Tackle Quality. Is it getting worse?

[preesboy]

Just started up again, so been buying a complete new set of kit.

£1500 pole, No. 4 section went straight away on a 4oz perch, only 5th fish ever caught on the pole, biggest one was a 1ib crucian, pole rated as 20plus, only used with 6 elastic.

Local dealer great, manufacturer took 6 weeks to get a replacement.

seatbox off same manufacturer,2 legs fell out, non marking bits of screwfasteners broke.

No spares available from manufacturer.

I'm only 12 st wet through, so did not collapse under my weight.

Then the base cracked across the bottom, obvious fault, it was as thin as paper in parts.

Bought off regular advertiser in the mags.
sales back up, zero.

New brolly, first time out of bag, couldn't even put it up, thread gone on fixing.

Same advertiser, back up, zero.

Cost a fortune to send it back, so didn't bother.

My fishing partner spent £300+ on a new box, that arrived with the cassette footplate fixed upside down at the factory, sat on it the first time and his knees were in his chest,

Luckily he is a mechanis and took the thing apart and refitted it properley.

All these goods were from well known, long standing "quality" firms, not cheap discount stuff.

Anyone else had the same problems or is it just me being unlucky?

[stevelockett]

Probably a combination of a bit of bad luck and a degree of most manufacturers building down to a price instead of up to a quality nowadays.
Most of the tackle firms have different ranges of gear, with most of the low end stuff made in China. They build to a spec, but often the gear is not exactly as ordered and by the time it arrives, it can be cheaper to sell inferior product and replace as and when rather than send it all back and demand replacements from China.

Getting a pole fixed is a pain, but usually results in the broken section being stronger. As for smaller bits, you get what you pay for, so buy the best you can afford.

[fishster]

Saying you get wot you pay for.I bought a RT box new last year for £138 and havent had a single thing go wrong with it. it is a really good box for the money and does the job.So in my experience you can get good stuff cheap that does last.

[droid]

with most of the low end stuff made in China.

Have you seen where Normark or Fox rods are made nowadays, Steve?

[ridgeacre]

Have you seen where Normark or Fox rods are made nowadays, Steve?

mate 99% of tackle comes from the far east and china make 80% of it, and no I wouldnt be surprised

[RIVE-MASTER]

Name and Shame them, its the only way that they might learn

[justin case]

Name and Shame them, its the only way that they might learn

Thats ok as long as the full facts are stated and there are no bending of the truths,
Its typically the companies that make crap gear that have the best lawyers,

[preesboy]

The pole was a Fox prism and the seatbox was a Fox Stax.

[justin case]

The pole was a Fox prism and the seatbox was a Fox Stax.

I was expecting a different manufacturer

Fox should sort that out they have a good track record

[droid]

The pole was a Fox prism and the seatbox was a Fox Stax.

Who was the vendor? Because sorting it out is down to them, initially.

[preesboy]

I got the pole from Total Angling in Shrewsbury.
They were great, phoned Fox straight away whilst I was there and got a promise off Fox to replace straight away, but no such service from Fox, it took them weeks and a load of grief to get the new section delivered.

Fox Stax box and the Leeda umbrella were from Cheshire Fishing.

No such customer service from them, didn't want to know.