[kjnengr]

Unpopular opinion but Im gona say it, the NRX is only an OK rod. Come to think of it, of the best fly fisherman i know, none of them throw the Loomis rods. You people who love the the NRX probably only buy Glocks. Quit drinking the coolaid and stop using google to buy “the best 8wt for saltwater’

What then is the "best 8wt for salwater" ?

 

[Brandonssmith]

I can't speak to the Orvis H3, specifically, but I've owned the OG NRX 10 weight for about 5 years so can provide a bit of feedback there.

It is an awesome rod, but it will tell you exactly how many cups of coffee you had that morning.

Very strong in the butt, soft in the tip, casts beautifully at all ranges and is crazy powerful. However, it also requires an experienced caster and very precise application of power. It took me a long time to cast it well.

I recently took it out to cast side by side with newer rods like the Sage Maverick, Scott Sector, TFO Axiom 2, T&T Sextant and the NRX and still much preferred the older NRX.

So if you're looking for one of the most precise, powerful rods out there, that'd be a good choice. I would imagine it's great in more technical situations, but would not be my choice for blind casting. For comparison, the NRX+ is more user friendly with a stronger tip.

Loomis rods are crazy durable, too.

Hope this helps!

Agree. The old NRX 10 is a beast and one of the best. I used SA Tarpon on mine and it worked great.

 

[Reese Hunt]

10wt big reds jack fish

Tks

 

[Reese Hunt]

I can't speak to the Orvis H3, specifically, but I've owned the OG NRX 10 weight for about 5 years so can provide a bit of feedback there.

It is an awesome rod, but it will tell you exactly how many cups of coffee you had that morning.

Very strong in the butt, soft in the tip, casts beautifully at all ranges and is crazy powerful. However, it also requires an experienced caster and very precise application of power. It took me a long time to cast it well.

I recently took it out to cast side by side with newer rods like the Sage Maverick, Scott Sector, TFO Axiom 2, T&T Sextant and the NRX and still much preferred the older NRX.

So if you're looking for one of the most precise, powerful rods out there, that'd be a good choice. I would imagine it's great in more technical situations, but would not be my choice for blind casting. For comparison, the NRX+ is more user friendly with a stronger tip.

Loomis rods are crazy durable, too.

Hope this helps!

Thank you good info

 

[Pierson]

What then is the "best 8wt for salwater" ?

The one that fits your casting style best after trying 5 or so different top end rods.

I poke fun at the NRX crowd because I have a feeling they bought one because of the Yellowstone Angler 8wt Shootouts, thinking George Anderson did all the hard work for you. Then any post about the NRX vs "insert rod here" turns into a circle jerk of everyone saying "I haven't tried the other rod you are asking about but the NRX is the BEST HANDS DOWN." Is that really a helpful comparison?

I remember when I bought my first NRX, I was so excited to never buy another rod and be completely blown away. After trying the Sage One, Hardy Zephrus, and Scott Meridian, I had the NRX at the very bottom of my list and sold it feeling like I learned a valuable lesson. The Loomis marketing hype totally got me.

Now all that being said, the NRX may be the perfect rod for you no doubt. But because it appeals to the masses I am highly skeptical when someone raves about it compared to another rod they haven't tried.

 

[kjnengr]

The one that fits your casting style best after trying 5 or so different top end rods.

I poke fun at the NRX crowd because I have a feeling they bought one because of the Yellowstone Angler 8wt Shootouts, thinking George Anderson did all the hard work for you. Then any post about the NRX vs "insert rod here" turns into a circle jerk of everyone saying "I haven't tried the other rod you are asking about but the NRX is the BEST HANDS DOWN." Is that really a helpful comparison?

I remember when I bought my first NRX, I was so excited to never buy another rod and be completely blown away. After trying the Sage One, Hardy Zephrus, and Scott Meridian, I had the NRX at the very bottom of my list and sold it feeling like I learned a valuable lesson. The Loomis marketing hype totally got me.

