At Just $80, How Good Could These New H2OX Carbon Rods Be?

Academy Sports, the Texas-based sporting goods chains with more than 300 stores, has introduced three new rod series to its H2OX lineup: Carbon, Factor and Angler. And to sum it all up, these are great rods that you'd expect to pay twice as much for. But shhh! Don't tell them that.

Let's focus on the H2OX Carbon lineup. This is Academy's top-of-the-line rod series. They look classy, with wrapped-carbon handles, cork grips and sharp logos, but looks don't matter when the fish of a lifetime is on the line! But rest assured, these rods won't let you down when you hook up with a real trophy.

Academy Sports' H2OX spinning rods come in 7-foot medium/moderate fast and 7-foot, 6-inch medium/moderate models. They are great all-purpose spinning rods. | Joe Shead

H2OX Carbon Spinning Rods

H2OX Carbon spinning rods are currently available in two models: a 7'6" medium/moderate and a 7' medium/moderate fast. These are the perfect all-around one-piece rods for mid-sized species like bass, crappie, walleyes, white bass and average-sized catfish and northern pike. They work great in saltwater, too. I recently had a chance to test them out on inshore species and they performed admirably on snook, seatrout, ladyfish and mackerel.

The H2OX Carbon spinning rods are made with an IM-6 graphite blank and nano resin technology. Let's cut through the jargon. Nano resin technology means a nano resin is applied to the blank which fills in the gaps between the carbon fibers, adding strength but at the same time, adding hardly any weight. It's a win-win and you'll really enjoy the durability of these rods.

Further details include a comfortable cork grip and 9 rod guides, plus the tip, which distribute the load evenly across the rod blank.

H2OX Carbon Casting Rods

You've got a few more options in the casting rod lineup. There's a medium heavy/fast in 7' and 7' 2" lengths. There's a 7' medium/moderate fast. If you like a little longer rod, there's a medium heavy/moderate fast that measures 7' 6". And when you really need a beefy rod for big fish in heavy cover, try the 7' 6" heavy/fast option. These rods are perfect for fishing bass in various degrees of cover. The heavy/fast rod would even be a great bet for northern pike and muskies.

H2OX Carbon casting rods have IM-8 graphite blanks. What that means is this blank is stronger, stiffer and more sensitive than the IM-6 used in the spinning lineup. These rods also have cork grips and 11 guides, plus the tip.

Every H2OX rod from Academy Sports has a ring around the butt, which makes identifying a rod in your rod locker a snap. Little details like this make these rods stand out from the competition. | Joe Shead

H2OX Carbon Pros

I really like these rods. The spinning rods are good all-around rods. Despite the larger selection, the casting rod series is really mostly geared toward bass, with some heavier gamefish applications. Both styles retail for $79.99, and you really can't beat the price. At that price point, they would be great for guides who may need a lot of rods for their clients or just to have along as a high-quality spare, whether you break a rod while fishing or take someone out who doesn't have their own gear. I think Academy Sports could honestly charge $150 for these rods. These rods have handled everything I've thrown at them this spring, including some hard-fighting carp and buffalo I've hooked while pursuing white bass and walleyes.

In addition, I really like the finer details of these rods. Every rod in the H2OX lineup has a little ring around the butt, which is great for quickly picking out the right rod in your boat's rod locker. And I like the fact that the hook keeper is positioned on top of the spinning rods. Sometimes during a cast, I've had line hit the keeper positioned below the rod -- particularly if the keeper is slotted, rather than fully closed -- which can ruin a cast. That's not even a factor with these rods.

H2OX Carbon Cons

Let's talk about the cons. There aren't many. The action is a little slower than I like for the spinning rods. I usually prefer a tip that's a little faster, and perhaps that will be an option as this lineup expands. Then again, maybe I'm just spoiled from using rods that are faster, but come with a much higher price tag. For the money, these rods are great.

Who Needs These Rods

I was genuinely surprised by how little I felt like performance was compromised compared to rods costing twice as much. For a vast majority of anglers who want a great, dependable rod without investing premium-level money, the H2OX Carbon lineup hits a sweet spot that’s tough to find.

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