What is everyone's opinion on Castaway blanks? Do they compare to MHX or Batson? Also are they manufactured in the U.S.?

IMO, they are nice blanks AND well priced. Lance at Swampland does a good job with helping folks pick the right blank for the application. As to whether they "compare" to MHX and Batson products - only YOU can decide. Unless something has changed, they are NOT manufactured in the US - they are produced in the "Eastern Rim" per earlier discussions.

Why don't you give Lance at call on Monday and have a discussion with him ... nothing beats a discussion directly with the vendor.

I've fished Castaway blanks in the Lower Laguna Madre of Texas for trout, flounder and redfish; Lake Fork Texas for bass; Lake Okechobee for bass; and in the 1,000 island area of the Florida Keys for snook and the only performance issue I've had was when I rolled an electric window up and didn't realize the tip had gone outside the car when I rolled the window down and I broke the TT off. I have a couple of Castaways that I've fished hard for 15 years and they keep on going. I hope this helps.
Sam

I build on a bunch of Castaway blanks and they are hard to beat for the money ,quality and performance. As Jim said, give Lance a call Monday and I'm sure he will fix you up with a top quality blank that will suit your needs.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

They are pretty good blanks, I still curse JP Timberlake for beating me to all of the HG40 popping blanks Lance had at the show. Those make the best shallow to small medium crankbait rods I have ever used.

And to think, I held all of them for him while he went back inside to get his keys. I could have added a handfull to my armload and he would never have missed them. JP I hope all your hooks rust !!

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

You will well pleased if you build on these. I have built on many and they indeed are a good blank and they are priced very well. There very straight and light with a very consistant finish. I had one of my Pro Staffers come to the expo and he put his hands on every blank manufacturer there, he bought a few blanks for me to build on, Castaway's. Give Lance a call he will direct you on application and series.

You can't go wrong with CastAway blanks, great quality and performance, good prices and you always get great service from Lance and Bill at Swampland.

I love them ......

I think they are one of the last ones manufactured here in the US .......... Batson and others are from the Far East

Richard Hahn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I love them ......
>
> I think they are one of the last ones manufactured
> here in the US .......... Batson and others are
> from the Far East


A post from approximately one year ago ...

The Castaway XP3 is a proprietary blank built exclusively for and to the exact specifications of Castaway Rods, in an Eastern Rim manufacturing plant, using "state of the art" tooling and high quality materials. The factory blanks are subject to an extremely high level of quality control. Prior to shipping from the Castaway facility in Montgomery, Texas all blanks are carefully inspected and each blank is subject to passing an amazing "production" type blank stress load test by a highly trained technician.

Swampland

which is is castaway top of line rod blank in bass series models and i'm not sure which one is but i'm trying to get some top of line ..

Call Lance at Swampland ... he will point you in the right direction. Click on the link in the vendor list on the left - the phone number is listed on the website.

Josh when purchasing blanks for the building of task specific bass rods the "top of the line" may not end up as the only requirement. Read the feature story by Gary Klein in the current issue of Bass Master Magazine describing the proper choice of blanks for power applications. The XP3 and the HG40 blanks by Castaway are all task specific. Please take the opportunity to use the Constact Us link at: [www.swamplandtackle.com]

I have been building on MHX blanks and I love them. So do the flats guides I have built rods for with those blanks.
I bought some very promising Castaways at the ICRBE from Lance, and have build a few rods with them. They are currently being tested, with my flats guys giving them reviews on a par with the MXX rods.
This is all subjective though...why not build a MHX and a comparable Castaway and decide for yourself?

I stand corrected ............. regardless ....... they are great blanks ............. all of the ones I had were straight as an arrow and I love the feel when playing a striper in the Chesapeake