Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

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trent_s
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Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by trent_s » Wed Mar 06, 2013 12:21 pm

I keep hearing overwhelmingly great reviews on them, especially at their price point. I usually go with much more expensive blanks, but was thinking of trying a finesse casting setup for throwing weightless senkos, and other light plastics/jigs to smallmouth and spots.

Anyone got any experience or first hand experience fishing these blanks?

thanks

donholton
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Re: Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by donholton » Wed Mar 06, 2013 9:28 pm

I recently bought 2 of the RX8's , a 6'2" walleye blank rated at 1/4oz and a 3/8 oz, 7' popping blank and I am very pleased. Straight , light and the titanium color really looks nice with many thread combos, I used Fish Hawk silk sparkle in a silver and they came out very nice. . I will use them to throw 1/4oz jigs at white bas and I will buy more.

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Mattman
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Re: Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by Mattman » Thu Mar 07, 2013 4:17 am

Have built on a few. Seemed like good blanks. Didn't get to GLX/HM/SCV/K2 levels of measurements. But were quite good.

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thelatrobe33
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Re: Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by thelatrobe33 » Thu Mar 07, 2013 6:39 am

I have a drop shot spinning rod built on the XSB822.5. It's a very nice blank for the money.

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Tokugawa
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Re: Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by Tokugawa » Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:31 pm

thelatrobe33 wrote:I have a drop shot spinning rod built on the XSB822.5. It's a very nice blank for the money.
One of the nicest DS blanks available for sure.

This is a 7'MH I use for pitching tx rig plastics. The blanks are quite nice. Sensitive, crisp and fairly light.

Image

Image

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trent_s
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Re: Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by trent_s » Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:51 pm

Tokugawa wrote:
thelatrobe33 wrote:I have a drop shot spinning rod built on the XSB822.5. It's a very nice blank for the money.
One of the nicest DS blanks available for sure.

This is a 7'MH I use for pitching tx rig plastics. The blanks are quite nice. Sensitive, crisp and fairly light.

Image

Image
Is that a MH mag bass (XMB 843) or the MH spin bass (XSB 843). I'm going to do a spinning rod on a XSB 842, and am trying to decide whether to do my casting rod on a XSB 842 or 843...looking for something similar in power to a MBR 842 but slightly less tip power. Somewhere between the MBR 842 and a spin jig like the SCV70mf for the casting rod....but probably leaning closer in power to the spin medium power. For 1/4 ounce jigs, 4" senkos, and split shot tube rigs, and swimming grubs.

Does the XSB 843 sound like it...or will it be too stout?

Love the reel...is that an Alphas? I had a chance at an Alphas red seas special (I think was the name)the other day in mint condition for $190 and somebody swiped it hours before me. ](*,)

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trent_s
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Re: Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by trent_s » Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:58 pm

Mattman, thanks for your input, and for taking the time to answer all my questions in my PM.

You really put my mind at ease. If this rod fishes like a Loomis IMX, well I see many more in my future \:D/

Great info guys...thanks for all the responses.

I'm really starting to see the value of this site...I just need to quit arguing with people about UV resistant paint :lol:

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Tokugawa
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Re: Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by Tokugawa » Thu Mar 07, 2013 5:05 pm

trent_s wrote:Is that a MH mag bass (XMB 843) or the MH spin bass (XSB 843). I'm going to do a spinning rod on a XSB 842, and am trying to decide whether to do my casting rod on a XSB 842 or 843...looking for something similar in power to a MBR 842 but slightly less tip power. Somewhere between the MBR 842 and a spin jig like the SCV70mf for the casting rod....but probably leaning closer in power to the spin medium power. For 1/4 ounce jigs, 4" senkos, and split shot tube rigs, and swimming grubs.

Does the XSB 843 sound like it...or will it be too stout?

Love the reel...is that an Alphas? I had a chance at an Alphas red seas special (I think was the name)the other day in mint condition for $190 and somebody swiped it hours before me. ](*,)
It is an XMB843 - a MH 1/4 to 3/4 oz rated rod. The ratings are pretty true on the blank. Maybe Mattman has RDA #s for a couple blanks to compare. I typically throw a Pichin Kraw and a 1/4oz weight...so the bait runs about 0.6 oz(16g) and is a perfect feel for the rod.

It is an Alphas 103. Great pitching reel. :big grin:

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Re: Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by ipoppa33 » Wed Mar 13, 2013 9:59 am

I'm pretty sure the RX8 blanks are built by St. Croix or at least they used to be.

Stan

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Re: Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by jm529 » Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:54 am

ipoppa33 wrote:I'm pretty sure the RX8 blanks are built by St. Croix or at least they used to be.

Stan
stan, i think it was only the rx8+ series that were rumored to be made by st croix but i could be wrong. all of the other batson blanks were imported.

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Re: Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by ipoppa33 » Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:55 pm

Yup you are right it's the RX8+ that St. Croix makes for them.
Thanks.

Stan

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Re: Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by robertrinaustin » Thu Mar 14, 2013 7:24 pm

One of my favorite blanks of all time was the XSB843. It's the 7' MH spin jig and measures out as extra fast and weighs only 1.65 ozs. Up until a few years ago, I sold more of that blank than any other. The only problem is 4 out of the last 5 I built broke. Most broke 1.5" - 2" inches from the top where there was a slight kink in the tip. I had one break before I made it home after dropping it off at my customer's house. Needless to say, I don't order them any more. And yes, I tried to warranty the first one and Batson turned me down because they said the rod broke because my customer was using braid. Only thing is, that particular customer didn't even own a spool of braid, but they are the experts and I clearly was mistaken :x . After that and hearing similar complaints from friends, I avoid Batson.

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Re: Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by Mattman » Fri Mar 15, 2013 4:18 am

robertrinaustin wrote: and hearing similar complaints from friends, I avoid Batson.
X2

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Re: Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by jm529 » Fri Mar 15, 2013 6:15 am

Mattman wrote:
robertrinaustin wrote: and hearing similar complaints from friends, I avoid Batson.
X2
X3, i stopped building on them after i broke 3 of their RX6 (most durable) salmon and steelhead blanks.

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Re: Anyone tried Rainshadow Rx8 blanks?

Post by Tokugawa » Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:54 am

jm529 wrote:
Mattman wrote:
robertrinaustin wrote: and hearing similar complaints from friends, I avoid Batson.
X2
X3, i stopped building on them after i broke 3 of their RX6 (most durable) salmon and steelhead blanks.
Ewww...sad to hear

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