Zziplex is back ?

[wingnut55]

For as new/second hand.

Brand new..

Ian.

 

[Beach]

Brand new..

Ian.

Not when stored in the shop for 18+ months.

 

[wingnut55]

Not when stored in the shop for 18+ months.

The blank was purchased from zziplex, Chris at Gerry's finally got it built 2 weeks ago, but then decided he didn't want it. So it's new mate, rods sit in shops for months/years and are still new.

Ian.

 

[Beach]

The blank was purchased from zziplex, Chris at Gerry's finally got it built 2 weeks ago, but then decided he didn't want it. So it's new mate, rods sit in shops for months/years and are still new.

Ian.

Maybe

 

[Topwater]

I doubt Chris is short of tackle. He'll need cash for his sunbed sessions though

 

[ROCK ROVER]

Century just cashing in on a brand that was 200 times better than there's

 

[blakdog is back]

Century just cashing in on a brand that was 200 times better than there's

Thats a very, very questionable comment.

In many ways Century was actually light years ahead of Zziplex (and still is). Century certainly makes a good quality product and they standardized their products which is good for the retailer and the consumer because everybody knows what they are getting ... as good as Zziplex were they were always some mystical brand that only certain people knew what was what with this model and that (their product information and marketing was prehistoric to be brutally honest) .. .and though customisation for the individual is great on the casting circuit it became a two-headed monster for the brand ... I've seen at least a couple of examples where a pair of the supposedly same rod where worlds apart.

Technically Century were also ahead in some areas .... certainly if you have small hands and like a low diameter butt then you'll have a lot to thank Century for ... the original Tip Tornado was a breath of fresh air for those of us that wanted a top flight rod but didn't have hands like a navvie.

 

[Beach]

Thats a very, very questionable comment.

In many ways Century was actually light years ahead of Zziplex (and still is). Century certainly makes a good quality product and they standardized their products which is good for the retailer and the consumer because everybody knows what they are getting ... as good as Zziplex were they were always some mystical brand that only certain people knew what was what with this model and that (their product information and marketing was prehistoric to be brutally honest) .. .and though customisation for the individual is great on the casting circuit it became a two-headed monster for the brand ... I've seen at least a couple of examples where a pair of the supposedly same rod where worlds apart.

Technically Century were also ahead in some areas .... certainly if you have small hands and like a low diameter butt then you'll have a lot to thank Century for ... the original Tip Tornado was a breath of fresh air for those of us that wanted a top flight rod but didn't have hands like a navvie.

My neighbour has a century travel beach rod, they seem to have stopped making them.

 

[Shirleycodlin]

Thats a very, very questionable comment.

In many ways Century was actually light years ahead of Zziplex (and still is). Century certainly makes a good quality product and they standardized their products which is good for the retailer and the consumer because everybody knows what they are getting ... as good as Zziplex were they were always some mystical brand that only certain people knew what was what with this model and that (their product information and marketing was prehistoric to be brutally honest) .. .and though customisation for the individual is great on the casting circuit it became a two-headed monster for the brand ... I've seen at least a couple of examples where a pair of the supposedly same rod where worlds apart.

Technically Century were also ahead in some areas .... certainly if you have small hands and like a low diameter butt then you'll have a lot to thank Century for ... the original Tip Tornado was a breath of fresh air for those of us that wanted a top flight rod but didn't have hands like a navvie.

Pretty much spot on.
I would have been a diawa/century/conoflex user, were it not for the simple reason that the zziplex factory was 10 minutes from my front door and would do the customisation I wanted.

 

[concrete]

Thats a very, very questionable comment.

In many ways Century was actually light years ahead of Zziplex (and still is). Century certainly makes a good quality product and they standardized their products which is good for the retailer and the consumer because everybody knows what they are getting ... as good as Zziplex were they were always some mystical brand that only certain people knew what was what with this model and that (their product information and marketing was prehistoric to be brutally honest) .. .and though customisation for the individual is great on the casting circuit it became a two-headed monster for the brand ... I've seen at least a couple of examples where a pair of the supposedly same rod where worlds apart.

Technically Century were also ahead in some areas .... certainly if you have small hands and like a low diameter butt then you'll have a lot to thank Century for ... the original Tip Tornado was a breath of fresh air for those of us that wanted a top flight rod but didn't have hands like a navvie.

