Sage X sweeps IFTD 2016 rod categories

[tedwin183]

I'm amazed no one else has posted on this yet. 890 X wins best new salt stick, 590 X wins best new fresh stick, overall best of show was 590 X. There's an awful lot of hype over this thing so far. I'm dying to get one swinging to see what that hype is all about.

 

[mike_r]

No real surprises there. Jerry ain't gonna bring junk to the table. He has not merely redefined a generation of fly rods, but rather a whole generation of fly fishers. He made "fast" cool (along with Gary Loomis) and kept baby boomers and gen Xers happy with fly rods of more traditional moderate actions in circulation. Far Bank certainly has an empirical hold on the ff industry, and I suspect they will for a long time to come.


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[coho52]

I've never been to IFTD to understand the dynamics of how things are voted best in show, but I've grown skeptical about these awards ever since the Winston BIIISX won Best Saltwater Rod in 2012 - a heavy poorly-designed rod that went on to sell poorly, with a number of fly shops returning them to Winston.

I'm sure the X is a terrific rod - and the early reviews seem positive (though it seems as even a few of those hadn't fully figured out the rod). But I'm looking forward to reading reviews of people who know fly rods and can put this one through its paces.

 

[runningfish]

Time to look for ex-rods of yesterseasons now.

 

[bob3700]

I too have become skeptical of any industry awards. Doesn't matter what the product is. The magazines n reviewers make money off the companies who's products they evaluate.
The Sage X will undoubtly be a good rod as one does not expect mediocre products from an industry leader. What was the competition that "X" was up against for the awards?
Will look forward to a face off against the Radian 905 by an un-biased tester!

 

[winstonwt]

It all in the marketing,let the fly fisherman across the world decide.The rod does not cast itself,in the hands of a competent caster it will perform superb,in the hands of the average caster not so superb.

 

[tedwin183]

I too have become skeptical of any industry awards. Doesn't matter what the product is. The magazines n reviewers make money off the companies who's products they evaluate.
The Sage X will undoubtly be a good rod as one does not expect mediocre products from an industry leader. What was the competition that "X" was up against for the awards?
Will look forward to a face off against the Radian 905 by an un-biased tester!

I agree! My Radian blows me away every time I fish it.

 

[gutterpunk]

I know a little about the world of wine. And about human nature (that's my job, not a hobby). There's a reason that tasters with the highest integrity only taste blind, and not as part of industry promotions, when scoring wine. Research has shown time and again that brand and associated reputation significantly influences how one perceives and rates certain products. It is absolutely true in wine, and I believe it's true in fly rods as well.

This bias is so acute that accept for the best experts most people can't tell what varietal they are tasting--forget about region of origin--and sometimes not even between white and red. People don't believe this, but you can do the experiment yourself--no one can tell the different between a lemon and a lime.

The industry should develop standards for testing rods (sorry, the industry never will--testers need to) and it has to be blind. Humans have way too many biases.

My thesis: Except for really slow to really fast, most fishers can't tell one action from the next, let alone manufacturer.

 

[Hirdy]

This news surprises me, since those guys from the forums who went and had a cast with the new $1000+ rods from Shimano all said they were better than the Sage rods.

I think gutterpunk may well be on the money here.

Cheers,
Graeme

 

[rsagebrush]

In the end does it really make a difference, they're just hawking rods, go the a fly shop and do some test casting and pick the one you like, really, you are allowed to make your own decisions. Then put your old news on the Big Auction Site; or better yet, save that money and go on a fishing trip.

 

[ia_trouter]

I know a little about the world of wine. And about human nature (that's my job, not a hobby). There's a reason that tasters with the highest integrity only taste blind, and not as part of industry promotions, when scoring wine. Research has shown time and again that brand and associated reputation significantly influences how one perceives and rates certain products. It is absolutely true in wine, and I believe it's true in fly rods as well.

