Carp Spirit Blax Rods

As we have seen in previous reviews, Carp Spirit are supremely capable rod builders at the very highest end, but these Blax rods demonstrate their ability to wring every last ounce of quality out of a well-priced package. With recommended retail prices hovering around the £50 mark, this comprehensive range could easily be dismissed as cheap and cheerful - but it’s anything but. It’s another indicator that this relative newcomer to the British carp scene is here to stay and set to find a whole host of new fans in 2020.

The Big Questions

What are we dealing with here?
These new Blax rods have, according to Carp Spirit, been designed to be the ‘best in class’. The £50-ish rod market is a pretty crowded space but there are plenty of features here to make these stand out.

They look good!
They really do. If you saw these in your local tackle shop or on your mate’s set-up you would struggle to believe how little they cost. The blanks are slim and have a dark matt finish. In keeping with current trends, the graphics are subtle and unobtrusive, while the 18mm DPS reel seat fits very well with the slim and functional aesthetic. 

What features do you get for the money? 
The blanks are constructed using 30-ton pre-impregnated carbon for less resin content. They are lined with high-quality double-leg SIC Sea-Guide rings, with 50mm butt rings on the 3.5lb versions and the 3lb 13-footer. The slim nature of the blank is visible in the handle section, which is abbreviated and topped off with a black anodised Carp Spirit logo on the butt. 

How big is the range?
Carp Spirit don’t do anything by halves (you’ll need two hands to pick up their massive catalogue!) so it’s no surprise that this is a full range. At the long end you’ve got two 13-footers - one with a 3lb test curve and the other with a 3.5lb test curve. There are three 12ft options, with test curves of 2.75, 3 and 3.5lb. For those anglers who prefer shorter rods, there’s a 10-footer with a 3lb test curve. And if you like your rods in three pieces, you can also buy one with a 3lb test curve in either 12 or 13ft. The cheapest rod in the range is just £39.99, rising to £59.99 for the longer options. 

Are there matching spod and marker rods?
Of course! The marker rod is a 12-footer with a 3.75lb test curve and it matches the look of the fishing rods. In addition, it’s got depth markers on the butt section at 30cm (just under a foot) and 50cm. The tip section is also luminous, which is a great advantage for feature finding in low light. You simply blast it with light from a torch to ‘charge it up’. There are two spod rods and both are 12-footers. You get a choice of a 5lb or a 4.5lb test curve and you can even specify a three-piece version.

I’m impressed… Like really impressed.
And so you should be! They not only look and feel great, but they come with a wife/girlfriend-friendly price tag too. Seriously, if you’re after a new set of rods, these are the perfect gift to yourself to get you through the dark, skint, month of January.