Which Fly Rods Have The Best Warranty & Repairs? - Lifetime Warranties
Everyone is always asking me about who has the "best" warranties and which rods break most often, how long are repair times, etc. I will attempt to write this as a "support article" for anyone worried before you buy, or those needing repair. I would also like to highlight that it is not that common to break a rod, and very rare for it to be a manufacturing defect. Stepping on a rod is much more frequent. So for those asking me which brand of rods breaks the most, it's more about mistakes than failures of materials or workmanship. Disclaimer: Each brand handles warranty and repairs a little differently so I am generalizing here but they have a lot in common.
All repairs take longer than you want them to take. Most repairs will still cost money under warranty but it's usually not much.
The main things to understand are that your warranty doesn't mean a free repair if you broke the rod, most repairs cost money, it is a much lower price for those with a registered warranty, and most importantly: all repairs take longer than you want them to from any brand. Some brands like TFO for example have a system where you can just purchase a new section of a rod, way easier and faster than sending in a rod for repair, especially if you know you broke it anyway and it isn't a defect.
Most high-quality fly rods, such as the brands we carry, have a lifetime warranty. This applies to the original owner who purchased the rod from an Authorized Dealer (such as a fly shop), not eBay or other third parties. *Some companies require that you register the rod within 30 days of purchase, usually they will include a warranty card in the packaging which will indicate this. A common scam with third parties/eBay/random people is selling a rod showing the included warranty card being blank, although the rod has already been registered online without it. BUY FROM A FLY SHOP, it doesn't have to be mine, but buy your gear from a fly shop. Saving a few bucks isn't worth it when you snap the rod and find out what an out-of-warranty repair costs (can easily be several hundred dollars).
The repair fee (with your lifetime warranty) is typically very reasonable for accidental breakage (as in, not the fault of the manufacturer). Usually between $50-$75 for most companies, on current models of fly rods. Can get more expensive for older ones and at some point if your rod is not repairable due to lack of parts anymore, the company often will let you get a discount on a new model instead of repairing your old one. Don't quote me on that one because it isn't official but it is my experience and what I typically hear from customers.
Generally speaking, authorized dealers like us do not directly handle warranty issues (manufacturers do this) and we may be wrong on any of the above information. If you bought your rod from my team, we can at least try to put you in touch with the right people at the brand who can help you. Another big benefit of being our customer: If you have a trip coming up and you just broke your rod practicing on the lawn or something, ask us about a loaner. With a deposit, we can usually arrange to let you borrow a rod while yours is in for repair. Nobody else offers anything like this. Just another big benefit of shopping with us.
Any questions? Call or Email!
Manufacturer/Brand Repair Page Links:
Sage Fly Rods and Reels (plus Redington) Repairs Page
Thomas & Thomas Fly Rod Repairs Page
Shilton Reels (USA Division) - Call or Email Us for Assistance
*Need the info for a different manufacturer and can't find it? Let us know. I will add more at some point.
Below is a quick example of what I talked about in this article, taken from Sage's repair page:
