Manufacturers rarely mentioned?

Drennan seem to be the most recommended rod manufacturers, Shimano reels also figure a lot here on FM but we rarely see others like Browning, Maver, Frenzee, Garbolino etc.
They all make decent gear don't they?

peter crabtree said:

Drennan seem to be the most recommended rod manufacturers, Shimano reels also figure a lot here on FM but we rarely see others like Browning, Maver, Frenzee, Garbolino etc.
They all make decent gear don't they?

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Yes, but arn't the latter ones you mention more of a match anglers choices?
If they are that's probably why they don't get much publicity on here since I think most are pleasure anglers.

Not at all Ian, be it match or pleasure angling, gear is gear whatever you do innit?

peter crabtree said:

Not at all Ian, be it match or pleasure angling, gear is gear whatever you do innit?

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Your probably right Peter but that was the only reason I cold think of. I know I never really look at those and a number of other tackle dealers/manufacturers.
The only thing Browning I ever really bought was a Revolver Centrepin .

Probably. But perhaps their ranges are smaller or they keep changing year on year and some items never build a reputation etc. Maybe they've had some 'poor' gear and the range is tarnished so people don't bother to look at them ?

Its probably consumer confidence in a brand.
If you buy something your dissatisfied with you usually stay well clear the next time.
On the hand if you get something good the first time you usually go back again.
Its like anything.
Word off mouth is the best salesman and that's what's happening here.

When I am looking for a piece of equipment I never look for it under just one manufacturers name, in fact that's the last thing I look at if its a rod as rods within my budget are probably all made in the same few factories in China anyway.

Other stuff that I buy doesn't even have a manufacturers label on the packet, things such as swivels I get from e bay at fraction of the price charged for the same quality item with a manufacturers name on it.

Having said the above there are 2 things that I am fussy about they are line and hooks, not saying there are not better than the ones I use there very well could be but what I use works for me and I am after an experience with trying another line last season loathe to try another again.

I think too many anglers have to have the right name on the piece of tackle. It does not mean that that the £400 Chinese made rod will perform any better than the £100 Chinese rod it just as the right name attached to it.
My own tackle is from a whole range of manufacturers because it did what I wanted it to at the time.
You missed one of the best tackle dealers of your list Shakespeare don’t know why it’s not mentioned more.

steve2 said:

Shakespeare don’t know why it’s not mentioned more.

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Good stuff at a good price, its what I have purchased since going back to float fishing for whatever comes along.

Over the decades different manufacturers have dominated the float/match rod scene. When I started in the very late 60s firms like Milbro and Edgar Sealey were still doing well. Not long after ABU with their Mk 5 & 6 became the rods to have, with Bruce and Walker also in the ascendency and Hardy another top of range brand. Shakespeare began to do better in the mid 70s by which time Edgar Sealey were struggling. As we moved into carbon, B&W were amongst the front runners, Normark emerged as a top brand and Hardy were still up there. Daiwa gathered pace in the 80s and 90s. Of course much later other companies came in like Drennan, Preston and some of the Continental firms, and Carbotec took over where Normark left off. Shakespeare went from top of range to more middling (still some cracking rods) and now the cheaper end.

Perhaps tackle companies who sell more advertise more.
Paying more for an item doesn't guarantee quality.

You never hear people praising or even mentioning DAM. Their reels are top notch. Still made and manufactured in Germany. Mostly have to buy their reels from a European mainland shop. MAD is their other name they have started to use in the UK for a few years now. This kit seems focused towards the lower priced market.

Most manufacturers will put out cracking pieces of kit at times. Whether it ever gets talked about is another matter entirely. Drennan do very well in this regard primarily because just about everyone will have a local Drennan stockist. I know that, between three or four of my closest shops, I can see almost every rod, reel or pole that Drennan make. That's not the case with any other brand. It also helps that everyone knows that you aren't going to save much, if anything, shopping around.

With the majority of manufacturers, I know that I'm likely to have to travel to stand a chance of seeing their kit, especially the top end stuff. I've just bought a Garbolino Altima rod. It isn't a brand I often get to see and the Altima is their top end. I was quite impressed with much of the Altima float rod range. I've also been impressed with the Browning Sphere range, when I've actually managed to lay hands on it. Unfortunately, top dollar pricing and oddball handles have helped me resist temptation with them.

One thing that does limit many manufacturers appeal to me, and I suspect a few others on here, is the lack of river/all round rods in their ranges. I'm really not interested in rods aimed squarely at fishing commercial pools.

