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ICAST 2020 Coverage


 

Arundel Tackle Unleashes JDM Legit Design's Wild Side

 

Date: 7/14/20
Location: Virtual Event
Admission: Industry Only
Manufacturer: Arundel Tackle / Legit Design
Reviewer: Cal








Introduction:
Less frequently than the next super rare, large, and epic moon event, it seems every couple of years at ICAST we're fortunate enough to meet a new rod manufacturer threatening to shake up the status quo. Despite the virtual nature of the event, this year's show was one those affairs. Arundel Tackle out of Chicago, Illinois, is a small, family run business with a special connection to an up and coming tackle company out of Japan.

 


Legit Design launched their Wild Side in 2015 in Japan

 

Founded sometime around 2015, Legit Design, is the brain child of Iitaka Hirofumi and Onikata Takeshi and their goal is to create professional quality rods for the everyday, recreational angler. During their time at Pure Fishing Japan, the duo crafted some of the more memorable rod series for Fenwick and Tiemco, and now, out on their own, they are leveraging that expertise and letting loose their Wild Side.

 


Each rod in the series features Aramid Reinforcement

 

Wild Side Rod Series : In unleashing their Wild Side, Hirofumi and Takesshi's goal was to establish a balance between high end design features and reasonable cost. There's little purpose in designing the penultimate, super light weight fishing rod if few are going to be able to afford the experience. To that end, the blank for each specific model in their Wild Side series features its own custom blend of several grades of graphite most commonly 30T and 40T, but at times they will also use 24T for durability and 46T for sensitivity - especially with rods intended for vertical bait presentations.

 

Casting Rod Specifications

Model
Taper
Length
Lure
Line
MSRP
WSC-ST63L (solid tip mdl)
Med Fast
6'-3"
3/64 - 1/4 oz
6-12lb
$300
WSC66ML
Med Slow
6'-6"
3/16 - 1/2 oz
8-14lb
$290
WSC66M
Med Fast
6'-6"
3/16 -5/8 oz
8-16lb
$290
WSCG66ML (fiber glass)
Med Slow
6'-6"
1/4 -1/2 oz
10-16lb
$290

WSCG68M (fiber glass)

Med Slow
6'-8"
1/4 -3/4 oz
10-16lb
$295
WSC69MH (frogging rod)
Med Slow
6'-9"
1 oz max
40-80lb braid
$300
WSC-ST610ML (solid tip mdl)
Med Fast
6'-10"
1/8 -1/2 oz
7-14lb
$300
WSC610M
Med Fast
6'-10"
3/16 - 5/8 oz
8-16lb
$300
WSC610MH
Med Fast
6'-10"
3/16 - 3/4 oz
10-20lb
$300
WSC72MH
Med Fast
7'-2"
3/16 - 3/4 oz
8-16lb
$300
WSC72H
Med Fast
7'-2"
1/4 -1 oz
10-20lb
$300
WSC75XH
Med Fast
7'-5"
3.5 oz max
10-20lb
$300
WSC60ML-5 (travel rod)
Med Fast
6'-0"
1/8 - 1/2 oz
7-14lb
$310
WSC68M-5 (travel rod)
Med Fast
6'-8"
3/16 -5/8 oz
8-16lb
$320
WSC611MH-5 (travel rod)
Med Fast
6'-11"
3/16 - 3/4 oz
10-20lb
$330
WSC68-5 (travel rod)
Med Fast
6'-8"
4.5 oz
16-30lb
$340


The base casting rod models feature a split grip design

Spinning Rod Specifications

Model
Taper
Length
Lure
Line
MSRP
WSS61L
Med Fast
6'-1"
3/64 - 1/4 oz
3-6lb
$295
WSS64ML
Med Fast
6'-4"
3/32- 3/8oz
3-6lb
$295
WSS66L
Med Fast
6'-6"
1/16 - 1/4 oz
2.5-5lb
$295
WSSG62L (fiber glass)
Med Slow
6'-2"
0.15 - 0.5oz
12lb
$295
WSS ST-65L (solid tip mdl)
Med Slow
6'-5"
1/16 - 1/4 oz
3-6lb
$295
WSS69L
Med Fast
6'-9"
1/16 - 5/16 oz
3-6lb
$295
WSS70ML
Med Slow
7'-0"
3/32 - 3/8oz
3-6lb
$300
WSS63L-5 (5 piece travel)
Med Fast
6'-3"
1/32 - 1/4 oz
3-6lb
$310
WSS610ML-5 (5 piece travel)
Med Fast
6'-10"
1/16 - 3/8 oz
3-8lb
$330

Each Wild Side blank is carefully reinforced with an Aramid fiber, the base material in products such as Kevlar and Nomex, to, in their words, enhance performance and tenacity. The guide train for each rod is spaced and sized with intended applications in mind, but primarily consists of Fuji K Series, tangle free guides with stainless steel frames and SiC inserts.

Many of the heavier powered rods feature double footed guides all the way up for increased strength an durability. Fuji is also relied upon as their source for reel seats specifically ECS for casting and VSS for spinning (with an uplock design).


Spinning rods feature a familiar JDM handle


Cranking models come with a full rear grip

Handle materials are a mix of cork and EVA depending on the model with many featuring split rear grip designs and no, or minimal foregrips, but several sticks also come with full rear grips. Finesse tuned casting and spinning rods have the specialized, solid carbon tip designs with hi-vis green finishes so you can see, not just feel bites.


There are 4 models in the complete cranking lineup within Wild Side

Like many JDM rod series, the Wild Side rods feature shorter lengths and more moderate tapers than what US anglers are accustomed to, and like most rod companies today, Legit Series rods through Arundel Tackle, come with a limited 2 year warranty against manufacturer defects. However, Arundel also offers a $75 no questions asked replacement plan for that first two year period.


Big Bait sticks feature full, rear, EVA foam grips


Travel series rods are 5-piece design and should be popular. There are 6 models in all

Arundel Tackle is the official US distributor of Legit Design product. The Wild Side rod series consists of over fifty (50) models including several, multi-piece travel rods. Currently Arundel has about two dozen of these models on their website and available for purchase no doubt waiting for word to get out before bringing more. Speaking of more, Legit Design also has a series of saltwater sticks, Blue Way. As popularity grows, we can be certain Arundel has plans to bring in that series too. For now, it's time to have a talk with Arundel to see if we can unleash the Wild Side on TackleTour - stay tuned.


 

   

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