cheap reels are pretty smooth now, they are lighter the anti reverse is instant and they are cheaper.

So what do you guys prefer using, older or newer gear and why?
 
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binka

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I can't really say I've got a preference to be honest, I agree about the reels though although it's often the quality of the drag which I find sets apart the more expensive ones.

I think I would go by the quality rather than age to be fair and I would rather use old, high quality gear than new lower quality stuff if that was the choice.

I decided to replace my main three rods a couple of years ago and bought what I considered to be the very best knowing that one day these too would be old but still hopefully giving me good service :)
 
sam vimes

sam vimes

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Most modern gear at a given price point (even with allowances for inflation) is superior. However, there are notable exceptions, just look at the old kit that still maintains high values on the auction sites and forums. I do have my doubts with regards to modern reels. Not over their performance, purely their longevity.

What I would say is that top quality kit from years back is likely to have remained top quality, regardless of how old or how unfashionable it has become.

With regards to carp rods, I don't necessarily agree on every point. Abbreviated cork has always looked ridiculous. Duplon has its downsides and certainly isn't desireable. Full cork handles on carp rods are still available if you really want them. However, for rods that spend the bulk of their time on rests, a shrink wrap finish is fine by me.

When it comes to reel seats, I'd not go back to sliding rings, not even the better types such as those fitted to Daiwa rods in the nineties. I can understand why centrepin users and regular river trotters might disagree, to an extent.

Ringing, especially on carp rods, is another matter entirely. I'd tend to agree that some rods have too few. Though it's worth remembering that most carp rods sold are little more than distance casting tools and that's the reason for modern ringing. One aspect of this that I have no truck with is the fashion for 50mm butt rings. They look bloody ridiculous and seem to serve little purpose beyond being fashionable.

I'd much rather have top notch gear of yesteryear than good modern budget gear, provided it's in good nick.
 
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stillwater blue

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Give me a modern reel over an old reel any day of the week, presuming we're not talking about centrepins ;). Nicer clutches, smoother, better line lay and nicer spools for casting. However some of the older reels are gorgeous.

Rods are a completely different thing. In all branches of coarse fishing rods have got a lot more powerful, which makes it hard to compare. My first carp rod, around 20 years ago, had a 1.75 lb TC and that's a barbel rod these days as a standard carp rod seems to be 3.25 lb TC, indeed it's hard to find a carp rod under 2.75 lb TC.
 
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symonh2000

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sam vimes said:
Most modern gear at a given price point (even with allowances for inflation) is superior. However, there are notable exceptions, just look at the old kit that still maintains high values on the auction sites and forums. I do have my doubts with regards to modern reels. Not over their performance, purely their longevity.

What I would say is that top quality kit from years back is likely to have remained top quality, regardless of how old or how unfashionable it has become.

With regards to carp rods, I don't necessarily agree on every point. Abbreviated cork has always looked ridiculous. Duplon has its downsides and certainly isn't desireable. Full cork handles on carp rods are still available if you really want them. However, for rods that spend the bulk of their time on rests, a shrink wrap finish is fine by me.

When it comes to reel seats, I'd not go back to sliding rings, not even the better types such as those fitted to Daiwa rods in the nineties. I can understand why centrepin users and regular river trotters might disagree, to an extent.

Ringing, especially on carp rods, is another matter entirely. I'd tend to agree that some rods have too few. Though it's worth remembering that most carp rods sold are little more than distance casting tools and that's the reason for modern ringing. One aspect of this that I have no truck with is the fashion for 50mm butt rings. They look bloody ridiculous and seem to serve little purpose beyond being fashionable.

I'd much rather have top notch gear of yesteryear than good modern budget gear, provided it's in good nick.
Click to expand...

I don't mind the look of an abbreviated cork handle to be honest. :eek:


I will agree with you on sliding reel fitting though. I have one more than one occasion had the reel fall off of the rod whilst I was playing a fish.
 
sumtime

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Lightweight rods for me all day long so that means modern, yes? I love standing in a river trotting a float or a bit of fly fishing, heavier older rods are of no use to me as my right hand sometimes is very painful due to osteoarthritis.

Modern reels are miles ahead.
 
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Paul Boote

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Modern rods and some pretty good old reels mostly do very nicely for me.
 
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Judas Priest

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If barbelling, Roaching or Breaming on a lead then it's modern all the way, yet for Perching on the float it's an old rod n reel and a bobber n worm or minnow. Just the way it is for me really.
 
jacksharp

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I got my dad's old Shakespeare Alpha Carbon Match 13ft (retirement gift 27 yrs ago) out of the loft and compared it to my Fox Warrior XT 14ft Waggler and the butt section of the Shakey rod was as heavy as the whole Fox rod (5.25oz). With a Drennan 3000 FD reel on board I wouldn't swap it for ANY float rod and reel combo that I ever owned in the past.
 
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symonh2000

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I can't remember the make of it, but my dad has a very nice condition 13ft glass match rod from the 1960's.

It is very nice to look at, but it is very heavy and I wouldn't want to hold it all day that is for sure.

I think that anything from when composites became popular are very useable though. My 13 foot Sundridge Vitesse match rod from 1992 isn't all that different to a modern 13ft match rod in terms of weight and action.
 
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