In this review I got my hands on the Daiwa N'Zon 10ft EXT Feeder Rod, but Daiwa's mightily impressive range of fishing rods doesn’t stop at general coarse fishing – the company’s carbon credentials also encompass carp, game and sea fishing, and everything is built here in the UK!
Match and pleasure anglers have a wide choice, from the top-end Air Z, Airity and Tournament models to somewhat less wallet-draining Matchman, Connoisseur and Ninja marques. Somewhere along the line is a rod (or rods) that fits the bill in terms of performance and affordability.
Daiwa’s huge N’ZON brand focuses solely on all things feeder fishing. Imagine a plethora of rods covering every type of feeder fishing situation, and then some! From snake lakes, ponds and puddles, and rivers of any size through to wild, open waters, N’ZON has it covered.
Among literally thousands of different rods, NZON’s EXT (extending) feeder rods are, to the best of my knowledge, the first of their kind that Daiwa has introduced.
If the word ‘telescopic’ has got you reaching for the TV remote, just hold your horses. These rods are not fully collapsible in the manner of a Bolo rod. No, these compact cuties have a short collapsible butt section that retracts into the handle, making them super-quick to pack away and easy to transport, especially handy when space is at a premium.
There are only four models in the EXT concept range – 10ft, 11ft, 12ft and 13ft. The three shorter rods all fit inside a 183cm ready rod holdall, which is very handy indeed if space-saving is important to you.
The two-piece 10ft EXT boasts a quality carbon build, titanium oxide guides, and a cork and EVA handle with Armlock. It comes with carbon quivers rated at 2oz and 3oz and has a maximum recommended casting weight of 40g, ideal for reel lines from 3lb to 10lb.
THE VERDICT
On test a few really positive things struck me about this rod. First was its weight of just 174g, making it a joy to fish with. Second was that its closed length is just 140cm, and that makes it super compact and easy to carry around. Most importantly, it feels and behaves just like a normal rod.
Its fish playing action is on the cushioned side of through, and its casting performance, although limited in terms of distance, is much as you might expect from any short rod.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS AND OTHER GREAT DAIWA PRODUCTS HERE.
TECH SPEC
-Telescopic Extending Butt Section for more compact storage
-HMC+High Modulus Plus carbon fibre
-Cork EVA handle with Armlock
-Titanium Oxide guides
-Supplied with two carbon quiver tips
-Hook keeper
www.fishingtackleandbait.co.uk
The two-piece 10ft Daiwa N'Zon EXT Feeder rod is a joy to play fish on and is ideally suited to modern-day commercial fisheries.
Featuring a telescopic extending butt section, the rod boasts a closed length of 140cm, making storage and transportation super easy.
Other features include two supplied carbon quiver tips, a cork/EVA handle and Titanium Oxide guides throughout.
Pros
- Incredibly compact rod for storage and transportation.
- Quality fish playing action.
Cons
- Limited casting performance.
THE BEST ALTERNATIVES
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A foot-long push-in dolly butt section provides extra length. High spec and a flawless action are standard.
Read our full review here.
Pros
- Superb action.
- Good casting performance when extension is in place.
Cons
- Better suited to carp and F1s rather than bream and skimmers.
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A great little rod at a bargain price. Ideal for commercials, it has 1oz and 1.5oz carbon quivertips.
Pros
- Light in the hand.
- Strong enough to handle good carp.
Cons
- A little limited on casting power.
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Designed for commercial anglers, this rod has a retractable butt section so it packs down to just 55 ins.
Pros
- Small pack down size.
- Quality playing action.
Cons
- Lacks the power for distance casting.
Author Mark Sawyer holds the position of Tackle Editor at Angling Times, boasting more than thirty years of experience working within different fields of the angling industry.