Wild Guide Magazine Wild Guide Winter 2018 Digital | Page 38

gear guide: the load up Favorite www.favoriteusa.com What We Tested: Summit 7’2 Medium Heavy, Extra Fast, Casting Big Sexy 7’4 Medium Heavy, Fast, Casting Jack Hammer 6’6” Medium Light, Slow, Spinning A relative newcomer to the North American rod market, Favorite has burst onto the scene in a big way this year with a promise to deliver some of the best rods you can get your hands on. Boldly emblazoned with the slogan “My New Favorite”, these rods set a high expectation. And they live up to it. With high quality blank construction, top notch components and killer looks, these rods are built to turn heads. The standout for us was the Summit, which has to be one of the most unique rods we’ve tested. Built with a unique one-piece design, this rod sheds the ounces by removing bulky handle materials, making this without a doubt one of the lightest rods we’ve ever seen. And it does it all without sacrificing power or durability! At first glance we were skeptical, worried that the lack of hand grip might lead to slipping, but at the end of an afternoon fishing smallmouth bass in the rain it was clear that this rod was up to the task. What amazed us most was the sensitivity of this rod. A lot of manufacturers talk about keeping the hand in contact with the rod blank, but Favorite took this concept to a whole new level and it is fantastic. The Summit is available in both casting and spinning configurations with a variety of actions, so there really is something for everyone. We were also impressed with the other rods we tested from Favorite. The Big Sexy lives up to its name, as attractive as it is powerful. This is a stout rod, so it may not be for everyone, but throwing hollow body frogs into thick mats of lily pads and reeds the Big Sexy pulled largemouth back to the boat with ease. Not a bass fisherman? No problem. The Big Sexy is a gem on big predators too, so all you pike lovers will find something worthwhile here. Our final test rod from Favorite was the Jack Hammer. This one surprised us a little. We tested a 6’6” medium light version, which at first seemed a little loose for our liking. Once we got it on the water, however, we were pleasantly surprised at how versatile it was. Jigging u