Loomis NRX overrated?

[davidsa]

My first high end rod was a $300 glx in 2003. I did say and still say that the performance of any premium rod is about 10% over say a really good $150 rod. Anyone who thinks that price equates to % improvement is mistaken.

My first NRX was the 803 in 2012. That rod is golden and kept to 2016. I now fish 893 and 894's mostly in Florida. Both beyond golden. I use a balancing kit on the 894's. Not just excellent but keeps fish buttoned up. I'm at like 50 bass above 7 on the 894 and have not lost one yet. 3 over 10. I have rods I will say are as or more sensitive but the 894 will never leave me.

[retieoften]

Yeap! It’s tip heavy! NRX 894 with Shimano MGL!


Attachment 367523

That IS tip heavy... It should be balanced where you hold it at the very front of the reel at most... Dig some lighter nrx like a 853 or 852 out of your box and take the same pic and youll see..

A balanced rod you can flick your wrist all day every day because it takes very little effort to move the tip, your not lifting a rod per say.. 894 and 895 ARE not balanced at all, they are very tip heavy and your picture proves it.

[retieoften]

Lol, if that reel can't get a nrx closer to neutral balance nothing will. She's a tank! Nice setup

EXACTLY thats crazy

[TahoeDust]

EXACTLY thats crazy

Post a picture of your "balanced" setup as sensitive as a NRX....and that reel is not that heavy.

Here it is with a very light Metanium....

[davidsa]

I'd have no issue with the 854 balanced as shown with a 6oz reel on it. Still, I counterbalance all my rods that will accept my simple butt cap and quarters. The 894 and 895 balance can't be compared. I add like 3 quarters on the butt of my 894 and balance is fine. Could not add enough to balance out a 895 reasonable and that was a shame. would have made great punching rod.

To the original post, I don't think the 854 is in anyway bad but clearly does not have the following of the 894 or even 873. My favorable impression of the 894 comes from hundreds of hours fishing it and not in a first day test.

[retieoften]

Post a picture of your "balanced" setup as sensitive as a NRX....and that reel is not that heavy.

Here it is with a very light Metanium....

You want me to post a picture of my balanced set up as sensitive as a NRX? I only own NRX for my bottom contact baits, period, 14 of them. The 852 853 873 892 are balanced and AS sensitive as a NRX...

I use a LEWS where I would like to use the 894 and 895 because they are so much more balanced. I use them for swim baits, 20lb line and cast a mile.

Another issue the 894 has is the handle is a good inch or inch and a half too short for a 7'5" rod and the 895 is also one inch short.

[dukhntr]

I guess Im the oddball but I love all my NRX rods, including the 854. My 894 is sweet but its my least favorite NRX rod.....

[DrewFlu33]

Nrx are 380-455 NEW just call a few of the places that list them on ebay for the best price.. If you buy 3 at a time american fishing legacy sold them to me for 435 shipped for the most expensive models.


If you havent used one you absolutely are missing out, its not a little better its a lot better. Simply amazing how many strikes, blue gill etc you were never feeling.. The next closest rods are the ones made with north fork customs blanks by g loomis and they are not really even that close to a nrx.

Clearly people do buy nrx expecting something they arent recieving because they are for sale brand new all the time, half of mine were bought that way for 300-350 shipped from individuals.

I've handled them quite a few times and fished them briefly. Yep, there's a difference between an NRX and lower end rod. I guess it's splitting hairs to argue about how much constitutes "a lot" better. I'd say they're a little better than the best $150 rods I've used. And yes, they're a lot better than some $200 rods, but there are also $100 rods that are better than some $200 rods. I also don't really want to quibble on cost - comparing apples to apples I can also get my $150-200 rods on sale, and I can buy them used. Stepping back from that, even if we say they cost twice as much as the best $150-200 rods out there (which is a stretch to be sure), I'll never believe the improvement is enough to warrant paying twice as much. I don't think there's an objective measure at even measuring how "good" a rod is, but if there were I'm confident you couldn't find one that shows an NRX to be twice as good.

The North Fork blanks are from Gary Loomis's new company (North Fork Composites) since he sold G Loomis to Shimano. Whatever you think about the company (and their shipping delays and poor customer service are not something anyone should be proud of), I'd argue that their top of the line blanks are an improvement over the tech in the NRX blanks - they just about have to be given that the "blue" NRX hasn't been updated for what, 8 years now? There's been so many advances in tech since then it's crazy. And to be fair, when you buy those top of the line blanks as finished rods under the Edge brand name, they're priced as such. Just like Loomis and every other company, they have different categories of blanks available at drastically different costs. Have you fished a rod built on an NFC X-Ray blank?

