UPDATE: The Zenith has been replaced by the Zephrus. Check our review of the Zephrus here.
In this review we are going to look at the Hardy Zenith Fly Rod Series. We’ll look at real user opinions, the pros and cons of the series and how they stack up. We’ll also show you the best places to buy the Zenith online, regardless of whether you’re located in or outside the USA.
The Hardy Brand
The Hardy brand (the “House of Hardy”) is owned by the Pure Fishing group. The Hardy factory is located in Alnwick, in the United Kingdom. For traditionalists, Hardy holds a Royal Warrant as a supplier of fishing goods to HRH The Price of Wales.
Place in the Hardy Range
The Zenith is a mid range rod in the Hardy Range. As Hardy rods are located towards the top end of the market, this makes the Zenith rods one of the better rods on the market.
Rod Action
The Zenith has a fast tip based action. This gives the rod good accuracy, but makes it less forgiving for beginners. As such the rod will suit intermediate to advanced fly fishermen.
Technical Details
Number of sections: 4
Cover: comes supplied with a cloth cover and hard tube.
Body
The Zenith uses the Sintrex® 400 carbon fibre matrix in its body. This is a stiffer version of the product than the 330 used in the Jet Series. Sintrex® is carbon fibre encased in a reinforced resin matrix developed in conjunction with 3M and Cambridge University.
The colour of the rod is silver highlights on a finish of clear pearl grey. The reel seat is anodized aluminium and the guides are made from titanium.
Handle
The handle is made from the standard Hardy high quality cork.
Sizes in the Series
| Model | Length | Weight | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zenith 8′ #3 | 8′ | #4 | ||
| Zenith 9′ #4 | 9′ | #4 | ||
| Zenith 9′ #6 | 9′ | #6 |
Hardy Zenith Fly Rod User Reviews
“Terrific trout stream rod
I know this rod has received many good reviews in the last few years, and I’m usually a bit leary of those reviews when they’re produced by the retailers of those rods. But this time I think the reports are pretty accurate. The rod is light, strong, and a joy to use. It casts at least as well as my Winston, and the price offered at STP, it is unbeatable. Although the reel seat has been changed in the newer version, and the cork doesn’t seem of the highest grade, the rod finish is excellent, the tube and rod socks are great accessories. All-in-all, a great choice for a versatile trout rod.”
Hoosier Daddy, posted on Sierra Trading Post
“Used the 9′ for a 6wt and it undoubtedly has incredible power; I was able to chuck the whole 100′ line with just a little single haul. It also loaded extremely well at short range as well and was very accurate at these distances.”
shuck raider, posted on flyfishing.co.uk
Our Rating
The Hardy Zenith Fly Rod is more expensive than many rods available, though it definitely is not the most expensive rod available. Those who own the rod tend to rate it highly. Accuracy tends to be something the rod is particularly renowned for, especially over longer distances. As such we rate the Hardy Zenith Series as 4/5.
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Rating
