Rods

It’s been a very long time since I used any rods apart from my own, which I have owned for three years. Although my rods have a 3.5lb test curve I have always found them less than beefy and my casting has been restricted to around the 100-yard mark.
However, having used these for some time, I can testify to their casting prowess. I am sure that 50mm butt rings have made a difference but so too has the crisp blank and excellent tip recovery.

They’re way beyond anything I have ever used before and I now easily reach that 100-yard mark, but with seemingly less effort.
I guess that this is all to be expected from a rod in this top-end price bracket but it still has to prove that it is up to the task. There are no problems whatsoever with the Isoflex 50s.

I’ve only caught smaller carp on them so far, but thankfully they’ve coped with playing these fish under the rod tips, although I wouldn’t want to really drop down to very light hook links. For this, and for anglers on smaller waters, the 3lb versions are probably a better bet.

However, if you want a solid blank that feels well balanced and responsive, and which can cast as well as most, then I don’t think you’d go too far wrong with a set of these. Oh, they look great too.

Max's Verdict
Performance: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Top-end price tag justified by top-end performance

RRP: £239.99

Website: www.greysfishing.com