Price and Applications: If you browse tackle forums and social media platforms there are plenty of user comments questioning the company’s aggressive claims. Some of that comes from the fact that Trika is a new brand that most anglers haven’t heard of, but most of this comes from the boldness of the claims themselves which invites skepticism, and it this price point anglers have every right to question the comparisons. The company backs the claims up with some independent testing but keeps the competitors anonymous, and as we have learned many times over how a product performs in a controlled lab, or environment, doesn’t necessarily translate to how it feels or performs on the water. As an analogy think about a car manufacturer that builds an engine with the highest output with a hand built aluminum frame that offers high rigidity and low weight. While a lot of these elements may be best in class how that car really performs, or "feels," in the hands of drivers is something completely different once it hits various road conditions.

While the 7'7 XH/F rod is capable of throwing lighter swimbaits it really started to feel under-rodded, and too moderate, for full sized swimbaits. I'd like to see Trika come out with a longer and more powerful true XH or XXH dedicated swimbait stick

While I completely understand where the skepticism from anglers comes from with claims as bold as the ones the company is making, I can also see why the designers at Trika are confident in their new rods. Depending on which rods you compare the Trika sticks to we can see how some of the claims may be justifiable, especially when followed by the term “On Average.” While I did not find the Trika rods to be the most sensitive, or the most powerful, when compared with rods of all price-points I did find them to be very sensitive and offer a unique power curve while delivering an overall very engaging fishing experience. When compared with other rods at the $299 dollar price point, I found them to be especially compelling.

The more I fished the Trika rods the more I appreciated the sensitivity and unique feel of these blanks. It is a plus that the company is also offering blanks so anglers can build their own sticks with upgraded drivetrains

In terms of casting, the Trika rods excel when fishing baits that are on the heavier side of their rated range, anything 1/2oz. and up, and more akin to other rods at the lower end of the weight range. Power and the way the backbone kicks in feels different than the average rod, and once you get used to the unique taper these rods feel good during strikes and the ensuing battles.

When it comes to sensitivity this is where I really feel that Trika has created something special at this price point. While I found NRX+ rods more sensitive they are also considerably more expensive, and I also wonder just how these Trika blanks would feel with a similar hybrid recoil and SiC drivetrain.

We may very well find out as Trika is offering the very same blanks for builders to create their own customized rods.

There is a lot to like about the new Trika rods including proprietary components and excellent sensitivity

Between the two rods that I focused on fishing since launch I found myself fishing the 7’5” Medium Heavy Fast action rod more. This rod feels more versatile for bass fishing applications and while the 7’7” Xtra Heavy rod is rated for lure weights 1-3oz. and billed as a swimbait stick it really is on the lighter end of the spectrum for most hard bodied big baits. Fishing full sized wakes or rats on the 7’7” is possible but it is arguable that Trika doesn’t really yet offer a full-sized X-Heavy swimbait stick in their lineup yet. This rod feels more like a pitching stick than the big bait rod most swimbait enthusiasts are looking for to throw their full sized glides and wakes. I did find that this rod made an excellent striper rod as it was particularly well suited for throwing 1-3oz. baits including big ripbaits, poppers, paddletail swimbaits, spoons, and bucktails. The 7’3” Medium Heavy Fast action rod is probably the most conventional “do it all” rod, what we would call a candidate for “The Search for One,” and is the stick that we will be releasing an in-depth review on later this week, in what is basically a part 2 of this article.

Conclusion: Trika has created an interesting, and quite compelling new offering, with their signature line of new rods. Though some of their claims invite skepticism don’t let that dissuade you from giving these new rods a chance. The Trika rods that I have fished thus far have all performed well, proven to be very sensitive, and feel fresh. These rods look different, feel distinct, and stand apart from the vast sea of same-ness that so many other rods seem content to reside in.

Trika's first foray into rods is a good one. While I found some of their claims overly bold there was also a lot I liked about the rods, the 7'5 MH/F rod in particular, and the company's warranty/guarantee

Unless you specifically like a tactical look and feel, or love all things carbon fiber, the Trika rods may not exude the type of personality or fun-factor as some of the established offerings from premium American and JDM brands, and the styling doesn’t translate as well on screen as some of the competing rods.

I found that these rods both looked and felt better in person, and after fishing them for just a few hours I really started to appreciate how balanced they were, and how fun they were with a fish on the line. At first the rods felt softer, or lighter in action under load than I expected, so  found myself trying to stress the outer limits of these rods with larger and heavier lures, but the Trika rods always seemed more than ready for the challenge.

It doesn’t take long to appreciate just how balanced and sensitive these rods are, and Trika is literally betting that anglers will like the rods once they get a chance to experience them with a satisfaction guarantee that is just as bold as their marketing claims.

The Trika 7'5" MH/F rod feels pretty special to me and I continue to find it very versatile. It is a great value for the money and you can basically test drive it for a year

Not only does Trika offer a Limited Lifetime Warranty on all their rods the company is also providing anglers with an aggressive one-year unconditional money back guarantee. This means that anglers can fish these rods for a full year and if they are unsatisfied for any reason Trika will exchange or refund the full purchase price of the rod. This guarantee even covers all scenarios, meaning the rod will be replaced or refunded even if it is accidentally broken, there is a manufacture defect of any kind, or anglers simply decide they don’t want it anymore. A year is a long time to decide whether the rod either fails to meet or exceed expectations, and even though we don’t agree with all the company’s intrepid claims, I believe that most anglers will have a similar experience to myself and only further appreciate the unique design attributes, sensitivity, and engaging performance that these rods offer. If I had to recommend test driving just one or two rods, I would suggest either the 7’3” MH/Fast or 7’5” MH/Fast which are good examples of just how versatile the Trika rods can be. Though $299 dollars is a lot of money when you consider just how different the Trika rods are, and how effective and fun they are to fish, coupled with a no-risk guarantee, the Trika 7’5” rod really is a strong value, and a Best Value Award Winner for those looking not just for a strong value proposition, but a premium product that boldly offers unique styling and elevated performance versus what you would normally expect from other rods at this price point, and even some that retail for more.

Looking for Trika Rods? Try the Trika's direct to consumer web store