We often field questions to compare a Cajun Custom Rod™ to “off-the-shelf” fishing rods … so we thought it about time to give you the “no holds barred” truth of the matter. With this stated, we’ve gone into the CCR™ Build-Your-Rod pallette and have designed as close to an exact replica of a rod series that is current and available on the market today in many retail stores. So without further adue, here’s the line up: St. Croix® Legend Xtreme versus Cajun Custom Rods™.
***Legend: Red denotes an inferior difference and Green denotes a superior difference throughout the comparison.
St. Croix® Legend Extreme:
- Reel Seat: Fuji ACS Casting (Silver Hoods)
- Guide Layout: Traditional Casting
- Rod Guides: REC® Recoil Guides (9 guides)
- Rod Tip: Fuji® SiC top (titanium-coated)
- Hook Keeper: Aluminum Hook Catch (small)
- Handle Style: Split Grip with no Foregrip
- Handle Material: Supergrade Cork
- Butt Cap Material: EVA Foam
- Rod Blank: St. Croix® XC72MHM (SC V)
- Rod Length: 7 feet, 2 inches
- Rod Action: Moderate
- Rod Power: Medium Heavy
- Line Weight: 10-20 pounds
- Lure Weight: 3/8-1 ounce
- Rod Material: SC V with IPC/ART technology
- Thread Colors: 1 (black) with 1 trim color (silver)
- Rod Wrap: None
- Manufacturer’s Rod Decal: Yes
- Graphic Image Decal: None
- Custom Text Decal: None
- Rod Sock: Yes
- Warranty: Lifetime limited
Total: $ 384.99
Cajun Custom Rod™:
- Reel Seat: Fuji ACS Casting (Silver Hoods)
- Guide Layout: Traditional Casting (with choice of Tsunami wrap if desired)
- Rod Guides: REC® Recoil Guides (at least 9, possibly 10 pending rod dynamics)
- Rod Tip: REC® Recoil top (solid titanium)
- Hook Keeper: Pacific Bay Stainless Steel Hook Catch (Wide Mouth)
- Handle Style: Split Grip with no Foregrip
- Handle Material: Supergrade Premium Cork (with High Density Cork Trim)
- Butt Cap Material: Supergrade Premium Cork (with High Density Cork Trim)
- Rod Blank: St. Croix® XC72MHM (SC V)
- Rod Length: 7 feet, 2 inches
- Rod Action: Moderate
- Rod Power: Medium Heavy
- Line Weight: 10-20 pounds
- Lure Weight: 3/8-1 ounce
- Rod Material: SC V with IPC/ART technology
- Thread Colors: Up to three per rod (over 105 colors to choose from)
- Rod Wrap: Your choice (none, thread wrap, or marbled)
- Manufacturer’s Rod Decal: Yes
- Graphic Image Decal: Your choice (244 images to choose from)
- Custom Text Decal: Yes (up to three lines of text – your choice)
- Rod Sock: Yes
- Warranty: Lifetime – “No questions, Satisfaction guaranteed.”
Total: $ 417.31
The monetary difference is approximately $40. So, let’s take a look at the details between these two fishing rods and you’ll soon realize why a Cajun Custom Rod™ is superior performance fishing rod when compared to a similar “off-the-shelf” fishing rod (Note: the ‘italicized and colored’ font above details side-by-side differences between the two) and why that simple $40 is well worth your time, money, and effort … now and for many years from now:
- Rod Guides - Though both rods use REC® Recoil guide sets, the Cajun Custom Rod™ will have a minimum of 9 guides placed on the rod with a possibility that the rod will require a 10th guide to ensure the rod is placed into the optimum parabolic bend when under either a static or dynamic load. Why an additional guide … because no two rods are alike … even if the rods are designed using the same “type” of rod blank … no two blanks are the same (i.e., graphite is a non-homogenous material and therefore no two rods could ever be the same). So, when CCR™ builds up their rods, each rod is load tested while its being fitted for rod guides … using both a static series and dynamic series test so that we can 100% ensure that our rods are the very best under any load situation. Oh, by the way, at Cajun Custom Rods™ … we underwrap every rod guide to ensure that the “metal” guide foot does not damage the rod blank either in a “rest” or “under load” position … and then we wrap the guide to the blank. Details … yes, details definitely count when it comes to a performance fishing rod.
