The Hardy Proaxis Sintrix 9' #9 saltwater rod.
The much talked about and much hyped Sintrix nano-technology carbon rod that is apparently 60% stronger and 30% lighter than similar sizes carbon rods.
Proaxis rods are available as a 8'10" 1-section rod, in sizes #8 (MRP £499.00) to #12 (MRP £549.00) and as a 9' 4-section rod, in sizes #6 (MRP £549.00) to #12 (MRP £599.00) that has a breakdown length of 74cm (including the ferrule plugs). Tube: 77cm.
This rod is the 4-section, 9' #9 rod, supplied in a aluminum tube. Code: HROPRO909 (MRP
£559.00).
Plenty of protection for the rod: A French blue cloth bag protects the powder-coated aluminum tube with anodized ends and a screw-off cap that seals with an O-ring. The tube contains the rod rolled up in an elegant black rod bag.
I feel bad throwing away the plastic protecting the cork - perhaps because I've recently paid quite a hefty sum of money for this rod.
I notice the
Made in Korea sticker on the reel seat. That is quickly peeled off as I think perhaps it shouldn't be there on this quintessential British brand, but it is true that Hardy rods and reels are now made in Korea and China - a fact of our modern life that quality goods are made where labour costs are low. Thankfully, the quality of this rod is very good - as good if not better than any rod made in the UK.
So a very expensive rod. Why so expensive? Hardy don't go on about any special manufacturing process, so it must be the material and development. They do say that this rod is made of a new composite rod material called Sintrix. All Sintrix products utilize a 3M matrix resin. Hardy say:
SINTRIX™ is carbon fiber held together with a resin impregnated with silica nano spheres. This technology is brand new and produces a material that is significantly stronger and potentially lighter than traditional carbon fiber.
There are two key advantages provided by silica nano spheres. First is the even distribution of the nano spheres throughout the resin providing equality of strength throughout the blank leading to crisp and clean rod actions. The second advantage is that silica nano spheres resist compression forces better than any other known material. This results in a fishing rod that is at least 60% stronger than a standard carbon fiber rod without interfering with the action. The improved compression characteristic also greatly improves impact resistance and durability.
Because SINTRIX™ material is stronger, in some cases less material is required and thus a rod can be lighter than an equivalent carbon fiber model. Weight savings of up to 30% are possible.
SINTRIX™ is significantly different and better than carbon nano tube materials currently in use with other manufacturers. Carbon nano tubes do not distribute evenly within resins and are prone to conglomeration. This creates adjacent areas of strength and relative weakness leading to failure. Hardy & Greys have extensively trialed nano tube technology rejecting it for its only marginal improvements and considerable inconsistency.
One can conclude that Hardy spent some time and resources developing this technology and marketing strategy, and from now on they will rake in the profits as long as they can convince people that this is the rod that will catch the fish. In this current economic crisis that may be difficult.
The Proaxis Sintrix rod range is for saltwater and the Xenith Sintrix rod range is for freshwater fishing. Not much difference between the rods except the colour. Proaxis rods are blue and Xenith rods are green. Xenith rods are all 4-section and come in sizes from 8' #4 to 10' #8. Nothing like a different rod for every occasion and type of fish that you may wish to catch.
The rod has lightweight saltwater-safe hardware, titanium REC Recoil and Fuji guides and a two part Hardy-designed skeletal reel seat made of anodized aluminum with a locking ring to secure the reel to the rod and prevent twisting of the reel securing ring.
The full-wells cork handle is comfortable and silky smooth. A small fighting butt finishes off the rod that has a black rubberized sponge base for support.
Three stylish aluminum ferrule plugs protect the 3 open-ended sections, keeping out dirt and preventing them getting damaged. There is a little pouch at the top of the black rod bag for these ferrule plugs to keep them safe whilst you are fishing.
The rod is finished in a dark azure-blue that really looks great in the sunlight. The coating on the whippings is thickly applied and sets off the dark blue thread used to secure the eyes.
The 1st of the 4 sections with the handle has no guides, the 2nd section has 2 REC Recoil stripping guides, the 3rd section has one REC Recoil stripping guide and two snake guides and the 4th section has five snake guides and the tube tip top with large loop diameter.
The connecting sections have a little white alignment dot on the ends.
The spigots fit tightly into the ferrules. A little candle wax, rubbed on the spigots, should be used to prevent the pieces jamming together. There is a gap of 10mm to 15mm between sections when connected correctly.
I've test cast the rod under the specific conditions that I use to test other rods and use to practice cast. Basically out in the back garden. I use a WF #9 line, a 9' tapered leader and a 2' tippet with a dummy fly of the same weight as a medium shrimp pattern.
As you can see in the photo above, the rod balances perfectly with the Zane No. 2 saltwater reel, 300 yards of 30lb backing and the 100' of WF #9 Scientific Anglers Masterly Textured Saltwater clear tip line.
The longer rod and bigger reel are both heavier than what I'm used to, so straight away I feel a difference. I find that once the amount of line I want has been let out, I can support the reel with my left hand (I cast with my right) and this helps with the load.
I've spent years using Double Tip fly line. I haven't much had the need for a Weight Forward line. I have one rod with a WF line and this is now the second. The WF line really gets the fly to where you want it with a tighter casting loop that with a DT line.
The rod has a progressive fast action. It works well with the WF #9 line. I managed to cast to my regular targets with ease using a slightly shorter translation that I use on the slower action rods. I felt that I could have increased the distance with ease and maintained the accuracy. I cast to targets that are 30', 40' and 50' away. I didn't need much ranging practice either. The first cast found it's mark.
It makes a high-pitched whipping sound as it moves through the air. With it's firm feel giving and efficient casting stroke directs your line exactly where you want it.
So in conclusion, this is an impressive rod. It is top quality and high-performance. Looking at various videos on the internet seems to confirm that it does the job of landing big fighting fish in the toughest of conditions.
If there is anything negative to say, it is the price. This rod is expensive. The 9' #9 rod (HROPRO909) has a MRP of £559.00. That is what you will pay from most UK shops.
I've been looking for a good quality rotary pedestal vice for a while. I have had a very cheap desk-clamp vice for a while and it is tricky to use on my work desk as I can't get to the sides and clamping it to the front is not practical.
A centering gauge is supplied which clips on to the goosneck. You clamp the hook and set up the gauge; then adjust the vice jaws support so that the shaft of the hook is inline with gauge pin and the centre of the goosneck rotation axis. Tighten everything up, remove the gauge and then if you rotate the goosneck with the handle, the hook and fly will rotate around this axis.
Three hardened steel vice jaws are supplied with the vice. The medium No.2 is fitted on arrival. The all have slightly different heads as you can see left and below they are designed to hold different sized hooks for tying smaller and larger flies. The three jaws cover hook sizes 28 to 4/0. I've kept the medium one on for the moment. They are slightly magnetised to assist in securing the hook. The vice jaws are available separately too - perhaps they do get damaged, but time will tell.
A parachute tying hook is supplied, but you will have to use the arm that is used for the bobbin rest or get another one if you want to use both at the same time. To use the hook, you will have to make the parachute post from a loop then cut it down..
