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The G. Loomis Pro 4X 1088-4 is the best of both worlds!
(continued)
  Power:
The rod demonstrates excellent power for an 8 weight while fighting fish. I
never stuck any large quarry during testing, but I can tell it has ample
fighting power. Some mid priced fly rods have embarrassingly weak backbone for
their given line ratings, so it was refreshing that this one has some guts.
Don't hesitate to use this rod for juvenile Tarpon or Snook around the mangrove
roots.
The up locking
rings are very easy to lock down tight thanks to the generous flanges to improve
grip.
Price, warranty, applications:
With a $350 price tag, the G. Loomis Pro 4X 8 weight represents an excellent
value. The $300 price range is somewhat sparse in the world of high performing
fly rods, with most of the true hot rod sticks costing north of $500. The build
quality of this rod for the moderate price also helps make it such a great value
for the money.
The included rod
tube and sock are extremely nice and look cool too.
All Pro 4X rods feature not only the standard warranty against defects in
materials and workmanship, but also includes the exclusive “Wild Card”. If the
rod should break for any reason, this card entitles you to a one time, free, no
questions asked over the counter exchange for a brand new rod of the same model.
Landing a fish on the beach with the Pro4X
As an excellent performing 8 weight, the versatility of this rod is magnified
even greater. Steelhead, Bass, Bonefish, Redfish, Snook, Stripers, and big
Alaska Rainbows are just some of the species within it's sights. Fly rods in 5
and 8 weight sizes are arguably the most versatile you can own.
Ratings: (We've re-calibrated our ratings standard for 2008 and have included a key at the bottom of the following matrix as a guide)
|
G.Loomis Pro
4X 1088-4 Fly Rod
Ratings
(?/10) |
| Construction/Quality |
Excellent build quality
throughout the rod. |
9 |
| Performance |
An extremely smooth rod to
cast. I was surprised it was able to cast both short and long with ease. |
8.5 |
| Price |
An excellent performance
value! |
8 |
| Features |
Solid design and
components for the price. This rod shares some traits and materials with
the flagship NRX series. The excellent rod tube and Wild Card warranty
service make it even sweeter. |
9 |
| Design
(Ergonomics) |
Comfortable and
lightweight. The grip and fighting butt are sized perfectly. |
9 |
| Application |
This rod will be able to
tackle many species from Largemouth to Bonefish. |
9 |
|
Total Score |
8.75 |
Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable!
For More
Details
of the
updated
rating
system
visit
our
explanation
here |
Pluses and Minuses:
|
Plus
Minus |
| +
Attractive
appearance |
-
Could be a tad
crisper/faster |
| +
Light in hand |
|
| +
Great performer |
|
| +
Wild Card warranty service |
|
| +
Excellent value |
|
Sight fishing
Snook in shallow water is a blast with the 1088-4 Pro 4X!
Conclusion:
G. Loomis continues to be one of the leaders in fishing rod innovation and
design. With some magic from the G. Loomis design team, this mix of old school
GL3 and cutting edge NRX material just flat out works. Not only is the 1088-4
Pro 4X a real winner, but it represents a very strong value at a mid range price
point. With several premium rods now surpassing the $700 mark, and a few spey
rods even eclipsing $1,000, many fly fishers are left scratching their heads
wondering if they need to spend a small fortune to achieve excellent performance
and build quality. The honest answer is NO. While the top rods usually do
perform at a top level and bring along a certain amount of prestige, I can
personally say that certain moderately priced fly rods can easily meet or at
least come very close to the performance of these top tier rods. The 1088-4 Pro
4X is without a doubt one of these rods, and is one of the best overall values
seen in awhile.
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