2017 Hardy Catalog %, Page 4

2017 Hardy Catalog %, Page 4

SINTRIX®: THE SUCCESS STORY.

When I received the first prototype blanks rolled from SINTRIX® material in late 2009 I was shocked. I’ve held and flexed literally thousands of rod blanks over the years, and when I held the 9ft #10 saltwater rod, I was immediately taken aback at the lack of weight for a #10 – it just instantly felt ‘right’.

Our early work on the material with our sister company Hardy Advanced Composites had indicated considerable increases in compressive strength and impact resistance where possible, but even our material engineers were not prepared for the results. Following the first day of testing, we even asked the manufacturer of our compressive strength tester to re-calibrate the machine as the results it had produced were, to quote one of our testers, “nonsense”.

There was nothing wrong with the testing machine, the blanks netted out at close to 60% stronger than our calculations suggested they ought to be, and from that point on the entire team focused on the development of what became the Zenith and Proaxis series of rods and the refinement of what was to become SINTRIX® technology.

I could tell you about the testing trips to the Florida Keys fishing for sharks with medium-weight Trout rods, or the actual fist fight that took place on the dockside between two guides over a test rod, but I think some of these quotes from icons and pioneers in the sport tell the impact that SINTRIX® actually made far better than I could.

Howard Croston, Hardy Product Manager and England International.

My rods of choice when

chasing the huge Pike of

Chew Valley, pursuing

Gold representing

England competitively or

filming saltwater fishing

adventures have one thing in common—they all feature SINTRIX® material. This revolutionary technology has changed the way I approach the diverse challenges of my lifelong passion.

John Horsey, Hardy ProTeam Member and Professional Guide

It seems like a no-brainer now

but the introduction of SINTRIX®

was a bold step. It seemed dull, a

little geeky, I was sceptical that

a better resin system could be

exciting, could change rods, could

make better rods, but it does. Hardy engineers and designers neatly and expertly anticipated exactly how important SINTRIX® would be for the future of their fishing rods... and, by the way, set the direction for performance rod design in general.

Magnus Angus, Chief Reviewer Fly Fishing & Fly Tying Magazine

The ultra-lightweight and

incredible strength of the

Hardy SINTRIX® rods give me

the superb line handling that

I need to achieve absolute

control of line placement and

mending, while also allowing me to fight the fish aggressively and remain in perfect touch with every part of the line/leader system.

Gary Borger, Hardy North American ProTeam Member

SINTRIX® rods continue

to be a revelation – from

that first 9ft 5wt Zenith,

that won our annual

5-weight shootout back

in 2011, right through

to today. I personally still think the 8ft 6in Zenith is the finest 4-weight fly rod you can put your hands on.

George Anderson, Owner of Yellowstone Angler, USA