I had a chance to cast one of the new Loomis GL3 rods over the weekend. I thought it was a very nice rod and probably would have been a top of the line rod only 5 or 6 years ago. I wondered how it compares to the Loomis IMX rods in performance; which is stiffer, which has the faster action, etc. Has anyone cast both and could give a comparison?

Thanks

The material a rod is made from has almost nothing to do with how stiff it is or the action it is. Those things have to do with taper and diameter/wall thickness.

Whether you're fishing a GL3 or an IMX, model for model the stiffness is roughly equal. Action may be similar, depending upon the model and whether they chose a different action for the same model in each series.

What you will find to be different, is that normally the IMX will be a bit lighter than the GL3 for the same models. It is higher modulus fiber and everything else being equal will be lighter for the same stiffness.

The GL3 blanks are one of the best value available with a really nice combination of performance/price/durability.

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I'm sold on the reintro of the IMX to the fly line. The benefited lightness just makes it feel oh so much better and for not much more. The only problem is in production. They can't seem to get the darn IMX flyrods straight! So if you order one, see the the supplier will "cull" if for you, or in other words, find a straight one. I had a 9ft IMX that went off straight line by a few INCHES! If G. Loomis can get their quality control in order, they have found a lifetime customer of the IMX flyrods. BTW, they do "feel" stiffer, but probably more related to being lighter.
Elrod

Dennis, I use GL3's and IMX both for bass fishing (mostly spinning). I was leery of trying the GL3's but after building and fishing with one they now occupy equal space with my IMX's. I think some people percieve the GL3 as third place in Loomis' line and consider it inferior to the lines above it. But like Tom said, a 2 power is a 2 power regardless of the type of graphite in the Loomis lines. The weight difference is not noticible in actual fishing applications, at least not in the 5'-6" to 6'-6" blanks I have tried. The GL3's are truly the best "bang for the buck" over the IMX in my opinion.

I consider both the GL3 and IMX to be premium blanks. When the level of performance reaches that of these two lines, the differences will be slight. That slight advantage is what the most discriminating customers are looking for. Both lines are very good but the IMX does have a lighter, crisper feel.