I'll be giving a MAP 15ft sti parabolix a good workout this coming season.

I've used the 13ft before and the action was superb....but they are let down a bit with soft single leg rings.

Bought for £65 to compare with the Hardy 15ft.

Another one is the Italian make Lineaeffe. Reels again. People avoid these as a cheap newbie stuff. Yes, their £8.99 reel i would say are at the bottom of anyone's list but if you Can track down their Super team reels that their own team use, you're into a bargain. Nothing like the cheap ones on flee bay. They are up with the quality of Shimano and Diawa but still very reasonable. Super smooth with drags that some manufacturers that can only dream about with top build quality. Their pole and rods again that do not get imported to us are again top quality. Why they do not import these beyond me.
Another is Ukuma. Ok, we get some nice well made kit from them but again we only see the lower end stuff. In America and Japan, their range outruns everyone for sea and lure fishing. Even the like of Shimano can't get a look in. Again quality kit that doesn't see the light over here.

The last one for this post is Browning. Good mid range rods and reels. The problem with these is the lack of information or reviews on their kit. Could be because they seem to be always updating their stuff and people get confused. The lack of stockists don't help much either.

It's also worth noting that this forum isn't remotely representative of even the more enthusiastic anglers elsewhere. Reading this forum, you'd think you'd be tripping over centrepins and Normark, Carbotec or Hardy rods. The reality on the bank is rather different. I rarely see other pin users and I don't recall seeing users of those three brands of rods, other than forum members.

I can honestly say that, despite being familiar with the name, I'd never laid eyes on a Normark rod until I bought one. Despite living in various parts of the country, I never got to see one in a shop and I'd never knowingly seen one being used. I can go one step further with Carbotecs, I've never laid eyes on one yet. With the Hardy Marksman rods, I did see them in a couple of shops (Shhh, don't tell anyone, I wasn't impressed enough to buy one:wh) and, by virtue of meeting up with owners from this forum, I've seen them on the bank.

Not everything is quite as it seems in forum land. There are a small, but significantly vocal, number of kit geeks on here. What we may yelp on about may, or may not, be very good gear, but it may not appeal much to anglers of a different angling mindset. It's also worth noting that some of us jump through hoops to own such gear. Ordering £500+ centrepins then waiting 2-3 years for them to be made. Not many will actually do that, even if they'd like to and have the means to. Carbotec, Normark and Hardy rods are beyond the means of some, many others couldn't justify the expense. Plenty like their gonads where they are, which may not be the case if significant others found out that they'd lashed £300+ on a rod.

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Graham Elliott 1 said:

I'll be giving a MAP 15ft sti parabolix a good workout this coming season.

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The MAP Parabolix I had a good look at in one of my less local big tackle shop felt pretty damned good, particularly for the price they were being cleared at. I've never seen anyone say a great deal about them on the various forums.

Quite a few good comments there regarding fishing gear. Personally if i can afford it and want/need it, i buy it and it's not always the "best" if you know what i mean What i do believe is that today, we can get far superior gear now at a fraction of the price, than we could get in the 70's 80's (carbon rods for example) Also, i think there is a lot of snobbery too

I think there is bargains to be had in the other brands no doubt.
But what tends to happen is one badly designed reel or a faulty rod these days with the internet soon gets one's reputation tarnished. Confidence is lost. And everyone knows about it.
And don't forget some anglers unfortunately would not be able to tell a good rod from a bad one unless mr big told them so.

Normark were a sort of southern equivalent of Tricast being based in Devon and probably rarely found north of Birmingham, and mostly south of the Thames. I've never seen Tricast in the shops down here and the two Tricast products I've bought were a pole bought when in the Nottingham area 30 years ago and a Tricast rod this year that my wife treated me to via a local dealer that ordered it in although he isn't a stockist.

Carbotec were stocked by very few shops; I only know of two for definite (Exeter and Ringwood) and their price tag with no discount put off all but the most affluent.

Graham Elliott 1 said:

I'll be giving a MAP 15ft sti parabolix a good workout this coming season.

I've used the 13ft before and the action was superb....but they are let down a bit with soft single leg rings.

Bought for £65 to compare with the Hardy 15ft.

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Your right Graham I had a map para 15 ft and the legs were indeed very soft and bent out of shape.
But it was a nice rod .
I much prefer the old double leg rings in general on rods they don't bend like the modern counterparts.