Orvis Helios Rod Review
- This topic has 4 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated Nov 6, 2007 at 9:31 pm by
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Looks like Orvis came up with a real winner:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071104/SPORTS10/711040674/1058/SPORTS01
Randy KadishI’m interested in why he was casting next to an older Sage, the TCR. If you wanted a real comparision since he is talking about the rods becoming lighet the Z-axis or the ZXL would have been the best comparison. Also the TCR is designed for skilled casters, the rod is not that forgiving to sloppy casting.
Had a play with the Helios at the British fly fair over the weekend. The 10wt Helios is significantly lighter than the 10wt Zero G side by side. Never got to cast them unfortunately. The true test will be out in the field and how it handles big fish. I guess with the new Sage rods and Orvis range there can be no complaints about casting a 10wt all day at least!!
Mat
Mat, I took an 8-weight Helios and Zero-G for a side-by-side test drive. The Helios is lighter and casts beautiful tight loops. Is it worth the extra money? For me, probably not. From Orvis, I own a Zero-G and two T3s, and a pair of Clearwaters in various weights. It’s easy to adjust my casting style for each rod’s individual characteristics. However, if the price isn’t a concern, it’s a beautiful rod.
My one concern from a brief inspection was how beefy the reel seat is on the saltwater models. It appears to be a carbon fiber scrim, whereas their other rods have a metal reel seat. I think they’ve cut weight out of the reel seat rather than the blank and other components, but it might reduce durability. With a 25 year warranty no one may care.
Still, a beautiful rod.
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