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Portability and protection with the Bass Pro Extreme XPS travel rod
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Date: |
10/30/03 |
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Tackle type: |
Rod |
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Manufacturer: |
Bass Pro
Shops |
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Reviewer: |
Zander |
Total Score: 8.50
Introduction: Wherever you travel it is always nice to have a dependable
rod at your side. Whether your journey takes you on a interstate drive or a long
distance fly-in, Bass Pro Shops has designed a handsome travel casting rod to
accommodate your angling on the go requirements.
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Bass Pro
Shops Extreme XPS Travel Rod Specifications |
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Material |
54 Million Modulus Graphite |
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Length |
6'6" |
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Line Weight |
10-20lb |
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Lure Weight |
3/8-1oz |
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Sections |
3 |
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Guides |
10 |
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Rating |
Medium-Heavy |
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Color |
Green |
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Action |
Fast |
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MSRP |
$99.99 |
Impressions: I've always been torn about what to look for in a good
travel rod. While part of me wants to fish with the very same quality and
performance I expect from my rods at home, another side of me has always
questioned the investment of so much money into a rod that is guaranteed to take a
beating. The majority of all rods that are broken are done so not while being
fished with, but during transport. The Bass Pro Extreme XPS travel Rod is a mid
range rod designed to offer plenty of features, a solid total package, and a
good price.
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The Extreme
XPS rod utilizes Bass Pro's HM54 Graphite |
When I first opened up the Extreme XPS I was greeted by a nicely finished rod
that featured the signature XPS implementations, including the engineered reel
seat and "Power Hump" ergonomically enlarged cork grip. If you are already a
Bass Pro Shop's customer then these features will feel right at home. Overall
the rod is quite attractive, but uses a bit too much gold for my tastes, with
gold inserts over the cork grip, on the reel clamp, threading, and rod labeling.
Gold treatment aside, the rod has an attractive matte finished blank, and is built
with the Fuji concept system, and employ's Fuji high quality Hardloy concept guides.
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Complete Rig for Bass Pro Shops Extreme XPS Travel Rod tests |
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Rod |
ETX66MHT-3 |
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Reel |
Chronarch Mg |
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Line |
12lb Trilene Big Game Ultra Clear |
The Package: I often complain at the number
of travel rods that come with rod socks but no durable rod tube. Rod socks may
help organize your rod sections but provide little to no protection from being
crushed during shipping. Bass Pro includes a nylon rod sock and crushproof rod
tube with every
Extreme XPS rod. The Nylon
rod sock is somewhat stiff and not nearly as nice as the soft socks that come with
competitor rods, but the rod tube is excellent. While almost all rod tubes
utilize PVC piping for the rigid protection, only premium carriers take the time
to insulate the lining inside the tube itself. Bass Pro does an superb job
inside the tube with complete lining and features very detailed stitch-work for
all their logos, rather then just screening. This terrific rod tube will protect
your rod from anything, short of being run over by a car, and look great doing
it.
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The included
hard rod case is excellent, and does a good job protecting the rod even when
shipped |
Real World Test: I actually bought this rod because I was taking a trip
to the famous Susquehanna river at Harrisburg, PA, and had no bass rods capable
of being broken down to fit into my luggage. My tests included fishing for
smallmouth bass in Pennsylvania, as well as largemouth bass at several private
ponds. To test the durability of the rod I checked the tube, by itself, into the
baggage check. When I arrived at Harrisburg the
Extreme XPS rod tube
rolled right out on the baggage carousel in perfect condition.
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The Extreme
XPS is broken into 3 sections |
Casting: When I first arrived in PA the first lures I paired the
rod up with a lightweight Chronarch Mg and began by casting 1/2oz rat traps. The
rod has a solid backbone and thanks to the use of so many guides casts
accurately with little effort. I was impressed that Bass Pro decided to
implement the Fuji Concept Guide system on such an inexpensive rod. During the
day I tossed everything from senkos to spinners and found the Extreme XPS to be
quite a versatile performer. Bait placement is easiest with heavier baits, and
it takes a little bit of practice to get used to the firm feel of this rod when
it comes to tossing smaller, lighter lures.
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We were
surprised that the Extreme XPS utilized the Fuji Concept system and Hardloy
guides with a price tag under 100 dollars |
Sensitivity: The
Extreme XPS makes use of
what Bass Pro calls HM54 (High Modulus. 54 Million modulus graphite) in the
construction of this rod. To facilitate better transfer of vibration the Extreme
XPS features a graphite reel seat with a large blank through. When fishing for
smallmouth with plastics I felt disconnected from the lure and had difficulty
distinguishing strikes and structure. Part of the problem is that the rod is
broken down into three sections. Overall the sensitivity was just average, and a
bit faster action on the tip would help when fishing plastics.
