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TFO BVK FLY ROD REVIEW: INTRODUCTION
With
the introduction of their BVK series in late 2010, TFO joined the
move toward light, fast action flyrods with soft, sensitive tips,
in the wake of big names such as Scott (S4s), Sage (Xi3) and
Loomis (NRX). Fly rods
with these specifications are easier to cast, perform well at all
ranges and given the lower swing weights, models designed
for line weights eight and above are a lot less taxing on the
casting arm.
Designed by Lefty Kreh (Bernard Victor Kreh = BVK), with some help
from Flip Pallout and Gary Loomis, the BVK series is arguably the
best TFO has produced. The
BVK series retail at a little more than a third the price of high
end brands and models, against which they comfortably compete
- TFO are understandably fairly cagey about the technical
details of blank construction. All
I managed to ascertain was that the graphite has higher modulus
than the IM6 graphite used in all the other TFO series, and the
resin is a tried and true proprietary system that does not involve
new nano resin technology.
The hardware on the BVK series is what you would expect to
find on a top end fly rod, including REC recoil stripping guides
(also used by Loomis on the Cross Current and Streamdance series),
lightweight
chromium-impregnated stainless snake guides, flor grade cork grips
and reel
seats constructed from woven graphite and type-three anodized,
machined aluminium components. The rods are a rich moss green and
the finish is very good.
My only complaint is that glossy blanks generate rod flash,
which could become an issue when targeting spooky fish on
saltwater flats, or in
New Zealand’s crystal clear back country streams. Glossy fly rods also tend
to scratch more easily in tough backcountry stream environments,
which, though more of a cosmetic than a practical issue, may
bother some people. On the plus side, surface scratching does
eventually reduce rod flash.
In New Zealand, the BVK rods come with a rod sock and TFO rod tube and a
life-time warranty.
The turnaround on rod repairs is generally under two weeks and can
be as short as four of five days, which beats the 8 week turn
around on most top end models. Broken
sections are replaced for a handling fee of NZ$30.
Producing
a light, fast action blank with a sensitive tip section is no mean
feat, and to create one that is also durable, is the Holy Grail of
fly rod design - see my article Differences
between high-end and mid-priced fly rods.
I have also found that
casting a fly rod in a car park or paddock often does not provide
much insight on how the rod will handle the demands of fish and
water. In order to
establish how durable and fishable the BVK series is, I loaned 5
wt and 9wt rods from Feather Merchants, the New Zealand
distributors, and fished them alongside my favourite rods.
READ
THE TFO BVK 5 WT FLY ROD REVIEW >
READ
THE TFO BVK 8 WT AND 9 WT FLY ROD REVIEWS >
Acknowledgements:
Thanks
to Nate Jarvis of Feather Merchants, distributors of BVK fly rods
in New Zealand, for loaning me the BVK rods to
test.
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