I own 9 of them. Champion XP, Champion Extreme and an Xtasy. Personally I find them to be great rods. I have not used the Xtasy yet because I just got it but the build quality is fantastic. I have a Daiwa Tatula flip and pitch reel on it and it balances perfectly. Also it’s crazy light. I have an NRX 822 drop shot and love it but I see many flaws in how the guides were wrapped. Just looks sloppy for a $525 rod. My Champion XP 6’8” MH is my dock skipping rod and it is perfect for me as I am only 5’5” tall. It allows me to skip a jig with accuracy and it has the backbone to pull them out from under a dock. I own a little of everything, Dobyns, Daiwa, St.Croix, Duckett, and gloomis. I pick a rod for the intended task and how it feels to me. I have hit on some and some were misses.