Now all that being said, the NRX may be the perfect rod for you no doubt. But because it appeals to the masses I am highly skeptical when someone raves about it compared to another rod they haven't tried.

Perfect answer.

I think too often people pick a rod based on reviews on the internet rather than to pick a line first and then decide the chosen rod that throws that line well based on your casting stroke and typical distance.

I think the Yellowstone Angler shootouts sold a shit ton of Loomis rods for themselves and other fly shops based on the number of years that they put the Loomis at the top of the rankings. I am cautious to make a comparison to anything I haven't tried myself so I agree with you there.

I think their shootouts are helpful, but you have to take them with a grain of salt and be able to read through the hype and extract the actual information. I will say that I have used the Yellowstone Angler shootouts to help buy two rods - both of which I am happy with. I say "help" because I analyzed their findings/thoughts and made my decision of what to try/buy based on rod attributes rather than to just looking at the overall ranking. They post(ed) deflection charts which I find helpful for understanding how/where a rod flexes. Also, George is pretty good at describing what the rod is doing when he's casting it. Knowing (at the time) what I prefer in the way a rod casts, I chose a rod based on factors that work well for my cast regardless of what George said is the "perfect" rod. Also, when reading through the shootout findings, I tend to focus on the distances I typically cast at. Therefore, my results would be weighed differently distance wise than theirs.

 

[mt hwy]

I like Trident Fly Fishing reviews for rods and lines. Still absolutely no substitute for casting in person, if you go by reviews youre taking a chance.

 

[Ahud88]

NRX 100%
Orvis rod's having warranty and quality control issues! NRX is handsdown the best.

 

[Jason M]

I’ve not rushed the NRX but the Helios rod line is very good. I love the 1 piece Helios.

 

[Cory Michner]

NRX 100%
Orvis rod's having warranty and quality control issues! NRX is handsdown the best.

Agree. And FWIW, I think the NRX (and the older CCGLX's, for that matter) built their reputation because they had a ton of reserve power and were a tremendous option for salt, but I don't think most people ever felt like they were the absolute smoothest rods, nor were they the most forgiving.

They became a cult classic in the salt because they were unbelievably reliable and durable. The amount of abuse those rods can take and just keep on ticking is ridiculous. Wind don't matter. Fish size don't matter, just pull its face off haha. The Deneki folks speak to it pretty well: G.Loomis NRX Saltwater Rods – Still Great: "There’s no doubt why so many experienced anglers and broke fishing guides have a love-affair with the NRX."

Manage to break it somehow? Send Loomis $100 and get a brand new rod in 3 days.

That said, there were some absolute casting beauties in those lineups: The real standouts to me were the CCGLX 8 and 11, and the NRX 10 and 12 (I haven't cast the 9 but I heard it was epic).

@Reese Hunt what'd you end up with???

 

[Reese Hunt]

Agree. And FWIW, I think the NRX (and the older CCGLX's, for that matter) built their reputation because they had a ton of reserve power and were a tremendous option for salt, but I don't think most people ever felt like they were the absolute smoothest rods, nor were they the most forgiving.

They became a cult classic in the salt because they were unbelievably reliable and durable. The amount of abuse those rods can take and just keep on ticking is ridiculous. Wind don't matter. Fish size don't matter, just pull its face off haha. The Deneki folks speak to it pretty well: G.Loomis NRX Saltwater Rods – Still Great: "There’s no doubt why so many experienced anglers and broke fishing guides have a love-affair with the NRX."

Manage to break it somehow? Send Loomis $100 and get a brand new rod in 3 days.

That said, there were some absolute casting beauties in those lineups: The real standouts to me were the CCGLX 8 and 11, and the NRX 10 and 12 (I haven't cast the 9 but I heard it was epic).

@Reese Hunt what'd you end up with???

The Orvis 10# it seemed a little for my style. Tks

 

[Treecutter]

Wish Sage made a 12wt Igniter its the best 10wt on the market