Will rod companies begin using composites for rod handles? Some of the new wine “corks” I’ve seen and handled remain relatively tacky when wet, and they don’t appear to stain too terribly badly. I would think that they would be easier to work with.
Would you think your favorite rod manufacturer had gone cheap were they to switch from cork to something synthetic? Or, would you care?
I’d forgotten about Abel rods (I think everyone has since they began outsourcing to Folstaff). I’m guessing that the first company to do a full composite grip would be Loomis.