- Rod Tip - The Cajun Custom Rod™ rod tip is an exact match … a perfect fit designed for the REC® Recoil special nickel titanium guide set. The St. Croix® Legend Extreme rod uses an inferior rod tip (inferior because the tip is not the same as the guides and made of stainless steel with a titanium chrome plating). If you’re going to spend the money to put titanium guides on a rod that use RECOIL guides … which are made from an extremely hard but flexible “Shape Memory” alloy, which does not require plating, cannot corrode in any environment, and returns or “RECOILs” to its original shape after repeated deformations … then why put a tip that doesn’t match on the same rod? CCR™ can only guess, but most likely has to do with cutting their costs.
- Hook Keeper - The Cajun Custom Rod™ hook keeper is manufactured by Pacific Bay (a known, reputable manufacturer of superior fishing rod components), fabricated using 100% corrosion-proof stainless steel, and designed with a “large, wide-mouth” loop for ease of actually placing and removing lure or fishing hooks. The St. Croix® Legend Extreme rod uses a “no-name” aluminum hook catch. Not only is it likely to bend, but has great potential to corrode and good luck trying to get a treble hook in and out of the small loop in its design. Why go cheap on such a small component you ask? Yep – it cuts their costs, but at your expense.
- Handle Material - The Cajun Custom Rod™ uses a superior grade of cork for its handle systems … period. Our cork is trimmed with a hard-rubber-cork ring to provide durability where the cork is the weakest on any fishing rod … and undoubtedly, the aestheics … well, the CCR™ cork just looks better … guess it goes with the territory
- Butt Cap - The Cajun Custom Rod™ has a butt cap that is matched to the rest of the handle system, leveraging superior cork for both durability and aesthetics. The St. Croix® Legend Extreme rod uses EVA foam for its butt cap … really? Come on guys, not only is it not as durable as cork, it doesn’t even look right on your rod (except that maybe it matches the color of the thread you use) … we’re stumped on this one but again, we’re betting that its a cost saver on the overall manufacture of your rod.
- Thread Color, Rod Wrap, Decals - We’re combining all of these into a single description of “why” and “how” Cajun Custom Rods™ is better and worth the extra few dollars simply because the St. Croix® Legend Extreme rod doesn’t offer these options. When a customer selects a Cajun Custom Rod™, they have “Freedom of Choice” … with up to three rod wrap colors to select for rod guide and rod decorative wraps (and over 105 different colors to choose from), 244 graphic image decals, and an infinite combination of text for a customized decal (that you write/choose, and select) for your rod … well, the evidence speaks for itself. Essentially, we put the “custom” into a custom fishing rod. It’s your rod, your design, wouldn’t it only make sense to be empowered to “choose” from only premium components? Yeah, we thought so too
- Warranty - The Cajun Custom Rods™ warranty is simple: lifetime, no questions, and “if it ain’t right … we fix it!” When you call us … you get a person who helps you then … not later. When we looked at the warranty offered by St. Croix … well, let’s just say there’s a lot of “fine print” in their “limited lifetime” writings.
The bottom line:
Cajun Custom Rods™ wins in a head-to-head comparison of the St. Croix® Legend Extreme fishing rod due to:
- You get more “bang” for your hard-earned “buck.”
- You get better rod components: a) that actually match, b) are more durable, c) are 100% corrosion proof, d) add to the performance of the rod, and e) compliment the aesthetics of the fishing rod.
- You have “freedom of Choice:” a) better selection of rod thread colors (number of colors overall and available for your rod design), b) graphic image decals, c) custom text decals.
- CCR™’s warranty is what a warranty is meant to be … because our rods are that good!
- The CCR™ rod is custom-designed (by you) and handcrafted (by us) … personalized, hand-tuned, and custom-fit … one rod at-a-time. At Cajun Custom Rods™, we build the finest hand-tailored custom fishing rods that are as unique as the anglers who fish them…. so the quality is through and through superior to any fishing rod that is manufactured.
