Rod tube protector

[JMcCMD]

Hello,

I have a number of older rods that I’d like to keep in good shape, while still fishing from time to time. One of them I bought has a canvas bag that protects the tube. I love it for travel as it keeps the tube from getting dinged up. I’d like to get more of them for some of my other rods, but I can’t seem to find any for sale anywhere. Does anyone have any idea where to find them? I’ve tried multiple search terms and come up zilch.

Thanks,

J

 

[philip43]

I find that dings and minor mars on my equipment bring back memories of trips and outings. Some of the memories are happier than others Adios Philip

 

[Ard]

Hi J.,

I've only had one that came with an outer tube sack and that was a Hardy Marksman 2T Spey rod. I understood the idea of protecting the green powder coated tube but...………. On trips in my boat it would often rain and I found I was removing the tube sock so it wouldn't get saturated during the storm. The result was my pretty tube took some scuffs.

In the end it is the job of the tube to protect the delicate rod sections transported within the tube that is the big ticket. I get the idea of wanting the painted tubes to remain pristine but there has to be a point where we can agree there is enough protection layers.

I have a few Sage Spey rods that sold for over 1K and they came in powder coated tubes. Year by year the tubes accumulate some additional scuffs but I've accepted it.

I'm not telling you that you must accept the same, you could seek out a seamstress and take the tube sock to them. Maybe take a trip to Joann's Fabrics (Nationwide Chain) and take the fabric sock / bag with you and ask for help in matching the material or getting close then ask for enough to make however many socks you need.

Take the material with you when you visit the sewing shop because they only sew and will need to see the material in question.

If you need a draw cord at the top don't forget to get that while at the fabric store and if your current bag uses one of those compressing cord locks then ask about them at Joann's Fabrics as well.

That's all I've got, hope you read it.

Ard

 

[denver1911]

Please don’t take this as me disparaging you over your choice to want to keep your equipment from getting damaged .. or I guess I should say, wanting to keep the stuff that protects your equipment from getting damaged. I get it. I really do. It’s not the way I roll, but I know why you might. Anyway .. won’t you then need something to protect the rod tube protector?

 

[Hellbender]

I actually have a couple extra aluminum rod tubes that are for the rods I’m currently using. I leave the original tubes at home and just use them for storing the rods until they’re called into action again. The couple tubes I use have battle scars and the original tubes are pristine.

 

[Ard]

If there were actually others who were interested in this ides I have a source here. I can tell you these wouldn't be a $5.99 item though...….

 

[hollisd]

Have you checked TFO? They sell rod tubes because ironically there rods don't come with one I don't believe so they sell the tubes as extra.

Otherwise Simms, Orvis et al make travel cases

 

[trout stalker]

Here you go. feather-craft FEATHER-CRAFT Heavy Cloth Tube Bags | Feather-Craft Fly Fishing

Another choice is the siicone gun sock. I also wrap a velcro strap around them too keep them in place. The velcro I am refering to is the typr to wrap cables to keep them in place.

 

[Rip Tide]

Most of my rods are 2 piece, and while I really could not care less about protecting the tubes, the tubes are bulky and difficult to tote around
I've found that carrying them in an old tent pole bag not only makes it easy to carry half a dozen at a time, it also disguises what's inside.
When googling around for a good example, I see that there's all kinds of similar bags designed for all kinds of applications that would work just as well.

 

[dennyk]

You could get some PVC tubing and swap out your painted tubes for one of these when you travel. In other words, leave the tube home that you want to protect. Tubing can be purchased wide enough to put more then one rod in it.

When I get a new rod, usually a 4 piece I assemble it as a 2 piece and use a rod tube with a zippered reel boot on it for transporting my rods. Chances are my rods won't see the inside of the factory tube again.

Denny

 

[Hellbender]

Like Denny, I also have a couple of the pvc/denim cases with reel boot for traveling with the rod assembled. I only use these for traveling locally. Walmart carries these in 2pc and 4pc versions for $19.99. I use my rods and reels for the tools they are designed for, but I take the greatest care of them.

 

[City Rat]

You could get some PVC tubing and swap out your painted tubes for one of these when you travel. In other words, leave the tube home that you want to protect. Tubing can be purchased wide enough to put more then one rod in it.

When I get a new rod, usually a 4 piece I assemble it as a 2 piece and use a rod tube with a zippered reel boot on it for transporting my rods. Chances are my rods won't see the inside of the factory tube again.

Denny

This what I did after hiking through some brush and seeing how easily dinged the Winston tube was getting. After seeing how much it cost to replace the tube, I made PVC one for approx $4.00 that stays on my pack. When it is time to head out the rod sock comes out of the pretty tube at home, goes into the "trail tube" and the rod is protected and if the tube gets scratched up I just throw another sticker on it and keep rolling.

 

[flytie09]

Look at this option if you plan to travel with several rods. Especially by plane. Made by Fishpond. There are 2x versions. One for std and one for Spey rods. I just picked up one for my recent trip and it worked great. You could carry I’d say 8 rods without tubes. Or 3x and all the boxes and reels too.

