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  1. #1
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    Kistler Helium 3 NFC Blank

    Has the Kistler Helium 3 NFC Blank become the Wiggle Wart of fishing rods? Seems like people are holding tight to them, they just don't come up for sale on the used market. I think its been about 3 years or so since they stopped making them. Those were sweet rods.

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    #2
    How can you tell what blank it is.

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    #3
    They have an American Flag and say North Fork Composites.

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    #4
    yea some of the old kistler rods were some of the best rods imo ever made.

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    #5
    I know ALF has some Heliums on the used side. I haven't zoomed on the pics to see if they are NFC's. I have some Heliums and a Z Bone with the NFC blank. Very fond of them.

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    #6
    There was one NFC. It's on its way to me.

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    #7
    Man I really wish , years ago when they had the LTA “ lighter then air” series were one of my favorite rods they ever made imo ! It would be awesome if they made them there was something about that taper and blank I loved .
    Shimano and Gloomis kick @ss, 17 Phoenix 919 225 Merc

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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by shimanogloomis man View Post
    Man I really wish , years ago when they had the LTA “ lighter then air” series were one of my favorite rods they ever made imo ! It would be awesome if they made them there was something about that taper and blank I loved .
    i had one LTA and that thing was stupid sensitive

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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by shimanogloomis man View Post
    Man I really wish , years ago when they had the LTA “ lighter then air” series were one of my favorite rods they ever made imo ! It would be awesome if they made them there was something about that taper and blank I loved .
    I agree about the tapers, just something about them. I can fish with my NRX, and ya it’s sensitive, but the Kistler NFCs just have that feel that’s more fun to fish and fight fish. I wish I would have bought a few more at the time. The 7’ to 7’3” rods were the really special ones. They switched blanks and I bought a few, but returned them and sold them. The old feel-n-reels with the white tips are also unicorns, those things were crazy light and really well balanced for a fiberglass/graphite blend…best Chatterbait rod I have ever used.

  10. Member River-Bandit's Avatar
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    #10
    When Trey went away from the NFC blank's I sold ever Z-Bone and Helium i had and went back to Loomis / Daiwa ,, will say they were great rods but you can sure bet on one thing if Trey has a good thing going he will screw it up and completely change everything,, so if they have something you like then you better get all you want as they are most certainly change them after a couple years and not for the better either,,

    and this is just a personal preference but I really don't care for his business model or sales gimmicks

  11. Official BBC Highjacker bassboogieman's Avatar
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    #11
    Quote Originally Posted by River-Bandit View Post
    you can sure bet on one thing if Trey has a good thing going he will screw it up and completely change everything, so if they have something you like then you better get all you want as they are most certainly change them after a couple years and not for the better either.
    x1000.

    I started with LTA's back in 2007, they were great rods. But before I got all I wanted they changed - blank & went to split grips. Same thing a couple years later when I switched to LTX (Helium II). I've learned my lesson.

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    #12
    I'm not sure he screwed it up or did what he had to do to stay competitive in the market. NFC has never been known for customer service and I'd think it was a nightmare to get hundreds at a time. When the KLX was first released they were the best deal in Bass fishing at $ 199.99
    I've fished the NFC Z bone alongside the new Fuji blank and honestly, I would be hard pressed to tell the difference. Of course, I'd rather have the NFC and personally I like them better than my NRX's but people always want what they can't get.
    The business model puzzles me also.
    Last edited by rangerjockey; 08-23-2022 at 03:39 PM.

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    #13
    I’m sure Kistler had some proprietary blank tapers but for the most part the ZBones were NFC XRay blanks. You can build a copycat ZBone for around $185-$200, that’s $350 less than retail... I did it last year. Not trying to copy ZBone, but just wanted to use that blank and whatnot. I’m not sure what the heliums were built on though.

    a lot of people were turned off when Kistler decided to opt for foreign made blanks. I know I’d prefer to buy USA but let’s face it, not all Made in USA tags means better quality or service. I’m sure the foreign made blanks are fine.

    The thing that always turned me off with Kislter is the constant retiring of rod lines or changing rods almost annually. And my biggest pet peeve is consistently increasing prices without increasing quality. That said, I get increasing prices to match increases in material costs, but raising prices $50-$100 is excessive.

    to me, the Kistler business model is the same as Ardent and SixGill, albeit more successful. Jack up the listed retail price and consistently have “sales” to make it seem like people are getting a good deal. Their sale prices are about what they should go for normally and the rods aren’t worth full retail. Again like Ardent. On sale they are fine, regular price they aren’t worth the money.
    1995 Ranger 481v
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    #14
    I've been in Trey's shop a few times and he had bins of broken blanks from his pre-build testing. He also kept a few racks of rods he built and sold in the shop at a discount due to crooked and bent rod blanks... mostly the crooked tip syndrome NFC has been known to deliver... still useable, but unable to sell as a QC'd product. Now that I'm building my own rods and have experienced the same complete lack of quality control from NFC and slow customer service, I am more empathetic to him looking for alternatives for blank suppliers. Having said that, I do question the business model and some decisions he makes, but it's his business to run as he see's fit. He employ's USA workers and still builds the rods in Tomball, TX, which is a lot more than most rods people buy and use.

    NFC does the whole jacked up retail price and implements "sales" to move rod blanks. It works I guess and definitely has sucked me into purchasing blanks... but my lack of confidence in their product has had me look at alternatives was well. When their blanks are good they are great, when you get a deformed blank, or the wrong blank, or a blank that snaps under a load test, the "Loomis" affiliation starts to loose its luster... it's unfortunate they can't get a grip on their QC issues.

    Although I have just about replaced all my production rods with my own custom builds, I still have my Zbones and Heliums with NFC blanks (HM & IM). I'm sure I'll sell them at some point in the near future.

    2018 LEGEND 211R | 250 MERC PROXS

  15. #15
    I completely shattered 2 Kistler Helium LTA rods in maybe 5 total hours of fishing them. I sold the second replacement and never tried one again. It was the lightest weight worm rod I owned.

  16. Member ManxFishing's Avatar
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    #16
    I’m with everyone else
    loved the early Kistlers, they were light and sensitive
    And then just over priced with a bad warranty
    I have 9 or 10 DS rods that I have no ideal what I’d replace
    them with. I tried NRX’s. There not even close

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    #17
    I have quite a few of the older NFC blank feel n reel rods, hands down the best treble hook or chatter with rods I’ve ever fished. With that being said, I live about an hour from Trey Kistler’s shop and have asked the question about not using NFC blanks anymore. The response was “NFC quality control issues with broken blanks brand new during flex testing during pre-build” and also NFC couldn’t keep up with the inventory that Trey requested. With that being said, I love the old NFC blank rods, but understand the business move Trey made. I have some of his newer rods and love them also.

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    #18
    I have a NFC 7'3" LMH H3 not a fan its gathering dust in the basement.