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The
Samurai Sword of Frog Rods, the Daiwa Steez XBD
| Date: |
9/4/10 |
| Tackle type: |
Rod |
| Manufacturer: |
Daiwa |
| Reviewer: |
Zander |
Total Score: 8.25 -
ULTIMATE ENTHUSIAST!
Introduction:
Daiwa’s highest end frog
rod makes use of a new graphite construction to deliver a unique blend of light
overall weight and power and is designed specifically for braided lines. Making
use of top end components the Steez XBD reminds us of a samurai sword when it
comes to design and precision and might just be the most refined frog rod we
have seen to date.
|
Daiwa
Steez
XBD (STZ741XHFBA-XBD)
Frog Rod
Specifications
|
|
Material |
SVF XBD
Graphite |
|
Length |
7'4" |
|
Line Wt. |
55 - 80lb.
braid |
|
Lure Wt. |
1/2 -
2oz. |
|
Pieces |
1 |
|
Guides |
9 Guides
(Fuji Black
Fame/SiC) |
|
Power Rating |
Xtra-Heavy |
|
Taper |
Fast |
|
Rod Weight |
5.3 oz |
|
MSRP |
$444.99 |
The Daiwa Steez XBD rod is
designed to be the ultimate frog rod
Impressions:
Do we have any Quentin
Tarantino fans out there? How about Kill Bill fans? Ok, I’ll go first… The movie
poster hanging right on top of my workstation here at TT headquarters pretty
much sums it all up. There is a scene in Kill Bill Vol.1 where Uma Thurman (The
Bride) travels all the way to Okinawa simply to procure a blade in which to
dispose her enemies with, it is not just any weapon but a
priceless Hattori Hanzo sword. The dialogue goes as follows:
The rod features a new blend of
graphite called "SVF XBD"
Hattori Hanzo: What brings you to Okinawa?
The Bride: I'm here to see a man.
Hattori Hanzo: Oh yeah? You have a friend living in Okinawa?
The Bride: Not quite.
Hattori Hanzo: Not a friend?
The Bride: I've never met him.
Hattori Hanzo: Never? Who is he, may I ask?
The Bride: Hattori Hanzo.
Hattori Hanzo: [Serious, switches to Japanese] What do you want with
Hattori Hanzo?
The Bride: [Japanese] I need Japanese steel.
Hattori Hanzo: [Japanese] Why do you need Japanese steel?
The Bride: [Japanese] I have vermin to kill.
Hattori Hanzo: [English] You must have big rats if you need Hattori
Hanzo's steel.
The Bride: [English] ... Huge.
The rod paired very nicely with
the JDM Daiwa Alphas Ito
Maybe I’m a little sick in the head but that is the first thing that came to
mind the very first time I picked up the Daiwa Steez XBD rod. I even found
myself holding it with both hands as if presenting a sword. Instead of catching
“rats” I hoped to duel some “hawgs” with this new weapon, ummm I mean rod.
The rod is branded right on the
Air-Beam reel seat
Like an exotic Samurai sword
the Steez XBD looks and feels ultra refined, every angle of this rod features
highlights that express both exactness and strength. Designed specifically to
handle the added pressure of braided lines the Steez frog rod makes use of
SVF-XBD graphite which is sandwiched behind the company’s already proven bias
graphite through the entire length of the blank.
Reels sit very low on the Air-Beam
The goal of this design is
to build a rod with reduced weight yet greater strength. Sound like an oxymoron?
I looked forward to the actual testing to see just how these claims would pan
out.
Though the reel seat on this
particular Steez rod is not as flashy as some of the other Steez rods in color
the core still displays a range of colors in the sunlight
Next Section:
Into the lab we go
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