May not fit a 2 piece rod.... but are carry on allowed. You can keep the rod tubes at home or double protect them with it if you so choose.

The only problem I had was for smaller planes.... they made me check it. It held up to the abuse fine. I did take my reels and boxes out and put them in my backpack.



45" Dakota Rod & Reel Case

 

[JMcCMD]

Haha, no worries. Most of the rods I fish with a lot I don’t care if the rod tube gets dinged up, but some of them are vintage rods that I might want to sell later.

 

[JMcCMD]

Please don’t take this as me disparaging you over your choice to want to keep your equipment from getting damaged .. or I guess I should say, wanting to keep the stuff that protects your equipment from getting damaged. I get it. I really do. It’s not the way I roll, but I know why you might. Anyway .. won’t you then need something to protect the rod tube protector?

Haha, no worries. Most of the rods I fish with a lot I don’t care if the rod tube gets dinged up, but some of them are vintage rods that I might want to sell later.

 

[JMcCMD]

If there were actually others who were interested in this ides I have a source here. I can tell you these wouldn't be a $5.99 item though...….

I’d be interested to hear more, although after reading some of the other posts I may as well just use a different tube that I don’t care about damaging if I want to fish one of my vintage rods.

 

[Ard]

My wife's passion is quilting, she has the entire setup for making them from conception to the stitch design on the finished work. Making rod socks wouldn't be a challenge, any material a person wanted could be done. Cost would revolve around material cost and time to make it. Then of course there postage of around #3.10 to add in...……

PM if you want custom tube protectors

 

[cooutlaw]

I just happened to see this post, and I thought I'd jump in quickly. As some here know, I collected rods for about 40 years....from the time I started fishing, through guiding, and then as solely an angler and collector, to a point of far too many rods living at my home and now the last few years thinning the collection toward downsizing and retirement. Some rods I fished to near death and they are well worn tools, other were collectible pieces that I kept in a climate controlled rod safe and maintained to the max...trying to keep utmost valuation. A critical piece to collectors is the overall condition being scale rated and this includes the rod sock and tube....even a few scratches or nicks can significantly depreciate the total value. To combat this, even if just being stored, I have always kept the collectible rods in the original shipping plastic over the tube whenever possible. For the rods that didn't come shipped with plastic sleeves over the tubes I researched a solution several years ago to make my own. Below are what I use;

2" x 725' Clear Poly Tubing Tube Plastic Bag Polybags Custom Bags on a Roll 6ML 729129379995 | eBay

16" Heat Sealing Hand Impulse Sealer Machine Poly Element Plastic Sealer 400mm 631145979717 | eBay

These allow you to make plastic sleeves for the rod tubes. The plastic is available in 2", 3" 4" "tubes" and can be from 2mil to 10mil thick...the press heats the seam and makes the tube any length you may want. For $50 you can make all the lifetime sleeves you'd ever need several times over. BUT, these are just for storage and I think they'd get torn up traveling with them regularly. For this, I think Ard's offer above would be a GREAT solution....especially in like a water repellent nylon tent like material with a drawstring top....kinda like folding camp chair bags. Again, I use plastic sleeves on my stored collectible rods, and the rods I use in an active quiver travel with me in a rod case...and they get beat up a bit even though I'm pretty anal and OCD and try to keep my gear in nice shape, but I can see where a nice water resistant nylon tube cover would be a great option.

 

[City Rat]

J,
I may have mis-read a bit of your initial post. When you said "travel" in my head I read trail and hiking, duh. So the "trail tube" that I showed you guys is in fact waterproof and ding "resistant" at least it should protect your rod and rod sock up to a car or truck running it over, after that all bets are off, lol. For actual travel , i.e. through airports, planes trains and rental cars I have this from LL Bean. They make them for both two and four section rods. I have the four section rod case, it can hold three rod tubes plus flies, reels and documents in the outer pockets. Maine Guide Waxed-Canvas Four-Piece Rod Case - LL Bean Intl

The exterior is waxed cotton so you get some water resistance and the interior is quilted. You can easily add to the cushioning by tucking a few clothing items inside of the case with the tubes, an old travel ski bag trick. It is very comfortable to carry with the built in shoulder strap and fits easily in overhead storage on the plane. Last, just cosmetically speaking the waxed cotton can take a beating and it gets no end of compliments no matter where I go with that thing slung over my shoulder. Anyway, enjoy!

 

[chechem]

Most of my rods are 2 piece, and while I really could not care less about protecting the tubes, the tubes are bulky and difficult to tote around
I've found that carrying them in an old tent pole bag not only makes it easy to carry half a dozen at a time, it also disguises what's inside.
When googling around for a good example, I see that there's all kinds of similar bags designed for all kinds of applications that would work just as well.

Beat me to it. I use those for my beach rods too. Makes it easy to organize a bunch of rods in the car for travel, and easy to carry. AND the best ones zip down the sides for easy loading/unloading of rods.