Well, which one makes the better rods? Only ask because the other day I was in a tackle shop when I heard it suggested that both companies use the same Chinese blanks! It begs the question, who actually makes what!

And I won't tell you how much I heard that the blanks cost either! I mean, if I suggested a fiver, you would never believe me, would you?

Peter
I would Belive you. I used to work as an accountant for one of the countries big mail order catalogues. We would import all sorts of goods from the far east from electric drills to clothing. Much of it would be off the peg but with some bespoke detail, like rods?. The stuff would leave the factory for say £5 but would cost us £10 by the time it got to the ship. By the time it was on the ship some more had been added. When it got of the ship in the uk with taxes etc it might now cost £25. Safe in our warehouse the thing might have risen to £30. Double it for a very rough retail margin and the item manufactured for a fiver cost £60.
All round numbers but you get the idea.

Greys because they offer a lifetime guarantee!

It's a well know fact Peter. I am quite surpise Peter that you didn't know that!

The price thing, yes, I did! But not that Greys and Fox alegedly use the same blanks. As for lifetime guarantees, great. But are you paying for two rods because one might break? But in who's liftetime? If I bought one for my Grandchild will Greys be able, or around, to replace it in 50 years time?

Peter
Its very much the same with Poles.( the long ones not the carp eaters). A Company called Reglass used to (and I am sure still do ) made poles for at least 5 Manufacturers at one time. I was once hanging out in my local (tackle shop) and we found 4 poles from 3 manufacturers all of which were completely interchangeable. There was little if any difference in the matierials used, the most obvious difference was the price.
When we buy goods from a rather than b it is often (not always) the marketing and customer service that diferentiates the product.

Peter:
The bit of card that comes attached to your new Greys rod states "and is good for the lifetime
of the original owner only".There is also a £15 excess to cover processing the claim.

I also heard that the final manufacturing cost of many of those rods is only £15 to £17.50. Draw your own conclusion.

Personnel note.....

I'd go for the Greys I have 3 X-Flight and love em, I've used Fox and think they are good but for me the XFlights are just the right balance.again soomething personnel I only buy Fox luggage never ever had a problem ( saying that my bed broke??) but all the luggage has been spot on!

Bankside

Last year's rumour was that Shakespeare made Grey's rods!

Let's face it, for the customer to get the best value, tackle has to be made in the Far East. There can't be all that many factories capable of producing rods of the quality of either Grey's or Fox, so if it turns out that some rods from different tackle companies come from the same source it isn't really that much of a surprise.

The important things are that the rod is well designed - blank, fittings, ring spacings etc, the quality control is done right (not easy if the factory is thousands of miles away), and the aftercare is right if the customer needs it.