From (ar)cane to carbon
Fly fishing has been a relaxing past time for many decades, the act of casting the line out across the water playing the line out to present the fly to the spot in the river where the fish are holding station is relaxing and some might say arcane skill, but recently backpackers and bikepackers are finding it to be the perfect reason for a backwoods adventure. New modern Rods like the Hardy Ultralite X are helping fly anglers to present, maneuver, play and land more fish. The Hardy Ultralite rod’s combination of aggressive taper from its strong butt section through to the fast tip allow for incredibly precise loops to be aimed with an ease that makes the fly feel like a guided missile.
The behavior of the rod is partly due to the 3M Sintrix composite structure of the rod, the concept developed by Hardy themselves means that with Sintrix they are able to add incredible strength to the finest carbon structures, making them much less likely to fail under high load situations. Sintrix uses Silica nanospheres mixed with the carbon to resist compression pressure, typically the weak suit of carbon, which as a material is strongest under tension. The Ultralite X is a 9ft, four-piece rod, so for travel purposes, it will pack down to a transition tube that will easily fit in with carrying loads on the back or on the bike. Of course, this is a far cry from the old wooden cane rods of old, but the performance, precision, reliability, durability, and speed of the Sintrix powered carbon, of the Hardy Ultralite X rod for a 2nd-century fly-fisherman, is akin to a Jedi holding a lightsabre. There is only one winner..!