Shimano's Connect Four
Shimano’s new four-piece rods are ultra compact
There’s something hugely satisfying about downsizing. Whether it’s clearing out the clutter in a long-forgotten shed and turning the space into something useful, or paring down your carping kit to keep you focused and nimble. Packing smarter has certainly been a big trend in angling over recent years, and tackle titans Shimano have responded with this new range of compact rods. The key to their portability is that they each break down into four sections, meaning the smallest in the range, the 9ft 3lb version, is just 76cm long when stowed away. Other rods in the range include two 10-footers and a pair of 12-footers. Although the retail prices sit between £69.99 and £94.99 they all still boast quality Seaguide eyes, premium handles and reel seats, and eye-catching green whipping.
The standard 10ft and 12ft models have a 3lb test-curve rating, but each has a beefier brother under the Intensity label for much more rigorous casting. The longer rods have a packdown length of 98cm, while the 10ft models take up just 83cm of space when broken down. Shimano’s recent Tribal TX rods have gone down a storm across all price brackets and these look set to follow suit.
What size is the 9ft rod when packed away?
It’s 5cm shorter than the late Verne Troyer, of Austin Powers fame.
It’s about twice as tall as a standard bowling pin (38.1cm).
You could lay 11 of them along the length of a London bus.
