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Free Spirit hi s 2 lb barbel

Looked at the new hi s float rods today with rich Issacs at Benwick sports awesome rods looked at the 13ft 15ft and 17ft ….. I was particularly taken with the 13 ft 2 piece an absolutely superb rod with lots of power …
Yeah that what Terry said. It has slightly less resistance to bend I felt but was very difficult to make a perfect comparison without them being side by side. Definitely felt a bit softer.
Not as slim infront of the handle as well but really nice rods.
Guides are an improvement because they stand a little further off the blank.
There’s no chunky stainless caps or collars and the whole rod does feel a bit lighter.
Thank you guys. Sounds like a rod to try if I find my Daiwa is not powerful enough.
 
what about these? 900 carbon rod, and I believe on Harrison blanks.
Wow!

I reckon they are just standard Harrison blanks as well. That's an awful mark up for some posh fittings and the name Barder on the rod.

I bet they don't sell many.
 
I always look at their website when I think my Harrison and Freespirit rods are expensive.
Daiwa AG's air feeders are nearly 700, basia barbel even more so that's where the prices are going. Since COVID broke, all the big boys seem to have increased prices 20/30% due to their supply issues. I have heard nothing much about improvements.
 
Daiwa AG's air feeders are nearly 700, basia barbel even more so that's where the prices are going. Since COVID broke, all the big boys seem to have increased prices 20/30% due to their supply issues. I have heard nothing much about improvements.
Sorry meant to say basia carp!
 
Ridiculous price point.
They might charge £900 but you ain’t getting a £900 rod
Seems bonkers to me.

I understand why people pay the sums they do for a hand-crafted split cane rod. But those sums for carbon rods you can get elsewhere for a quarter of the price...it's mad.

And why would you want a carbon Barder? It's like buying a Rolex powered by a battery.
 
I owned the hi s 2lb rods for the last 3 years awsome rods .I av just add a 11ft 1.75 torrix built my Mr tunley crackering rod ,but I av to say I always go back to my 2lb hi s there that good .
 
That's impressive! I would just like to see the barder to try and work out where the value is, beyond the name obvious
Impressed by all the answers to my question guys, thank you all. Although I have 2 x 1.75 torrix's the 2lb FS barbel is now firmly head of my list to find one day. The day will be when the used ones get a bit cheaper and are near enough to be collected! Ha!
 
Wow!

I reckon they are just standard Harrison blanks as well. That's an awful mark up for some posh fittings and the name Barder on the rod.

I bet they don't sell many.
Never underestimate the stupidity of some.For some its not the catching of fish that matters its the bling gear.
 
These days my standard rods for the Severn at normal/summer levels have been a pair of Hi S SU (12ft) which are ~1.75lb tc. But when there's a couple of metres of coloured water on I tend to rove with a single rod using large meat or lobs under a 12ft Hi S 'Barbel' @2lb tc. Although there's only supposed to be 4oz difference in test curve between these rods, because their actions are so different (IMO) then the "2lb" rod feels much 'beefier' than the Hi S SU's. To me the Hi S SU's are fine tipped but much more 'through' action, whereas the 2lb 'Barbel' rod, although in no way 'tippy', is more progressive. Overall, I think the 12ft Hi S 'Barbel'' 2lb rod is a joy to use, and the best all-round barbel rod that I own...maybe akin to a lighter version to my (now redundant, bought for the lower Severn) pair of Hi S Big Water 2.25lb'ers.
N.b... with a nod to Rich, my absolute fave rod for trundling/freelining is undoubtedly my 11ft/1.75lb Torrix;). Again, a very different beast.
 
I'm sure Mr Wiley will stump up for the "premium" rods then rest assured a week later they'll be in the classifieds at a vastly reduced price 😉 (sorry Adam, couldn't resist and surprised I was the first... 😅)
 
These days my standard rods for the Severn at normal/summer levels have been a pair of Hi S SU (12ft) which are ~1.75lb tc. But when there's a couple of metres of coloured water on I tend to rove with a single rod using large meat or lobs under a 12ft Hi S 'Barbel' @2lb tc. Although there's only supposed to be 4oz difference in test curve between these rods, because their actions are so different (IMO) then the "2lb" rod feels much 'beefier' than the Hi S SU's. To me the Hi S SU's are fine tipped but much more 'through' action, whereas the 2lb 'Barbel' rod, although in no way 'tippy', is more progressive. Overall, I think the 12ft Hi S 'Barbel'' 2lb rod is a joy to use, and the best all-round barbel rod that I own...maybe akin to a lighter version to my (now redundant, bought for the lower Severn) pair of Hi S Big Water 2.25lb'ers.
N.b... with a nod to Rich, my absolute fave rod for trundling/freelining is undoubtedly my 11ft/1.75lb Torrix;). Again, a very different beast.

Agree entirely. At times i'll use my HI S 1.75 for rolling meat if there's a bit of water on, or on a bigger river. But if want to sit behind a ledger at night when you know there are decent fish about, it's the Hi S 'barbel' all day, great rod.
 
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