Guru 11ft Aventus Feeder rod review
FEW rods on the market can boast the pedigree of the quartet that make up the Guru Aventus Feeder range.
They were designed by Guru’s expert match team, and no stone has been left unturned in terms of quality and innovation.
That, though, is only half the story. The rods are manufactured and dressed in the UK by Daiwa, using the finest carbons and the best possible fittings, and they are engineered to a premium grade that pushes carbon specifications to their limit.
A unique double layering of multi-directional carbon fibres gives the blanks unparalleled linear strength, so they retain their tubular cross-section when the rod is compressed on the cast.
Add in a super-fast tip recovery speed, pleasing crispness and a lightweight feel, and the end result is accurate, precise casting, coupled with impressive power on the strike. In truth, the Aventus range covers all styles of feeder-flinging, whether that’s a delicate approach with thin lines and small hooks or chucking a payload to the horizon.
Three graded push-in quivertips come with each model, giving you plenty of flexibility as conditions dictate. The rod on live test duty, the two-piece 11ft Aventus Feeder, suits the better part of all your commercial feeder and straight lead tactics.
Despite its modest length you only have to have a cast or two to appreciate what it is capable of doing. Using a mini 30g Guru Hybrid feeder and giving the rod a hefty whack using 8lb mainline, the feeder hit the clip hard at 17.5 wraps (75 yards), with plenty still left in the casting locker should I have needed it.
The action of this Aventus reminded me a lot of the original and still much sought-after Carbotec Feeder. Both feel as though a ribbon of elastic has been threaded through the blank, so forgiving is it when playing a big fish.
The Aventus, however, benefits from cutting edge tech and is dressed with seriously good fittings, including oversized Fuji Alconite K-Guides. These are seemingly bulletproof, and will prevent most snarl-ups and tangles. All are ideally positioned to achieve perfect casting compression and playing action.
The Grade A cork handle is considerably longer than you’re expect on an 11ft rod and the added leverage, so I’m told, makes for longer and more accurate casts.
If there’s a tiny shadow on the horizon, it’s the price. At a penny under 400 quid it certainly isn’t cheap, but as with all things, you get what you pay for. The 11ft Guru Aventus Feeder really is as good as it gets.
Price: £399.99
Verdict
GURU’S Aventus rods have been around for a while now, and I have heard many comments about them – good, bad and indifferent. However, as a tackle editor I try to keep an open mind, taking any rod as I find it, rather than basing my judgement on its price or reputation.
The casting power of the 11ft Feeder belies its fabulous cushioned fish-playing action, miraculously married to a steely mid-section that adds to its big-fish credentials.
For me the handle was a little long for an 11ft rod, but I can see why Guru went down that road – for a little ’un it packs one hell of a cast!
GURU AVENTUS 11FT FEEDER TECH SPEC
Length: 11ft l Sections: Two
Recommended line: 3lb-10lb
Casting weight: 70g
Tips: Three – 1oz, 2oz and 3oz
Other rods in the Aventus range:
10ft Guru Aventus Feeder
12ft Guru Aventus Distance Feeder
13ft Guru Aventus Distance Feeder