Michael Humberstone
Senior Member & Supporter
Cork
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Cork vs Duplon
- Thread starter Adam Wylie
- Start date
Christian Tyroll
Senior Member & Supporter
I’ve got two barbel rods with shrink wrap.
I wish they were both cork tbh!
The only duplon rod I own is a 10ft ballista carp rod, it’s been done really nicely and in that instance I like it as much as cork.
On balance gotta be cork though.
Neil Blood
Senior Member & Supporter
I have a couple of Kev Baine’s 1.5lb 11ft Specialist No 1 rods, my go to Barbel rods. They have shrink wrapped handles, 15+ years old and handles are in excellent condition 
Re Duplon, tackle companies use it because its cheap. I rave about the Drennan Vertex Medium Feeder rods for Chub and Perch. Awesome rods, but the duplon elements of the handle are shite. One is cracked and the other is chipped. Drennan are definitely going down the cheap rod component route, which includes Acolyte. A shame really, as historically we associate Drennan with quality. That seemed to end when Series 7 rods were retired, including the textured cork rod handle!
The duplon on my Normark Legacy Avengers seems much better quality than what Drennan use, but time will tell.
The biggest issue with Duplon is when you make rods up at home and place in a rod sleeve. The line guides on the rod section placed parallel to the Duplon, both dig in and damage it, if you’re not careful.
Re Duplon, tackle companies use it because its cheap. I rave about the Drennan Vertex Medium Feeder rods for Chub and Perch. Awesome rods, but the duplon elements of the handle are shite. One is cracked and the other is chipped. Drennan are definitely going down the cheap rod component route, which includes Acolyte. A shame really, as historically we associate Drennan with quality. That seemed to end when Series 7 rods were retired, including the textured cork rod handle!
The duplon on my Normark Legacy Avengers seems much better quality than what Drennan use, but time will tell.
The biggest issue with Duplon is when you make rods up at home and place in a rod sleeve. The line guides on the rod section placed parallel to the Duplon, both dig in and damage it, if you’re not careful.
Ian Woods
Senior Member
I have a couple of Kev Baine’s 1.5lb 11ft Specialist No 1 rods, my go to Barbel rods. They have shrink wrapped handles, 15+ years old and handles are in excellent condition
Re Duplon, tackle companies use it because its cheap. I rave about the Drennan Vertex Medium Feeder rods for Chub and Perch. Awesome rods, but the duplon elements of the handle are shite. One is cracked and the other is chipped. Drennan are definitely going down the cheap rod component route, which includes Acolyte. A shame really, as historically we associate Drennan with quality. That seemed to end when Series 7 rods were retired, including the textured cork rod handle!
The duplon on my Normark Legacy Avengers seems much better quality than what Drennan use, but time will tell.
The biggest issue with Duplon is when you make rods up at home and place in a rod sleeve. The line guides on the rod section placed parallel to the Duplon, both dig in and damage it, if you’re not careful.
Hi Neil, when you mention the acolytes' and components' quality going downhill, in what way do you mean?
Neil Blood
Senior Member & Supporter
Hi Ian, I hate the cheap metal end cap, which they now put on all their rods including acolytes and which scratches easily. The textured cork ends on previous rod handles were far better.
I have wider issues with their Specialist rage of rods. The fittings seem to be on a par with the budget Red Range Rods and the green lacquered finish wasn’t on a par with the original Super Specialist rods.
I have wider issues with their Specialist rage of rods. The fittings seem to be on a par with the budget Red Range Rods and the green lacquered finish wasn’t on a par with the original Super Specialist rods.