This bias is so acute that accept for the best experts most people can't tell what varietal they are tasting--forget about region of origin--and sometimes not even between white and red. People don't believe this, but you can do the experiment yourself--no one can tell the different between a lemon and a lime.

The industry should develop standards for testing rods (sorry, the industry never will--testers need to) and it has to be blind. Humans have way too many biases.

My thesis: Except for really slow to really fast, most fishers can't tell one action from the next, let alone manufacturer.

I was 100% with you until the last sentence. I can easily tell Medium or MED Fast from Fast or EX-Fast and I haven't been at this too long.

 

[el jefe]

Wow, didn't see that coming. Sage swept the IFTD awards with their new fast action flagship rod? Who'd a thunk it? Next you'll be telling me TaylorMade cleaned up in the Golf Digest Hot List awards with their latest incarnation of a driver.

At the risk of sounding like a cynic, I should add that I am a Sage fan, and have many of their rods. But I don't give any credence to the show awards. No doubt it's a fine rod, designed as it was to close the gap on the Radian. Seriously, I'm sure the rod is awesome, but like the Golf Digest test awards, the IFTD awards should be treated with skepticism.

 

[eastfly66]

My thesis: Except for really slow to really fast, most fishers can't tell one action from the next, let alone manufacturer.

Interesting ! I would like to see that put to the test but it will never happen.

 

[winstonwt]

Just wondering if you put the new x rod and the one rod side by side unmarked if most fly fisherman could tell the difference,after all konnetic technology is konnetic technology and fast is fast.What could be so ground breaking and different with the new x rod.???????????????

 

[eastfly66]

Just wondering if you put the new x rod and the one rod side by side unmarked if most fly fisherman could tell the difference,after all konnetic technology is konnetic technology and fast is fast.What could be so ground breaking and different with the new x rod.???????????????

I've cast it a little and I think yes , most people would be able to feel the difference.Ground breaking ? ...no , I don't think so but nice.

There all nice actually ...

 

[sweetandsalt]

I had the fun opportunity to participate in a blind Scottish whiskey tasting this past spring...as with rod evaluation, the more seasoned whisky drinkers had a better handle on what they were sipping but brand identification was low.

I doubt Sage nor Loomis are going to build unpainted, generic handled test samples but, Awards aside, I look forward to side-by-side casting same size X and Asquith...T&T, EDGE, SKY and Air too. We've long agreed here that marketing, brand and even price-point should not be the deciding factor in selectin a fly rod; comparative casting is the only way. However, some may lack the adaptive stroke development to have confidence in deciding what is the right rod for their preferred fishing environment. Reviews, pro-opinions, even awards thus may be big influences. All I can say is beware the reviewer who also is a merchant of said products, like gutter wrote, biases are potent.

 

[spt2]

The X rod won 'Best New Rod'. Well, in order to win something, you have to beat something else. What other rods were competing for these honors? Did Sage beat out some industry heavies, or was this a sweep because Sage really didn't have any competition to speak of?

 

[el jefe]

The X rod won 'Best New Rod'. Well, in order to win something, you have to beat something else. What other rods were competing for these honors? Did Sage beat out some industry heavies, or was this a sweep because Sage really didn't have any competition to speak of?

There are typically very few mid- to high-end rod introductions in any given year. The fly fishing industry just isn't big enough to sustain that. So the field was likely very small.

 

[mikishots]

Time to look for ex-rods of yesterseasons now.

Yep, all the Sage One rods are now discounted in my neck of the woods.

---------- Post added at 12:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:12 PM ----------

I was 100% with you until the last sentence. I can easily tell Medium or MED Fast from Fast or EX-Fast and I haven't been at this too long.

That's where the "most" part comes into play. I agree with the inability of most people being able to tell. You're an exception, evidently.

 

[e caster]

My understanding is that the voting at the show is superficial at best. Liken it to a pie contest that does allow sampling, aka tasting, of each pie, and pretty much anyone can vote. Oy...

Craig