Orvis Access Rods

fritz

fritz

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2006
Messages
676
Has anyone tried casting one of these?
 
They seem to be pretty good IMO. They are very light, fast, and have good aesthetics. Price isn't too high and I think they compare favorably with most high end rods. I really don't see the point in spending double for the Helios for example. You'd be hard pressed to find a better rod in this price range.

Kev
 
Fritz,
I spoke with someone from Orvis because I was thinking about the Helio (4wt 7ft) until I saw the same size rod in the Access model. He said there is almost no differnce that you could feel or tell by casting. I asked him which one he would choose and he said for the $400 saving without a doubt he likes the Access. The Access is my next rod. Orvis customer service is second to none!
 
Buy american and grab a Sage VXP. Just got a 10' 5 and love it... not as fast as the TCX rocket launcher but it really throws line. Threw on a sage 2000 reel and some rio wind cutter. West branch here I come. Good luck, Mike

 
Just chiming in here with a question about the Access rods. Are they not made in the USA? I was considering a 4 wt in these as well but I wanted to stick to something made here.


thanks!
 
I picked up the 4wt 7ft Access the other day and used it once. I just assumed it was made in the USA. But I took a closer look and see nothing on the rod of where it was made. I submitted the question to Orvis and will wait for a reply. I did notice the number 3/11 on the rod under the line weight and length. I think that it the date of purchase. First time I ever saw a date (or at least I think a date) on a rod. Either way after one use I think I will like it.
 
Wow, a quick response from Orvis.

"Thank you for your e-mail. The blank is made in Vermont. The rod is assembled outside of the USA. "

 
WOW just like sage, blank is made in U.S.A. and assembled outside then shipped back there fore raising the cost of the rod.
 
I guess no one in vermont can wrap a rod!
 
sandfly wrote:
WOW just like sage, blank is made in U.S.A. and assembled outside then shipped back there fore raising the cost of the rod.
Click to expand...

Please elaborate.

Which Sage rods are not assembled in the US? This is the first I have heard of Sage doing this. Other comapnies are known to do this, but this is the first I've heard of it happening with a Sage rod.

Edit: A quick search of the Sage web site shows the lowest cost Sages, the Vantage, described as made in the US.

Kev
 
sandfly wrote:
WOW just like sage, blank is made in U.S.A. and assembled outside then shipped back there fore raising the cost of the rod.
Click to expand...

Like the other posters I'd like to hear more about this.
 
hmnnnnnn....where to start ,for one I love America,land of my birth,land of my mothers families before the whites came{American Indian of two Nations}, I love America land of opportunities,the opportunity to leave monocracy and make your own life within reason ,for my fathers Famiy {Scottish/Irish/Pa dutch}.that being said.
It's been a few years now that i have given up on trying to buy just American,not because i don't care either.
I work 12 hours a day 4-6 days sometimes all 7 a week, the overtime is after 8 hours and doesnt start till 37 1/2 hours have been worked. When you work all these darn hours you want your money to work for you when you purchase anything.The dollar doesn't give you as much bang for your buck as it did years ago.
Our country has been on a downhill slide since the 70's with the encroachment of foreign goods and cheaper pricing..yes at first some foreign goods were suspect to quality issues,but alot has happened since then and quailty at times is superior to some things made here.
As for buying foreign made flyfishing products..good luck, the way rules are for labeling things today is is also rather suspect,politicians have written laws and amended them to the point where the average person can be misled and its all legal.
If it says made in the U.S.A. it can be produced in parts and assembled here and that constitutes made in U.S.A.
more to come.............
 
As where it pertains to rods most would be surprised to know that rods have been made overseas for awhile by a few companies.While still some have not,and then again some have some made here while the rest of their line is made abroad.
I have had most of my rods custom made from blanks made here.Gloomis specifically before 1997 selloff.i went on a binge for a few years because i figured it wouldn't be long before i'd have to pay more for the same rod.Onething i have noticed is that i have casted factory built rods of the same model, lineweight,and length,and the custom rods felt better and cast better.
Currently Gary Loomis is back again ..just buliding blanks through "North Fork Composites" I can't wait to see when he gets more fly blanks in his line up.Also Steffen Brothers is another fine blank made here in the ol U.S.A ,Scott also rolss and builds here ,Winston builds some here and some built abroad,Sage is like said earlier. St.Croix,I am not sure.
Try a custom builder and ask what is available out there that is made in the U.S.A. Never hurts to ask. As for Orvis,well they have been around a hellish long time,and you don't surivive that long by selling junk and having bad service.
It's a matter of what you want to spend your money on.If i can give a lil advice go to the place that has what you want and try casting the rod for a lil while first.
Tight Wraps & Tight lines
Rick Wallace
 
Lonewolve wrote:
the opportunity to leave monocracy
Click to expand...

I can leave the Monocacy?

Yow.
 
Gfen,
Lol , cant wait to meet you down the Lil Lehigh sometime.you make me laugh. Hey whats the deal with medalist reels?i've decided to get rid of all but four trout reels with drags in favor of click & pawl reels .I miss the click
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace
 
bikerfish wrote:
I guess no one in vermont can wrap a rod!
Click to expand...

No one in Vermont can design a rod, either.
 
The Orvis Helios and Hydros rod line are made 100% in the US at the Orvis rod shop in Manchester, VT. As posted above, with the Access line of rods, the blanks are made at the rod shop and finished overseas to bring down the labor costs and the price point.

Everyone wants to buy a rod cheap, but you can't have it both ways. Anything product made in the US where the manufacturing process is labor intensive costs more than a rod made overseas. Fly rod blanks and rod wrapping is pretty much all a "hand made" process. Labor cost in the US (with benefits) $15-$20 /hour vs $.50 - $1.50/hour overseas for an example. The lower priced lines in some other American rod companies are also made entirely or partly overseas.

Can't have your apple pie and eat it too.
 
Quick story about Orvis service. I went out to fish a local tailwater the other day and I was in a rush so I just loaded my strung rod into the truck and took off. Well some jerk cut me off I swerverd and my ladder crashed into the rod and snapped it about 6 inches up from the handle.
( I know, **** head move on my part for traveling without breaking the rod down.)

Anyway I went to Orvis and their response was they didn't have the model in stock ( 8'6" Hydros in 4 wt.) but can order it for me. It would take a week and cost 30 bucks for the shipping. Oh well I figured WTF! The manager walked into the back room, came out with a brand new Hydros 5 wt and says" Here, use this until your new one arrives, and if you like the 5 wt over what you had give me a call and you can keep this one"
Better service than that I can't ask for. Orvis is top rate in my book.
 
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