Allen fly fishing reviews

[Fishwagen]

Opinions and reviews are like...well you know..., everyone has one. Good, bad or indifferent. Personally, I have been dealing with the folks at Allen ever since I started fly fishing. Have several of their rods, couple reels and a few other odds and ends they offer. Just ordered one of their blanks yesterday. I also like to support site sponsors as well.

I have nothing but positive things to say about their products and customer service. Personally, I think they are one of the best small companies in this market. That being said...being a small company and having to keep up with a small staff is sometimes next to impossible. Your not going to make everyone happy. I have personally spoke to Justin and Evan on several occasions and have nothing but great things to say about how well they handled my requests.

One thing I have learned over the years, your gonna have problems from time to time. Allen has always dealt with them in a professional and honest manner. If it was broke, "they' fixed it one way or another. Always to the customers satisfaction and then some. I think that's what is important here.

To get jerked out of shape over some review system we don't fully understand is petty...IMO. They are stand up folks and I can honestly say that from simply being a satisfied customer.

T

 

[DaveKile]

I understand there could be a perceived conflict of interest with Allen Fly Fishing being a sponsor and my opinion, but I am going to share this because I know it to be true. I have worked with Justin and Allen Fly Fishing for many years now. I meet with them every year and spend time understanding where they are going. I use their gear every time I go out and fish.

I'm not dismissing that someone didn't have a good experience. It happens with every company and with many products. What I will share is that Allen Fly Fishing is on this site because they are passionate, trustworthy and stand behind the gear they offer. I have known them for a long time and believe in the company without a doubt!

The forum is here to offer a voice for us to discuss fly fishing for everyone. I think it speaks a lot for Allen Fly Fishing that Justin jumped in and explained the situation. Knowing them as well as I do I'm sure phone calls were made to further correct anything as well.

 

[jeremymcon]

Thanks for the response and the phone call Justin. I hadn't considered that you could be unable to answer emails and access the full Internet at any point. I see the review is live now with your comments added. I had considered returning the rod to you, but had purchased it in cash at the lancaster show, and had taken the plastic off the cork. And it's not like it's really bad enough that it was unusable. Like I said in the review - it's nicely finished, the rod tube is great, and it is castable. Just a little slow for my taste. Fwiw, the cabelas rod I was referring to didn't come looking nearly as pretty, nor did it come with a rod tube. And it is rated as a 4wt, not a 4/5wt. I also have a 3wt, a couple 5 wts (not cabelas), and several other rods, so I generally know what it feels like to cast a fly rod. And I've certainly had worse rods than the compass! Some of the cabelas stuff, especially in heavier line weights, is pretty terrible.

If you folks still think that my experience was a typical, maybe I'll send you an email and try out another one. Maybe something happened and this one was just a fluke. If you send me one I'll mail it to the guy I traded it with after I've fished it a bit and given you an updated review. I don't need to come out of that trade having another rod and the reel I traded the first one for!

 

[jeremymcon]

Got your email Justin. No store credit is necessary, but thanks again for posting the review. Sorry about the misunderstanding. I do hope you folks continue to occasionally post a critical review with your comments added. I find them helpful, and transparency in a company is always a good thing.

 

[JG63]

The rod in question (I'm that guy):

casts a traditional 4 weight quite nicely - the 4.5 lines out there are a bit slower but that's fine with smaller streamers, wets, and weighted nymphs. I'm happy with the trade! Thinking about a 905-4 Compass as another full time "in the trunk" rod.

 

[CathyG]

Last week Justin contacted me about receiving the wrong style pouch. Today I received the correct one in the mail.

 

[GeneBeam]

About 4 years ago I bought my small\medium retirement fly rod, as I thought I needed another one in my 8-rod collection, and I got a 3 wt. 9’ rod and reel and I love it. Light rod & reel and a rod I just love to use. Later I bought some flies and I have no trouble with Allen getting back to me on anything.
Now I did research Allen rods & reels online, but with everything I review online, I never go to the web site of the products that I’m researching for review. I know that some, not all, companies online, censure bad review. I’m not call out any company and certainly not Allen, it is just my way of doing online research. I try to find review done by fly fishing publication and or site like paflyfish.com, if I’m doing of fishing products.
When I review any product I look at how the company’s customer service is reviewed and not so much whether someone like the product or not, as that reviewer, or any reviewer for that matter, doesn’t know how I like to fish of how I will use the product or my style of casting.
Everyone takes a leap of faith when buying anything online, one reason if I can, I go to local store to buy anything, if I can.

 

[dragfreedrift]

I have purchased one item from Allen Fly Fishing. It was immediately defective due to its manufacturing. I contacted them on two separate platforms and never received a response. I would never slightly consider another purchase from Allen Fly Fish. Considering the numerous fly fishing companies who manufacture their gear in the US of A with super customer service, the choice to steer clear from this company has been one I have never regretted. Tight lines.

 

[dragfreedrift]

DKile, regarding your post #22 to apparently deflate this post, it is assumed, as Webmaster, you may be in position of receiving $ from Allen Fly Fish. Several members of the site provide instances of less than favorable treatment from Allen, and you can only comment on the positive aspects of a paid sponsor’s business. Horrible if so, that a person making $ from a poorly reviewed sponsor would stand up for such sponsor on the premise of making $ from said sponsor. Your actions question the integrity of the site you’re a webmaster of.

 

[dragfreedrift]

Allen fly fishing, selling cheap Chinese labored goods for dollars on the penny without support to you when it fails.

 

[STONEMAN]

No doubt that the moderators/owners of this forum have retired early because of all the money this forum brings them.

 

[DaveKile]

dragfreedrift wrote:
I have purchased one item from Allen Fly Fishing. It was immediately defective due to its manufacturing. I contacted them on two separate platforms and never received a response. I would never slightly consider another purchase from Allen Fly Fish. Considering the numerous fly fishing companies who manufacture their gear in the US of A with super customer service, the choice to steer clear from this company has been one I have never regretted. Tight lines.

I'm not sure why in the world you would try and talk to Allen Fly Fishing through other "platforms" and this site. I understand you may have an issue with a product. This not twitter and the Allen team doesn't monitor these threads. This is not the place to reach out to Allen.

You can try 817-576-8988 or info@allenflyfishing.com

 

[DaveKile]

dragfreedrift wrote:
DKile, regarding your post #22 to apparently deflate this post, it is assumed, as Webmaster, you may be in position of receiving $ from Allen Fly Fish. Several members of the site provide instances of less than favorable treatment from Allen, and you can only comment on the positive aspects of a paid sponsor’s business. Horrible if so, that a person making $ from a poorly reviewed sponsor would stand up for such sponsor on the premise of making $ from said sponsor. Your actions question the integrity of the site you’re a webmaster of.

I'm not only the webmaster, but the owner and chief investor. So when you speak about the integrity of the site, yes that is me. Over the last 25 years, I have spent thousands of hours and dollars of my own keeping this site going. I do receive money from the advertisers to off-set the costs. Mostly it pays the bills to keep the site and forum running so people can make outrageous assumptions, accusations and most importantly call out dispersions to my character.

It's what I live for.

I have been flyfishing for 38 years and started Paflyfish 25 years ago. I own one set of Simms boots (10 years old) one set of Simms waders (11 years old), six rods ranging from 25-5 years old and three different vests. One of the rods is an Allen rod it works great. I paid for all of these items, including the Allen rod, out of my own money. Not one of these items was given to me free, demo or promotion. I drive to the stream in a Honda.

Clearly I'm an idiot for not getting free stuff and profiting from the huge wealth you can suck out pf the fly fishing industry. I should be right up there with all the other millionaires in the industry.

After 25 years of running this forum, I do see my integrity is in shatters for being such a shill, it sounds like you could teach me a few things. What is your website?

P.S., I do need new waders and boots. I'll do anything if someone will send me some new gear. (talking to you Simms!)

 

[Swattie87]

Tough to ignore I know, but don't feel like you need to take the bait Dave. Anyone who knows you, or has ever been part of anything PAFF related, knows otherwise. I'm sure if dragfree came to the Jam, or some other function, he'd be welcomed by you, despite his approach to this (now five year old) thread.

