A Decade of NRX: It is hard to believe that it has already been a decade since the G.Loomis NRX rods first landed in our lab. At the time GLX was the halo line within the brand's portfolio and the NRX was a significant departure in materials, guide train, and styling. Longtime readers may remember that the original rods were not immediately a smash hit as some anglers found the bright blue wraps polarizing, disliked the way the recoil guides sounded when used with braided line, or questions about the quality of the thread wrapping arose shortly after launch.

G.Loomis took all those consumer concerns to heart and continued to refine the series, and even introduced a line of Green NRX rods to appease anglers that didn't like the bright styling. At the same time there were also many anglers that embraced the new series and the unique feel of lightweight NRX blanks with the hybrid drive train. Fast forward a decade later and the NRX now as a cult-like following, with anglers that absolutely swear by the sensitivity combined with the proven signature actions that G.Loomis is known for.

Personally I love the NRX rods, and when it comes to sensitivity I have always felt they offered the best in the entire G.Loomis portfolio. That includes the more expensive Conquest rods which may beat the NRX rods in lifting power but not necessarily in sensitivity, or arguably in terms of ultra-crisp handling either. The NRX rods have aged nicely, and in many ways continue to be the benchmark for sensitivity in high-end bass rods. How many times have you heard an angler compare any new other branded high-end rod by asking the question "how does it compare to NRX?"

While the NRX Series has stood the test of time a decade is a long time for a single series to remain virtually unchanged. In the tackle industry it is a lifetime. Why mess with something that isn't broken? When we debuted the G.Loomis Conquest rods back in 2017 we already knew that the new line meant changes were coming to the NRX. Shimano often trickles down their flagship technologies, and it was only a matter of time before the Spiral X graphite construction moved downstream in the G.Loomis lineup, much like it has already done in the Shimano rod portfolio. When G.Loomis introduced NRX+ fly rods which included a "reimagination" of the proprietary compound taper design of the original NRX with improved load efficiency and rod feedback with the goal of creating a series that was lighter, more powerful, and featured an even faster recovery the writing was on the wall. We all wondered when the new NRX, or NRX+ casting rods, would finally be introduced in the conventional line?

Conventional NRX+ Rods have arrived: That day officially came today as G.Loomis unveiled the new NRX+ series to the world. Similar to the fly rods the NRX+ rods channel the styling of the original and feature a new blank construction that is designed to be lighter and yet offers similar strength and impact resistance.

Like the flagship Conquest Series the new NRX+ rods will now be rolled with Spiral X technology which utilizes a triple layer construction to improve rigidity without increasing weight. This combination should also make the new rods even better at vibration transmission, making them even more sensitive than the already excellent outgoing NRX models.

The Spiral X construction makes use of three layers: an inner and outer layer of seamless Infinity Tape tightly wound diagonally in opposite directions, and a layer of vertical fibers called Muscle Carbon in between. Utilizing Infinity Tape in place of a traditional sheet of horizontal fibers is designed to reduce overall rod weight and help create actions with superior torsional rigidity and hoop strength. The bottom line is that these new rods should be lighter, more sensitive, and provide even more fish turning power.

This time around Bassmaster Series Champion Jeff "Gussy" Gustafson was heavily involved in the development of NRX+, and has been helping fine tune them since the very first prototypes since they were rolled out. His biggest takeaway for the new rods is the improvement to balance and just how light the new rods are, as well as how sensitive the new blanks feel.

 
You may have noticed the blue threading doesn't extend all the way up the guide train and should give the new series a little stealthier look than the original as the rod transitions up to the tip

Next: Multi-Taper and Sticking with a hybrid guidetrain?