I finally decided to get myself a new christmas present and ordered the 69 when GM had a $50 cert available. I was just informed by them that St. Croix does not have it available any more. I think their new handle is butt ugly. Does anyone have any experience with these yet and how do these compare to the ’12 version. Are there any advantages to the new design? I need try to justify ignoring the handle if I am going to get the new version.
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I finally decided to get myself a new christmas present and ordered the 69 when GM had a $50 cert available. I was just informed by them that St. Croix does not have it available any more. I think their new handle is butt ugly. Does anyone have any experience with these yet and how do these compare to the ’12 version. Are there any advantages to the new design? I need try to justify ignoring the handle if I am going to get the new version.
Yup, that is one ugly handle. Couldn’t agree with you more. It doesn’t however impact performance in any way I could see or feel. It is just a different material and once in the hand you forget about the change and the quality of the blank puts a big smile on your face. 
If your planning on using it for cold weather fishing, no way would I buy the new version. The guides are tiny and would ice up way too easily.
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I finally decided to get myself a new christmas present and ordered the 69 when GM had a $50 cert available. I was just informed by them that St. Croix does not have it available any more. I think their new handle is butt ugly. Does anyone have any experience with these yet and how do these compare to the ’12 version. Are there any advantages to the new design? I need try to justify ignoring the handle if I am going to get the new version.
I agree that is NOT a good looking handle. I’m also not a fan of the “split reel seat.” They were all the rage when Pac Bay first came out with them for custom rods, but as soon as most people used them they HATED how uncomfortable they were to fish with for any length of time – especially if you have large hands. St. Croix’s design looks a bit better, but I’d want to fish with one to see before I’d buy it.
You might want to look at having a custom rod made with a St. Croix blank, but with the type of handle you’d prefer.
Good luck.
Dan
I have fished both. Handle was appreciated after fishing it for a day. The guide system does reduce those painful windknots when casting light weight jigs especially. The blank has just a touch more life to it with the lighter overall weight to the guides.
We are always happy to exchange or demo rods so fear of the unknown is minimal. The 6’10” will be re stocking eta mid Dec.
Trav comments on ice….. perhaps it might be better? Less ice to build up on the smaller guides? I will be testing that soon .
They don’t have a similar Legend Elite either. I wonder how much customer research they did before bringing this handle out.
I had thought I may have to have one built and have looked into blanks. I have never built a rod myself but have looked at rod buiding videoes. It doesn’t seem that difficult but I would hate to start with that good of a blank.
Does any one have any recommendations on a good rod builder in the Minneapolis to Eau Claire area?
I will really miss the LXS69MLXF too. I had a chance to “test” a new LXS610MXF during the week we were down at Everts and at first was surprised at the stiffness compared to the LXS70MXF I had rigged with the same 3/16 oz jig/plastic! 
The handle was easy to get used to and I liked it fine at the end of the day. The LXS610MXF is one very very fast rod!
I cant imagine the LXS610MLXF wouldn’t be a very comparable
stick to the old LXS69 with some added strength/sensitivity. I would try one in a heartbeat from Dean. 
I’ve tried the new handles and not sold on them. Of course I have rather large hands. A full cork handle still feels better to me. Also the exposed blank is also very cold to the touch in this kind of weather. Just my 2 cents.
I noticed that the new rod was heavier and wondered why an if that would matter much?
If you’re looking for a rod builder commercially, I think you can’t go wrong with the guys up at Thorne Bros. If you’re willing to go off the path a little bit I would recommend my pal Roger who got me into rod building. He’s unbelievably anal about this stuff (which is great in a rod builder) and he does amazing detail and thread work. Depending on how snazzy you want it he can do just plain wraps on guides and a hook keeper to fish patterns and chevrons and all kinds of stuff. If you’re serious about it, PM me and I’ll connect you. He’s got a bunch of blanks in stock as well so depending on what you’re looking for he might actually already have it.
micah
As promised, I fished the Turkey combo tourney yesterday. 14 degrees and compared freeze up on the standard avids, G Loomis NRX, last years extreme, to this years extreme. Hardline & mono were both used. As expected,hardline showed more issues than mono, but I cannot report that build up was any worse on the new guide system. If anything, better overall, as the ice did not build up past the first guide as the Avids showed ice on several guides down the blank.
I wore light cotton gloves all day and noticed no difference in temp of the all cork or new handle. I recognize that through the years every time a change in rod building takes place there are questions in folks minds as to it being a positive or negative one. But before you decide either way,fish one for yourself before you determine good bad or indifferent.I will be happy to make that test drive available. Through the years, St Croix has served many of die-hard anglers very well and have gotten it “right” far more often than not and have served us well with warranty situations as well. Choice is a good thing!
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