People are allowed to have differing opinions on companies and the products they make. Dave and the moderators of the board are allowed to have their own opinions too. If Dave chooses to work with Allen (or whoever), as the owner of the website, that's his call. Start your own website if you want to control advertisements and work with companies you like.

Everyone is free to make up their own mind about Allen's products, and customer service. When doing so, you should probably look at a bigger sample size than just this thread...both for the good, and the bad. If you're not a fan, and don't want to support PAFF because Allen advertises here, that's your call...I'm sure Dave understands that and the risks with allowing advertisers on the site. Calling out his character on it though, especially without knowing him, is out of bounds. Simply taking your viewership elsewhere is probably a more appropriate approach.

FWIW and for transparency, I've owned two Allen products...Both were lower price range pairs of waders that I got further reduced on sale, with the intent to use them as beater pairs for small streams. They held up equivalently well to any other pair I've owned in that price range, so overall, I was happy with them, given the price I paid. The booties on one pair were admittedly by Allen a little small for the size of the waders, hence why they were on such a steep discount...So I bought them knowingly with that issue. Allen fixed the sizing issue on subsequent runs. When the second pair wore out I replaced them with another brand this last time, but only because I found a better deal on that pair at the time. (One pair is actually still somewhat serviceable, and I do still use them as a backup pair from time to time.)

I've had no customer service interactions with Allen. It would be an issue for me if I knew they were "filtering" reviews on their website, which I'm sure does happen across this industry and many others. The owner of the company provided a reasonable explanation for the anomalies that the OP observed, and the world moved on...Again everyone can make up their own mind on what transpired to generate this thread, and use their wallets accordingly.

 

[STONEMAN]

Dave, you knew I was kidding? Right? This Forum is clearly a labor of love and I appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[DaveKile]

STONEMAN wrote:
Dave, you knew I was kidding? Right? This Forum is clearly a labor of love and I appreciate it. Thanks.

Stoneman,

Sorry. Nothing I wrote in my posts had anything to do with what you said. Thanks for check with me.

 

[rrt]

for dkile,

Geez, don't pay any attention to that guy. Everyone with a brain who posts on here realizes you do it as a "labor of love" -- as Stoneman said. I appreciate it, too, even though I used to get into "scrapes" with other guys over one topic. I've tried to behave better in recent years.

Anyhow, thank you for maintaining this site. It's about the only one I ever look at any more.

 

[fishbaithohaha]

Enjoy the site. It is ok to stand up for a supplier. Allowing this thread is an effective demonstration of the integrity of the site, the volunteers, the administrators, and the owner.

Have purchased Allen products, comfortable with the company and policies.

 

[poopdeck]

1% of consumers take up 99% of a retailers time. I don't know anybody from Allen or any of the Admins. I like Allen products. I buy their hooks and I have a kraken reel. Love the reel. Love their hooks as well as I've never had a single problem with them. I'm not really sure how anybody could have a problem with a hook unless your really looking hard for one. I'm not about to pay double the price for hooks because of a name or some contrived reason why hook A is better then hook B and worth a 100% price increase.

In short I've never had a single concern over their hooks or reels. I've also never needed extra customer service from them. I've ordered their stuff and I got exactly what I bought in a timely manner and every product has performed as I expect.

 

[jifigz]

#1: How in the world did this thread get restarted?
#2: I know Jeremy well (the OP) and truly think he was just looking for people's honest opinion. That is what a forum is for. People who love something similar to share ideas and (hopefully) be positive and helpful.
#3: I love this forum and really appreciate the effort and time put in by DKile and all of the moderators. I spend a fair amount of time reading and posting here and have learned a lot and met a lot of good people in person and had good times with them.
#4: poopdeck, I once had hooks that I couldn't even tie a fly with. Some were so flimsy that they would bend and snap while attaching thread. Manufacturing errors happen..this was a small fly company people were starting up and is still in business. Of course starting a business requires a lot of time, effort, and money and using off shore products can lessen that cost. I have other equipment from said company which is wonderful and I will certainly try to support them in the future.

So, how did this thread get started again? Lol. Jeesh. But thanks to all who run this forum.

Oh, and I've used some Allen gear. Hooks and beads and whatnot and they have always worked just fine for me..I've fished their rods and they always have worked fine but I don't own one..