The Air Beam reel seat is
extremely ergonomic, and designed to enhance vibration while reducing overall
weight
|
Steez Rod
Series Specifications |
|
Model |
Power |
Action |
Length |
Pieces |
Line Wt. (Lb.) |
Lure Wt. (Ounces) |
No. Guides |
|
SVF Graphite Trigger rods |
|
STZ 601MFBA |
M |
F |
6' |
1 |
8-16 |
1/8-5/8 |
8 |
|
STZ 631MFBA |
MH |
F |
6'3" |
1 |
8-20 |
3/16-1 |
9 |
|
STZ 671MFBA |
MH |
F |
6'7" |
1 |
12-20 |
1/4-1 |
9 |
|
SVF Compile-X Trigger Rod |
|
STZ 711HFBA |
H |
F |
7'1" |
1 |
16-30 |
1/4-1 1/2 |
9 |
|
SVF Compile-X Spinning Rod |
|
STZ 681MLFSA |
ML |
F |
6'8" |
1 |
4-12 |
1/16-3/8 |
9 |
Like most premium import offerings
the Steez is weighted and branded stylishly
Rod Choice: Each of the new rods is
designed for a particular lure application. These rods are application specific
and matching the right rod to your unique requirements is paramount.
|
Steez Bass Rods |
|
Rod |
Lure Application |
|
STZ 601MFBA |
Top Water Plug, Texas Rig,
Rubber Jig, Vibration Bait, Spinnerbait, Crankbait, Weightless Rig |
|
STZ 631MFBA |
Vibration, Spinnerbait, Buzzbait, Texas Rig,
Shallow Crankbait |
|
STZ 671MFBA |
Texas Rig, Rubber Jig, Spinnerbait, Crankbait |
|
STZ 711HFBA |
Texas Rig, Carolina Rig, Pitching |
|
STZ 681MLFSA |
Light texas Rig, Jig Head Rig, Wacky Rig,
Minnow |
Notice how the Air Beam reel seat
contours to the shape of your fingers, with indentations exactly where your
fingers rest on the reel seat
These new rods achieve "Style with ease," just as
their appellation implies. These Steez rods are quite unlike any rod currently
available in the US market. Up till now the early adopters, or "enthusiasts" as
we call them here on TT, have imported the vast majority of their offerings. Is
the mass market ready in the US to adopt such a rod series? Quite possibly. Take for example Megabass, which now has a devoted following for their rods despite having a
premium price point. Yes, there are anglers out there willing to shell out the
big bucks for a premium enthusiast grade offering.
The SVF Compile-X models feature a
even more aggressive split grip and butt
With price points between $349.95 to 499.95 (for
the Compile-X versions) they are priced within parity of some other existing
premium domestic rods. The Steez rods are not all about style, they also make
use of the very best technology that Daiwa has to offer.
The Compile-X casting rod's bold
reel seat
The Steez rods make use of exotic components, and
showcase a unique blend of both cutting edge technology and extreme style. A new
SVF graphite blend and SVF compile-X graphite were used on these various rods to
create a rod that would perform different than any rod out there, as well as
elevate Daiwa's brand in the domestic rod market.
The first look at the only
spinning rod of the bunch, this Compile-X rod is exclusively made in Daiwa
Japan's most advanced factory
Both versions of this rod will make use of the
"Bias" graphite fiber first explored in our coverage. Interestingly this process
is so advanced, that only Daiwa's flagship plant in Japan can produce the
Compile-X versions.
Bobby shows Zander two prototypes,
and describes their distinctive actions
When I felt both rods it was hard to discern the
exact difference between the normal SVF and SVF Compile-X versions, and only
after field testing would we be able to tell you if the X version is worth the
additional one hundred dollar investment. What we do know is that Daiwa has made
a concerted effort to differentiate both versions, and the X rods feature even
more aggressive styling cues from butt to tip.
Both Steez versions use premium
Fuji Titanium framed SiC guides
Bobby Saraya, the man responsible for bringing
these rods to the US is a guru when it comes to exotic rod materials and design.
We had an opportunity to sit down with him in Las Vegas and he broke down these
rods one component at a time.
The Machined Aluminum fore-nut
The detail in which Daiwa designed these rods is
impressive, and what we initially thought might have been done with design as a
priority, in most cases turned out to be functional well thought out
engineering. Let's see just how far the rabbit hole goes...
A breakout of all the components
on just one Steez Compile-X rod
Next Section: Show me the
components! 
