Fair comments both of you above, a bit closed minded; could be and I have not bought or used carbon rods nowhere near the usage you have so appreciate the experience says differently. And laying it on a bit thick with the rod/soul thingy, well why not, only half serious on that, a bit of tongue in cheek perhaps but not entirely! This threads more about tackle tart syndrome and it sort of led into values - is there that much difference between one like carbon rod for another like carbon rod, is that difference enough to warrant the difference in price, from my own limited experience no, and am I a tackle tart? well, I have to be a bit excited by it first.
The other threads more about, why do people buy and fish with old stuff when the modern stuff is so much better, just trying to convey why they do, or in my case why I do, but I am not fanatical.
This debate often comes up, some will be a bit stubborn and stuck like me, some might see the other view - either way. There we are, the avenues we might be persuaded to go down or not with a bit of debate.
Reels a bit different, quality of engineering, different materials used, more of a range in the quality of materials. Not my area much, don't get on well with center pins except I like playing a fish with one, that I like but the trotting thing, £500 to save me paying out line, never too sure about that myself.. Last time I bought one it cost £10 and asked on here how many rotates the expensive ones got from a standing position. Compared them to my new £10 job, quite a bit behind the expensive jobs and I thought do I really need that extra sensitivity £250/£500 badly enough, but I can understand why some anglers fall in love with their reels and love that quality.