The local tourney bass guys are all sold on Kistler Helium LTX and LTA flippin' rods, many trading in their Loomis flippin sticks. They like the light weight as well as the action on the Heliums. Are there any opinions out there on really good alternative blanks? Looking at 7'6" or 7'8", fast action, heavy, for 14-30 pound line. I've been looking at Graphite USA blanks, but any other suggestions? These guys are real picky and will take lots of convincing.
Thanks,
Tom

I built a Helium for a Kistler pro staffer...he provided the blank...

Honestly, I wasn't that impressed with the blank, considering how some of those Kistler fans will rave about them. It was certainly no Legend Elite or GLX. The walls weren't exceptionally thin, diameters weren't anything that stood out, it didn't feel overly light in the hand. Not that it was a bad blank, it just wasn't a blank that made me go "Wow!"

At the time, it was my understanding that Kistlers blanks were Rainshadows. And the pro staffer I built for told me he had modified many of his Helium handles and more than one blank actually had a Rainshadow sticker on it under the cork. The blank I received had no markings on it at all so I can't confirm who rolled it for Kistler.

Try out the Rainshadow blanks if your guys like Kistler so well. I think the ATC flippin' sticks would be very comperable.

Step up to a Legend Elite or GLX if you really want to wow them with a light weight stick.



...................................

Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

Tom,
I agree with Matt if you want a really nice blank you can't beat the GLX's. I've built a bunch of them for a buddy who's a semi pro bass guy and he absolutely loves them. I have another friend who is sponsored by Kistler and yes they are a nice light rod but he's broken a bunch of them. And not in car doors either. I'm not sure off hand if the GLX's are availble over 7' but I've built on four different blanks and they are very nice. Randy.

Thanks, Matt & Randy,
I've heard that Rainshadow/Kistler story from several people. As far as the GLX blanks, the bass guys I know are mostly dumping their Loomis rods for the Heliums. It's tough to watch the mass hysteria over the Kistler stuff, but then again, I'm (thankfully) just a trout fisherman. I'll check out the ATC and Rainshadow blanks. I'm just finishing an 8" 4WT Rainshadow flyrod, and it's a beauty. I'm really impressed with the fast action.
Thanks for your ideas.
Tom

I've repaired a few and wasn't impressed at all. Play the game and tell them your is filled with a argon/helium mix.

Use hydrogen instead which is lighter and if the basser can not hook the fish they can blow them out of the water with the detonation of the entrapped gasses in the blank. Kistler's marketing guys are taking advantage of the Forhan techniques for weight reduction. At the same time they are reducing costs with less cork and jacking up the price. They may be doing all of us a big favor in the long run. Bass rod prices onward and upward! How many remember when the bad run of blanks Kistler used self detonated and almost put them in the poor house. Maybe they had too much gas pumped inside.

Bill,
I am not going to make the obvious crack about you having too much gas inside, honest I am not.

Must be the red beans and rice.

Free Beano with the purchase of any Kistler!

Its all marketing with Kistler.......................Personally I think the tried and true Shikari FS 764 made a better flippin stick!

Try building on either the SCIV or SCV St Croix Flippin blanks..............those should wow the Kistler lovers!!

Emory: If I sent Trey Kistler some of the "boudin gut bombs" like the ones we sent to Woodland for the "party" last year can you imagine what his next promo would say about "gasses" in rods"!

Im building a flipping stick useing the rainshadow RX8+C865 the blank weight is 2.52oz. I weighed the components I will be putting on her with the blank it shoud all come out below 3.5 oz. that with the daiwa steez bait caster reel i use on it weights 5.5 oz. now weight his setup I think you would have the kistler beat.