Allerton rod weight?

[frothy]

Can anyone help me with the weight of the Tricast Allerton premier match rod weights, in particular the 15ft?
For some reason the rod weight isn’t give on their website unlike most of the other ranges they do.

I’m currently looking for a new trotter. I own a Acolyte which unlike most I just can’t take too, I’ve used it several times but
for me is just doesn’t feel right. I own a few other Tricast rods which love so the Allerton seems a fair bet.
Any feedback on the Allerton rods would be much appreciated.

 

[Paul.P]

I've got a 15'r, don't know the weight but its a sublime rod, just wish they had made them like this 20 years ago when I fished rivers a lot more . You could always ring tricast they will tell you ?, or if your in no hurry, i'll dig mine out at the weekend & weigh it.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Sorry, my 15' Allerton was swapped for a second 15'6" Sphere, so I can't give you the weight. None of the scales I have access to are accurate enough to give figures anyway. However, I know that it was a reasonable chunk heavier than either of the 15' Acolytes. It's also heavier than the 15'6" Sphere (which is just a few grams heavier than the Acolytes) and at least felt heavier than the 15' Maver Signature Classic (which I consider to be mighty close to the Acolytes in many respects. Whatever else the Allertons may be, especially light they are not. I still have both types of 13' Allerton, but they rarely see the bank now.

 

[frothy]

Sorry, my 15' Allerton was swapped for a second 15'6" Sphere, so I can't give you the weight. None of the scales I have access to are accurate enough to give figures anyway. However, I know that it was a reasonable chunk heavier than either of the 15' Acolytes. It's also heavier than the 15'6" Sphere (which is just a few grams heavier than the Acolytes) and at least felt heavier than the 15' Maver Signature Classic (which I consider to be mighty close to the Acolytes in many respects. Whatever else the Allertons may be, especially light they are not. I still have both types of 13' Allerton, but they rarely see the bank now.

I see you mention the sphere spliced tip which I have also considered but unfortunately I don’t think any shops local
to me stock them and it’s another step up in budget to risk buying without a waggle?

 

[Sam Vimes]

I see you mention the sphere spliced tip which I have also considered but unfortunately I don’t think any shops local to me stock them and it’s another step up in budget to risk buying without a waggle?

I'd not recommend that anyone buy a rod blind (even if I do it myself on occasion). Might be worth a trip outside your usual circle of tackle shops, or a detour to a definite stockist if you happen to be passing close to a more distant shop.

There are things about the Spheres that some people will just not get on with. Some will not accept the Duplon handle. I like a bit of cork, I wasn't overly keen to start with myself. Some won't like the reel seat. I wouldn't have taken a blind punt on them. Once I'd had a good waggle, including with my preferred reels fitted, I was a lot more enthusiastic. After using them a lot this year, I've become even more enthusiastic about them. If I fish a river, I have to force myself to use one of the many good alternatives I own.

 

[Silverfisher]

Good point on the handle, to me coarse rods should have cork handles as they just don't look or feel right to me without them. Silly really but is just what I like.

Got to ask Sam how many float rods do you actually have? It always seems like an impressive number!

 

[Sam Vimes]

Got to ask Sam how many float rods do you actually have? It always seems like an impressive number!

I've no idea. I avoid counting them even better than I try to avoid selling them. On the one, two, many, lots scale, I definitely have lots. I have a stack of favourites, a stack of keepers that I don't use that much, and a stack that I might just get around to selling one day.