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The XPS reel
seat may look different, but it is comfortable and secures reels nicely |
Power: What the
Extreme XPS lacks in sensitivity it makes up with sheer power. This rod boasts
excellent lifting power and did great when muscling smallies right out of the
murky waters. Bass Pro Shops did a good job of making the three sections arc in
a seamless fashion. When the rod is loaded it distributes the weight evenly, and
I didn't feel any dead spots or stress points, even when purposely "high
sticking" during the test.
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A large
blank through is designed to enhance sensitivity |
One thing I did notice was how easy it was to hold the rod perfectly center when
hauling in fish. Unlike other rods that feature a regular circle cork grip the
Extreme XPS has an ergonomically shaped "Power Hump" that prevents the grip from
rotating in your hand, even if your line tugs one way or another. The additional
leverage allows you to angle the rod and maintain pressure on the line with
ease.
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A enlarged
cork grip and soft foam butt help make this rod ergonomically friendly |
Ergonomics:
While the majority of my rods can be described as spartan in design, the
Extreme XPS, in contrast, is quite posh. Rather than use a traditional Fuji reel
seat Bass Pro designed their own proprietary solution. The XPS graphite
reel seat is larger than most Fuji designs and is built with an enlarged thumb
rest. In addition the entire seat features "Grip-Tite" non slip
coating, which is feels like a layer of rubberized ink. The coating feels silky
to the touch rather than gummy, and when wet the surface is actually quite
slick. This feature doesn't do much to increase your grip on the reel seat, but
is very comfortable.
Two other innovations that separate this rod from the competition in terms of
ergonomics are the Power Hump and XPS "Weight balance" system. To perfectly
balance the weight of the rod to any reel you can order additional weights to be
added below the cork, and on top of the removable foam butt. The foam butt is
one of my favorite additions, as it is much more comfortable against your
forearm than the hard plastic caps employed by most manufacturers.
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For perfect
balance the Extreme XPS can make use of Bass Pro's weight
balance system |
Price:
The
Extreme XPS is a good deal for under 100.00 dollars, and a solid choice when it
comes to choosing a single travel rod for the majority of your on the go
fishing. At this price you can afford to have one with you at all times, whether
that is on a plane, or in the backseat of your car. The rod sock and hard rod
tube are very welcome additions to this rod. Consider that Bass Pro sells the
single and 2 piece versions of this rod for the exact same price!
Ratings:
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Bass Pro
Shops Extreme XPS Travel Rod Ratings (?/10) |
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Construction/Quality |
Overall a very good build quality that brings
Bass pro design to a portable format. very nice hard rod case bundle |
8 |
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Performance |
The rod performance was good in all tests
other than sensitivity, where the rod was just average. Portability of this
rod is excellent |
8 |
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Price |
This is a great price to pay for a rod package
that offers so much, all for under 100 dollars |
9 |
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Features |
Plenty of Bass Pro features here. The
ergonomic power hump and XPS reel seat may not be for everyone but they are
a addition most anglers will like. The ability to use balancing kits is also
a plus |
9 |
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Design (Ergonomics) |
Contoured cork and the soft foam butt help
make this rod quite comfortable for most, but not all anglers |
8 |
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Application |
This rod is an excellent bass rod, and light
saltwater travel rod, capable of fishing on the go for a wide range of fish |
9 |
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Total Score |
8.50 |
Pluses and Minuses:
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Plus
Minus |
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J
Good design, Fuji Concept System |
L
Not as sensitive as some rods |
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J
Lot's of power |
L
Enlarged XPS reel seat and power hump not for
everyone |
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J
Hard Rod Case |
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J
Reasonable price |
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Conclusion:
If your already a fan of Bass Pro Shop's rod design then the XPS is definitely for you.
Those that are more used to traditional rod design may need time to adjust to
the Power Hump and enlarged XPS graphite reel seat, but for a rod on the go its
hard to complain.
This rod brings all of Bass Pro's rod innovations into a travel friendly
package. The Extreme XPS offers a lot of rod for the money, and is a great
choice for anglers that want a travel trigger rod to use for a wide range of
species ranging from bronzebacks to snook. If Bass pro could just improve the
sensitivity of this rod they would have a sure fire "Best Value," but the
Extreme XPS travel rod is definitely still worth considering.
Until next time....Tight Lines!
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