Tournament Pro v M57 Elite

[Maesknoll]

I've been in the shop for an hour or so this afternoon, had the TP, the M57 and 47 elite set up at 16m. Walked out without one, I'll disregard the 47, but there wasn't a lot to choose between the TP and the 57. TP feels better balanced and to my mind feels stiffer at 16m than the 57, the 57 has a better finish (for shipping out and back) and comes with a 13m carp pole, made on the same mandrel.

I'm trying to weigh up if the 650 difference in price is worth it for having an extra pole, made on the same mandrel. My gut instinct is to go with the TP, it just felt better, but I will reserve judgement until I can actually fish with one, as obviously the fitting of elastic and bushes etc could alter the balance.

I know people who swear by the TP, I also know a couple of guys whose opinions I respect who are fiercely loyal to the M57 (last years, not the elite), I've yet to talk to anyone who has owned or fished with the elite.

Any thoughts or opinions that will aide my decision making, are welcome, I have a Maver N15, which if I only needed to fish at 11m with an occasional dabble at 13m, would be all I'd ever need, it just becomes virtually unfishable when fished at 14.5m.

How many other things would you spend 2K+ on without a 'testdrive'......

 

[chunkylover]

If you only need to fish at 13m you've got to ask yourself the question do you really need to spend the two grand on a pole.

The Daiwa G8 for one is as stiff as the tournament upto 13m and at less than half the cost.

 

[gazmalman]

I see lots and lots of torneys on the banks at opens, I dont see many mavers. 45 topkits, proven track record + hold their value. You know which one to buy really so just go and buy it.

 

[drynet]

as Ive said before i got spectron power and if the tp is better than that it must be bloody good pole

 

[Maesknoll]

Originally posted by chunkylover

If you only need to fish at 13m you've got to ask yourself the question do you really need to spend the two grand on a pole.

The Daiwa G8 for one is as stiff as the tournament upto 13m and at less than half the cost.

Shome confusion, I was trying to imply that if I needed to only ever fish at 13m, I could manage with what I've got, but to compete, sometimes it's necessary to fish at 16m - so I am looking at the best pole at 16m.

 

[drayton king]

Go with your gut instinct ive never heard many complaints from tp owners and as gaz says top kits are cheap.

 

[Maesknoll]

Originally posted by drayton king

Go with your gut instinct ive never heard many complaints from tp owners and as gaz says top kits are cheap.

I guess you're right, back in the eighties I bought the Shimano AX when it came out, that was on gut instinct, it was the lightest pole on the market at the time, likewise a 13m Triana that I paid over 2k for in the late eighties, I like the idea of having the spare sections with the Maver, but the TP just feels lighter and stiffer and all those I know who have one, wouldn't swop it for anything else.