 

[Silverfisher]

More than the rods I have in total I suspect then

 

[nejohn]

Just weighed my 13ft and 15ft allertons on the kitchen scales so not sure how accurate they are ..the 13ft was 161grms and the 15ft was 212grms also checked the scales with a 13ft Maver liquid crystal that came in at 132grms which is about right

 

[frothy]

Just weighed my 13ft and 15ft allertons on the kitchen scales so not sure how accurate they are ..the 13ft was 161grms and the 15ft was 212grms also checked the scales with a 13ft Maver liquid crystal that came in at 132grms which is about right

Thanks for doing this, seems that they are by no means the lightest but that said the Weight it’s the be all and endangered all, the Acolytes are super light but I cannot get on with them at all ??‍

 

[The Ginger Bread Man]

Thanks for doing this, seems that they are by no means the lightest but that said the Weight it’s the be all and endangered all, the Acolytes are super light but I cannot get on with them at all ??‍

Have you seen the Allerton stick floats on eBay, his son is selling them or its John using his sons account? Superb.

 

[tipitinmick]

Personally I don't worry about how much a float / match rod weighs. I feel for the balance more than anything. Back in the day we used to take the rubber bung off the cork handle, glue in a 1oz lead and take it from there. You'd be surprised at how light a rod feels by adding weight to the butt.

 

[frothy]

Have you seen the Allerton stick floats on eBay, his son is selling them or its John using his sons account? Superb.

I’ll have a look, I could always do with a few more ?

 

[Sam Vimes]

Having recently acquired a decent set of kitchen scales, I've just had a geek session (it's winter and I can't be bothered to go fishing!). I make no claims for the scales being perfectly accurate, but they are adequate enough for a general idea. Naturally, they are just bare weight figures, they take no account of the balance of the rod. Some lighter weight rods can actually feel lighter in hand than some heavier ones. In one case in particular, bare weight figures suggest that some claims made for them are absolute rubbish.

The following are all 13' hollow tipped rods:-
Browning Sphere Match --------------------------- 144g
Drennan Acolyte Ultra ----------------------------- 146g
Drennan Acolyte Plus ------------------------------ 150g
Tri-Cast Allerton Waggler -------------------------- 156g
Maver Matchwinner Liquid Crystal ---------------- 177g
Normark Microlight II ------------------------------ 177g
Normark Titan II ----------------------------------- 178g
Shimano Speedcast ------------------------------- 193g
Daiwa (Tom Pickering) Matchwinner-S Waggler - 195g
Daiwa (Tom Pickering Matchwinner Waggler ----- 195g
Daiwa Air AGS ------------------------------------- 205g
Shimano Aerocast --------------------------------- 219g

The Aerocast is well known to be a right porker. Despite this, I love them for their action. Unsurprisingly, I don't use them for trotting. They do make for a very good comparison in this list. The two Daiwa Matchwinners were included because they are approaching 30 years old and aren't particularly lauded as being good, or light, rods. It was interesting to me that the two types were the same weight. The later S version is noticeably thinner and feels lighter in hand. The two Normarks surprised me a little, they feel comparable to the Acolyte/Sphere in hand. I suspect that the large rubber Fuji butt cap adds a fair amount of the extra weight, but it does improve the balance. Worth noting that these are the early MKII version not the late 13/14' model. The Air AGS also surprised me. By no means is it a bad rod. It also feels ok in hand. However, how the marketing men, or anyone reviewing it, can claim that it's particularly lightweight is quite beyond me.

Here are a few longer, or spliced tip, rods that may give lie to some of the less realistic claims for some of the above rods being lightweight.

13' Tri-Cast Allerton (spliced tip) --------- 162g
13'6" Browning Sphere Spliced Tip River - 162g
15' Drennan Acolyte Ultra ---------------- 168g
15' Drennan Acolyte Plus ----------------- 169g
15' Maver Signature Pro Classic ---------- 179g
15'6" Browning Sphere Splice Tip River - 184g
17' Drennan Acolyte Float ---------------- 199g

I find it rather amusing that the 17' Drennan Acolyte is lighter than the 13' Daiwa Air AGS.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Some lighter weight rods can actually feel lighter in hand than some heavier ones.

Needless to say, this is arse about face. Some heavier rods can actually feel lighter in hand than lighter ones.