Getting back on topic: As I said before, it's all in how you look at it. I'll never fault anyone for buying anything, and if that improvement over something cheaper is worth it to you, by all means keep on keepin' on! What something is "worth" is all in the eye of whoever is paying for it, and quite frankly it's none of my business what anyone spends their money on. I gave my opinion and attempted to temper expectations of someone who isn't familiar and expects the increased cost to be commensurate with the increase in performance - as you said, people buy them expecting something they're not getting. I think in most cases, very much like golfers spending a ton of money on the latest and greatest, it takes that to tell anglers that sometimes it's the Indian and not the arrow. The last thing I'd do is try to criticize anyone who buys them, enjoys them, and feels their worth the coin.

[Hunter24]

I have a bunch and the standouts for me are as follows: 852, 893, 894.

[DrewFlu33]

Here’s my submission to the “balanced rod” contest. This is a 7’ 10” flipping stick I just finished up, built on an NFX X-Ray blank. It’s got a Tatula Type R on it, and no counterweighting whatsoever. Handle length is 15 inches from the bottom of the butt to the top of the trim piece on the reel seat, so that puts the balance point about 16” from the butt. Again, on a 7’ 10” mag medium heavy flipping stick.

[kickerfish1]

Nice looking build there Drew

[white gambler]

dx704.jpgfor comaprison
Heres a Dobyns DX 704 (same length as the NRX854 shown in pic...within 3/4 of an inch) with a 13 metanium on it

dx744.jpg
Heres a Dx 744 (same length as a NRX894) with a Metanium mgl on it.(tick lighter than the 13 met shown on the nrx)

The Dobyns 7'4" rod balances closer to same reel then the 7' NRX.

[white gambler]

I was bored this morning before work. Can't get on the water till next month so all I can do is tinker with my gear, hehe.
I will admit the NRX is a bit more sensative than the rod I have shown. BUT msrp vs msrp it is also almost $200 more so it SHOULD be more sensitive.
Now bring a Dobyns Xtasy (same price point) into the mix vs the NRX and it'll still balance better like this and be tit for tat in the sensitivity dept. Then it's just down to personal preferences like the guides, cork, ascetics at that point.
All mentioned are great equipment and any of us that get to use them I'm sure enjoy it very much. Not trying to argue or measure di#$% at all. I'm just a tackle queer that enjoys trying/testing diff things, combos, to find what feels the best for me.

Cool looking build for sure Drew

[cumara]

There is a lot to love about the 854, but for me, it lacks power for frogging (unless you were finesse frogging with little lightweight frogs in open water like a 1/4oz koppers or pad crasher jr). It is more like a MH power than Heavy.

The 894 is way more powerful, has plenty of backbone for frogs and slop, but the balance always bothered me and couldn't tolerate how tip heavy it was.

[InTheWeeds]

These rods have taken on an almost mythical status. I don't think any rod could live up to the hype/expectations. Are they good rods? Sure. Are they leagues above all other rods? I don't think so. In fact I bought one used just to get it out of my system and sold it after using it twice. Honestly it was a good rod but nothing special. To me my first gen Cumaras feel crisper, more powerful, better tapers, better guides (top of the line double-footed Fuji SiC's all the way up) and look about a million times better.

I believe part of the hype has to do with people subconsciously justifying the money they spent(especially if they bought it new at full retail) by telling themselves that they're just SO MUCH better.

[ifishinxs]

If you fished most of your life with an Ugly stick then picked up an NRX it will seem god like! Lots of great rods on the market to choose from these days. I love my NRX rods and plan to buy a few more.

[TahoeDust]

dx704.jpgfor comaprison
Heres a Dobyns DX 704 (same length as the NRX854 shown in pic...within 3/4 of an inch) with a 13 metanium on it

dx744.jpg
Heres a Dx 744 (same length as a NRX894) with a Metanium mgl on it.(tick lighter than the 13 met shown on the nrx)

The Dobyns 7'4" rod balances closer to same reel then the 7' NRX.

Impressive. What is the weight of the rod?


I'm going to fish the 854 this weekend...maybe it will surprise me.

[TahoeDust]

Double post.

[diggy_]

What line do you like to fish on your NRX's. I always ask on every forum to see what people find gives them max sensitivity.

Braid, Fluoro or Braid with ____ leader?




894 owners, do you use your models for anything other than bottom contact?

[retieoften]

What line do you like to fish on your NRX's. I always ask on every forum to see what people find gives them max sensitivity.

Braid, Fluoro or Braid with ____ leader?




894 owners, do you use your models for anything other than bottom contact?

15/20 tatsu

No I cant see any reason to use a nrx for anything other than bottom contact baits. That makes zero sense.

I find that the nrx spring steel eyes dont work well with braid to leader knot... fyi on a bait caster. I use braid to leader on my spinning rods which are ALL nrx for drop shot, shakey head etc.