How is the St. Croix Lifetime Warranty?

Just looking at rods and wondering how the St. Croix lifetime warranty is.. I’m looking at the St. Croix Avid series or G-loomis IMX. I’ve heard good things on the G-Loomis warranty, but what about the St. Croix warranty?

If I break the rod 10 yrs. down the road, is it a hassle to get a replacement? What do they charge you for this? Do they have restrictions on how the rod was broken for warranty? Can you get another replacement if you break it again? sorry for all the questions… One thing I’m using to justify this purchase to myself is the lifetime warranty as I’ve been known to break a rod or two and the $50-100 rods add up…

I broke a Croix rod two years ago and they replaced it no question. It cost around $45. They have a standard fee for shipping, labor, etc. They no longer made the rod I broke so they sent me the next closest thing.

thanks for the info. I just bought an Avid, 6’8″ xtra fast action.. The guy at Gander Mt. reassured me that the warranty was excellent and that he had used it several times..

I was between the loomis and St. Croix mainly. I thought of springing for the legend elite, but they didn’t have it in the xtra fast 6’8″ that I really liked. He recommended the longer rod, I was going to go for the 6′. I see that James really likes this action/length as well, so I decided that I’d try the longer rod. It feels great.

I started looking at some cheaper rods and comparing to the loomis and Avid. I started thinking of buying a GanderMt. tournament rod I think it was that was on sale for $70 (54M modulus I think it was), but the guy at Gander Mt. steared me back in the direction of St. Croix. I thought he’d surely push the Gander Mt. series. He recommended St. Croix highly over the loomis IMX as well. I didn’t like the action on the loomis rods as well, but the selection of loomis rods at Gander Mts. is poor, so it wasn’t a fair comparison. I may still drop for a legend elite or loomis down the road, but I really like the action on this Avid and it is light as a feather with the lifetime warranty.

I have never had to use my warranty but everything I have heard about the St. Croix warranty has been great. You can’t go wrong with St. Croix. I love mine. Thanks, Bill

I sold St. Croix for 12 yrs and never had a complant about their warranty.The only thing they changed is you used to take the rod back to the retailerand they took care of it for you. now you deal direct with the company.

Gander has a new Tourney series rod out this year. It would most closely compare to the Premier series from St. Croix. I think for the money, it would be worth a try. Gander is really good about replacing “their” rods, if they have one in stock. As for the Croix warranty, I’d be surprised if you have any problems/issues if you ever need use it.

The 6’8″ is the only rod I’ve yet to purchase to “complete” my arsenal. I used James one time a few years back and really liked the rod. I’ve only purchased Avids,since I think they are all I need and then some. Plus what if I really like the legends, then I have to start all over again buying new rods.

speaking of the st. croix lifetime warranty, the tip of my rod, the last eyelet, has turned a little bit, i do no know how it did that. Suggestions?

Jeff,

You can try carefully heating the metal part of the tip guide with match/lighter/candle and then twist it into place. After it cools test it to make sure that it’s tight. If it’s loose, you can get “tip top adhesive” anywhere they sell rod building supplies, or if you know someone that builds rods they would probably do it for you.

Good luck.

Dan

thanx i will try it tomorrow.

jeff, yea you should be able to heat it up and turn it into place… At least that is the type of glue that I’ve used when building rods and I think most people do.

waterfowler –
That Gander Mt. tourney series is the rod I was looking at. They had them on sale for $10 off ($70). Seems like a great deal on a rod – they do have the 2 yr. warranty as well.. I was more or less expecting Gander Mt. to push that rod when I asked for a recommendation, but they strongly recommended the St. Croix Avid that I had been considering as well. He liked the 6’8″ xtra fast action as well and owned 3 himself…

I’m afraid to try the legend for that exact same reason… I won’t like my Avid any longer… I did pick up a loomis IMX though.. I hope I like it, but not too much…

Those IMX’s are great rods but I found myself only preferring them in med/lite models. Otherwise, I kept reaching for my Croixs. And most often? The Avid 6’3″ extra fast or the Legend Elite 7′ med. light. My two favorite rods …………… until I fall in love with something else! Should only take me until…………ohhh……………..next week?

I agree with the elite comments- I started with premier series croixs and made the “mistake” of trying an avid, now I find myself replacing my premier rods with avids. If i try the elite Im sure that will lead to replacing the avids. I have nothing but great things to say about the st croixs- I own 6 now after trying one of my friends. I have never (knock on wood) had to test the guarantee as of yet.

I do have a question- how much difference is there between the fast and extra fast? I have mostly the fast, but have the ac66mm crankbait rod as well. I am looking to get one more avid- baitcast, and trying to decide between the xf and f- mostly to use for spinner baits and plastics/jigs. Looking for a medium light to medium action and i have the ac66mlf and a premier 66mf. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Stillakid,
that 6’3″ xtra fast Avid is the one I liked and was going to buy. Between the sales guy and some other people recommending the longer rod, I decided to go with the 6’8″ xtra fast. Probably not a huge amount of difference between the two as they are the same action.. Can you feel a big difference between your legend elites and your avids? I did get the loomis in medium – anything higher seemed way too stiff for me. The medium feels plenty stiff.

BassBaron,
These other guys will probably be able to answer your question much better. I can just tell you from what I saw while the sales guy was demonstrating the spines. He was bending them against the ground and showing the differences between the Medium, fast, and xtra fast action. There seemed to be quite a difference in the action between the fast and xtra fast actually. I’d say as much difference going from fast to extra fast as going from medium to fast action… I think that the extra fast may be a little more sensitive since the back bone of the rod extends further from the handle, but i’m not sure if that is how it works. To me the extra fast action felt better. I liked both the 6’3″ and 6’8″ extra fast action rods.

Rigman,

I am very impressed with Gander’s tourney rod if that is the price range you need to stay in. In my humble opinion, the Avid is ten times the rod of the Gander though. The differecne between the Premier and Tourney, well that would be a tough call.

As for the Gander two year warranty, take them back to the Tonka store, they’ll replace any Gander rod. That’s one of the managers big sales tools, buy Guide series and return it no questions asked.

I did some work for a friend the other day on his pc, he was nice enough to reward my Croix arsenal with the AC70HF and an 8 ft medium heavy glass planer board rod. Now all I need is a 6’8″ spinning, another 7′ heavy and about a dozen reels…….. The wife is gonna let a twinkie fly when I show her my wish list for reels……Here I come ebay.

Rigman,

I gotta tell you…………..I went straight for the Elites! I’ve fished with more of them than I have the Avids. But in all honesty, when comparing the Elite 6’3″ and Avid 6’3″, there just wasn’t a lot of difference in weight, feel, or balance. The Avid seemed slightly softer in it’s play and that gave a bigger application seperation from the 7′ MLF Elite that I like so well. I haven’t fished with both though. And I haven’t fished with a 7′ MLF Avid either. But that DOES feel different to me in weight, feel, and balance. So, I still think it’s highly in the eyes of the beholder. Sometimes it’s worth it and sometimes it just doesn’t make sense. No worries though…………..you can be equally happy with both. No question…………no doubt. I’m anxiously awaiting my chance at a 6’8″ Avid or Elite and comparing it with the 6’3″ Avid. I won’t truly know until I fish with it, but I’m looking forward to “the test”!