 

[SpenBeck]

All the above weights give you a good start, but the best information you require for a float rod is where the centre of gravity (balance point) is on the rod?
The closer to the handle the C of G is, the better it will feel.
Also, there is the action? From a stiff action for stick float fishing to a through action where playing bigger fish will help stopping hook pulls.

It's a shame rod manufacturers don't supply this information for the amount of money we pay. It also might give away the fact that modern rods have not advanced like we think they have?

 

[Silverfisher]

Seems only a few brands opening state their weights without needing intensive research.

Quick google of the two brands I have float rods from revealed the following and knowing the weights contributed to my purchasing of both brands 13 footers.

Drennan acolyte ultras as 11ft - 128g 12ft 138g (questionably heavier than 13ft) 13ft - 135g, 14ft - 149g, 15ft - 163g and 17ft - 198g

Cadence CR10 #1 as 11ft - 152g, 12ft and 13ft - 162g (sounds questionable to be the same) 14ft - 182g, 15ft - 206g 16ft - 230g and 18ft - 262g

 

[Sam Vimes]

The closer to the handle the C of G is, the better it will feel.

It depends on what exactly you mean by this. If a rod balances on the reel stem, it will feel light. If it balances a bit further back, the rod might actually feel even lighter. However, for the best overall feel in use, the balance point needs to be slightly forward of the reel stem. If the balance ends up too far forward, even a really light rod will feel heavy in use.

It's very rare to encounter a rod that balances as far back as the reel stem, even on short rods. The exceptions largely revolve around those that have been subjected to misguided modifications, or those that have badly utilised adjustable balance weights. I've yet to encounter a standard float rod of any description that will balance as far back as the reel stem, even with a particularly heavy reel (Abu 507 Mk2 Goldmax) fitted.

I've just got a ridiculously light 11' Acolyte Ultra out (129g). With an Abu 507 Goldmax (410g) fitted, it balances 6cm forward of the reel stem (too far back for my liking). Without a reel fitted, it balances 20cm up from where Abu reel stem would have been. With a Stradic Ci4+ 2500RA (267g) it balances 7cm forward of the reel stem. With a Hardy Conquest centrepin (228g) it balances 8cm up from the reel stem. Either of the latter work for me. The Goldmax is OK on a longer rod, but it's stupid to put it on this one.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Seems only a few brands opening state their weights without needing intensive research.

Quick google of the two brands I have float rods from revealed the following and knowing the weights contributed to my purchasing of both brands 13 footers.

Drennan acolyte ultras as 11ft - 128g 12ft 138g (questionably heavier than 13ft) 13ft - 135g, 14ft - 149g, 15ft - 163g and 17ft - 198g

Cadence CR10 #1 as 11ft - 152g, 12ft and 13ft - 162g (sounds questionable to be the same) 14ft - 182g, 15ft - 206g 16ft - 230g and 18ft - 262g

I've encountered a few discrepancies over the years. A few grams is neither here nor there. Slightly more varnish, slightly denser cork etc can all account for a few grams. However, some specs are so far from any reality I've seen that it really makes me wonder. Something I overheard somewhere might suggest that sometimes bare blank weight is being quoted. That could certainly account for some of the more significant gaps I've seen. The one brand that has surprised me, by being remarkably reserved about lightness of their rods, is Browning.

 

[Silverfisher]

Some reason my post decided to post before I could finish so I was also going to say that I also fairly easily found the weights for the following.

Maver signature pro classic as 13ft - 155g, 14ft - 165g, 15ft -177g and 16ft - 194g

The surprisingly heavy Preston super Equis a s 13ft - 183g and 14ft and 15ft 202g (questionably)

Can obviously find the weights for the super expensive daiwas, tricasts, brownings etc as you’d expect if you are paying that much but I struggled to find them for the other rods in the more affordable price bracket like the garbolino essential, Preston carbonactive supera, drennan vertex etc