Hardy and G. Loomis are both premium makers of fly fishing gear. Hardy has been a design and engineering leader in England and Europe since its inception in 1872 and is known for its beautiful and powerful rods and its perfectly innovative reels. G. Loomis is a bit of a new kid on the block in comparison. They’ve been in the business for about a quarter century. Their precisely engineered rods and reels are targeted at a similarly savvy market in the U.S. Now that Hardy has entered the U.S. market, the two companies are in direct competition to serve your fly-fishing needs. Which one should you choose?

As usual, there really is no one right answer. You should choose the gear that meets your needs and supports your ability to fish, the gear is useless if it doesn’t work for the fisherman. But you know that. G. Loomis offers good design across the board, from specialized rods that offer the power to fight the water and the fish, like the MAX GLX to a mainstream offering like the Xperience. They are a strong contender, but they just don’t have the history and excellence behind them of the Hardy offerings. A MAX GLX is never going to replace the option to have a handcrafted Hardy classic designed to order. Where the G. Loomis is offering a workhorse, the Hardy is offering a rod that does it all and is better designed and engineered.