Rod socks...plastic mesh

[avidbasser]

Howdy folks, I'm wanting to buy in bulk or make my own rod socks out of the wire loom / plastic mesh. I have a mix-match of current ones and my OCD is getting to me.

Where do I buy this in bulk or who does these so I can buy in bulk. I'm looking at easily 30 or so of them in a dark carbon color or black.

Thanks, AJ

[21XDC]

willwork4fish should be able to help....

[bigL]

You want the 1" for baitcasting reels. I have never bought any for spinning reels.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/38804751916...Bk9SR6CmwNrUZQ

[willwork4fish]

I can't find the guy on Facebook anymore. I used to get them for $3 each but I'd buy like 30 of them.

[avidbasser]

You want the 1" for baitcasting reels. I have never bought any for spinning reels.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/38804751916...Bk9SR6CmwNrUZQ

Thank you! Ordering this and some plastic dip / heat shrink.

[JJohnSind]

The issue is, can you beat the $2’ish that they cost (fully made and delivered) from Ali Express? Time and excess material taken into account. I’ve even seen them for about a $1 at times.

[avidbasser]

Ali Express!? Man, that's a place I don't want to go. Might lead to another addiction in tackle. AHAHAHAH

[gary_fritz]

I buy 1in expanded braided sleeve for baitcasters and 1.5in for spinning rods, usually can get the 1in for around $.35-.40 per foot and the 1.5in for around $.50-.60 per foot. I use a soldering iron with a blade attachment to cut the sleeve so it doesn't come undone after being cut. I roll one end to fit inside a small piece of shrink tube, heat that to seal it up and then wrap ~1.5in inside itself on the other end, use an old curling iron from my wife to flatten and flare the folded end. I then use a label maker and a cheap plastic button kit from Amazon to label each sleeve so I know which rod each sleeve goes to.

[JJohnSind]

I buy 1in expanded braided sleeve for baitcasters and 1.5in for spinning rods, usually can get the 1in for around $.35-.40 per foot and the 1.5in for around $.50-.60 per foot. I use a soldering iron with a blade attachment to cut the sleeve so it doesn't come undone after being cut. I roll one end to fit inside a small piece of shrink tube, heat that to seal it up and then wrap ~1.5in inside itself on the other end, use an old curling iron from my wife to flatten and flare the folded end. I then use a label maker and a cheap plastic button kit from Amazon to label each sleeve so I know which rod each sleeve goes to.

FYI, you're already above the typical Ali Express finished and delivered price. The "US" companies that are selling these are not making them, they are buying in large quantities from AliBaba and just reselling them at a profit. If they had to pay US labor to assemble these, the costs would probably triple. Any excess, unused material, or waste only adds to costs. Do you have that many rods that justify making your own? I buy a lot because I build & sell rods and include them, but still prefer just to order them. I had a few friends that made some at first (when they first came out) for some small "walking around" profit... but people eventually caught on about Ali Express, or just needed maybe 10-20, regardless of how many rods they eventually collected (you only need them for rods you're transporting). Even EBay has them cheap from time to time.

[gary_fritz]

FYI, you're already above the typical Ali Express finished and delivered price. The "US" companies that are selling these are not making them, they are buying in large quantities from AliBaba and just reselling them at a profit. If they had to pay US labor to assemble these, the costs would probably triple. Any excess, unused material, or waste only adds to costs. Do you have that many rods that justify making your own? I buy a lot because I build & sell rods and include them, but still prefer just to order them. I had a few friends that made some at first (when they first came out) for some small "walking around" profit... but people eventually caught on about Ali Express, or just needed maybe 10-20, regardless of how many rods they eventually collected (you only need them for rods you're transporting). Even EBay has them cheap from time to time.

yep, to each their own, I was just sharing what I do, never said it was the cheapest/best option. I don't know what constitutes as being "that many" but between my wife and I there is 40-50 rods, and I like to keep them covered at all times regardless if they are on the rack or in the boat. I know some people like to have different sleeves to make identifying the sleeve for each rod easier, I like all mine to match. I do the labeling so that if my wife is grabbing a rod for herself and I ask her to grab a specific rod for me it's easy for her to identify and for when we have several rods out it makes identifying which sleeve goes to which rods easier since the sleeve as specific length to that rod. I too build rods, but just for myself/friends/family so I don't make very many, when I do I will make a sleeve for those rods as well.

[JJohnSind]

Yeah, I wanted to build my own too (custom sleeves would have been a nicer touch for custom rods), but I just couldn’t get them any cheaper. I looked into a factory making custom ones out of neoprene just like the ones EVOLV sells (for over $20) and got the price down to $2.00, with a 500 sleeve order, but I got a few EVOLV sleeves to try and actually didn’t like them (for function) compared to just standard nylon sleeves. Those definitely have a higher end look and feel to them though. I just feel neoprene is overrated when it comes to function.

[avidbasser]

After reading through this and pricing out what I would need, seems like an online experience is best. I'm gearing up to build my own rods, but that's not going to happen any time soon.

[avidbasser]

Yeah, I wanted to build my own too (custom sleeves would have been a nicer touch for custom rods), but I just couldn’t get them any cheaper. I looked into a factory making custom ones out of neoprene just like the ones EVOLV sells (for over $20) and got the price down to $2.00, with a 500 sleeve order, but I got a few EVOLV sleeves to try and actually didn’t like them (for function) compared to just standard nylon sleeves. Those definitely have a higher end look and feel to them though. I just feel neoprene is overrated when it comes to function.

I don't like the neoprene for a few reasons:
1) They take up a ton of space in your rod lockers.
2) They start to disintegrate a year or 2 into the summer heat / humidity we have here in TX.
3) They are heavier than mesh.

[gary_fritz]

I've never been a fan of neoprene sleeves for reason 1 above, they just take up to much room. I think they look good and protect better than the braided sleeves but they just aren't for me.