I’ve cast with three different M4 GTs and they were nothing like each other. One was actually awful to cast with.

 

[Topwater]

Century just cashing in on a brand that was 200 times better than there's

That is laughable. They may be better in your opinion but "200 times better" is a ridiculous statement. Perhaps your fishing for an argument? If so I'm not biting

 

[stan m]

I’ve cast with three different M4 GTs and they were nothing like each other. One was actually awful to cast with.

I was given an order once to build 8 zzippies for a shop, all identical. Needed 3 different tip sizes for the 8 blanks. Poor quality control

 

[Topwater]

What you could describe as an artisan approach to a modern construction process!

 

[Live in hope]

the zziplex range used to be a minefield and the amount of rods changing hands after a few months of use said a lot. I was lucky I was able to try a fair few and tbh none really suited me butt diameter and weight around the ferrule negating any feedback made me go the century tip tornado route at that time. I still own my centuries and afaw match pro’s. Always loved the amorphorous whisker from daiwa back in the day. The new zippy’s I’ve not tried but would imagine they are a lot more uniform with less variation. what suits one may not suit another but saying there is a huge gap when in reality was more likely just a personal preference is just a throwback to the days on the beach arguing about who’s rods were better was just a dick measuring contest. Had two blokes on Chesil choose to ignore me because I used century rods but set up 20 yards from me mate who used zippys and didn’t give him 5 min of peace all day dodged a bullet on that one

 

[Topwater]

'Best' in terms of any tackle items is very subjective, most of it come down to personal preference/choice. Brand snobs are blinkered idiots imo. I keep on saying this but you've got to cherry pick the good bits that suit your needs/tastes from any manufacturer

 

[wingnut55]

As Topwater states, who makes the best rods is subjective, like everything in life, one mans meat is another mans poison, we pays our money and makes our choice. I for one love my zzips and AFAWS, but others won't, and that's how life is.

Ian.

 

[Topwater]

AFAW make some great gear and so they should do sering as Julian Shambrook has plenty of experience and a network of good anglers testing/product placing (or to use yet another terrible modern Americanism acting as "Brand Ambassadors" - FFS get a grip! They're field testing salesmen and we all know it ! ) BUT considering where they are made they are poor value for money, like 35% more than they should be, imo.

 

[goose]

Agree and I like and own century but have owned zziplex in the past and did briefly have AFAW gbfs which is a nice powerful rod but not as nicely finished and as said above expensive. Some won't buy a rod simply because they consider it to be too expensive even when they could easily afford it but price is also relevant to how much use you get from it. For well over twenty years all I used was a pair of zziplex zf250's but when offered more than they were worth I decided to sell them on and bought a pair of TTGSM but being near retirement age and intending to fish up north more I've also bought T900's and I keep looking at getting a pair of lite clean ground rods like the TT ultralites. After the best part of twenty five years of being happy with just the zzipies and spending sod all suddenly I've spent for me what is a small fortune but if the kit lasts till I pop my clogs and I enjoy using it I don't really care. If people think beach rods are expensive take a look at high end fly and lure rods.

 

[Trampster]

Some won't buy a rod simply because they consider it to be too expensive even when they could easily afford it but price is also relevant to how much use you get from it.

Totally agree, well said.

For various reasons, I haven't been out yet since last October.
My Vertix Conti rod cost me just over £50. Cheap in an online eBay auction, brand new, Fuji rings & reel seat.
I've since got another one, same brand, for nowt, as someone broke the tip on it and gave it to me to repair.
Short bit of Carbon Fibre tube and some epoxy, and it's good as new.

 

[mojocvh]

I was given an order once to build 8 zzippies for a shop, all identical. Needed 3 different tip sizes for the 8 blanks. Poor quality control

I've had the metal ring/band on the butt pull off with the butt cap, Prof Evo.

It was held on with what appeared to be masking tape.

Perhans the highly skilled cnc operator undercut the blank too much then.

Stuck it back with variable windings [it's also tapered] of proper 3m technical double sided tape .

Never had any issues with my 3 other Zzipies, then again I don't buy pairs.

So you can have production variations with the best of them.