<<<Grumpy! You're just mad because the H2 scored last>>>
Orvis rods will never do well in their shootouts because their "expert" testers all want specific action rods that Orvis does not make. And that's the glaring fault with their shootout, they are telling you (with their bias') what
they want in a rod. And most people don't cast with the same skill and stroke they have. All useless info for me, because I cast differently. Everyone should toss these "reviews" in the trash (whether from here or any other biased source), and actually try out some rods before buying to find the one that is best suited for them.
<<<I think this was a great idea to generate traffic to his website>>>
And that in a nutshell is what this "shootout" is all about, and why the same rod company wins every year (he's one of the few Hardy dealers around). And I'm sure he gets lots of rewards from Hardy also! All marketing BS!!!
I've cast the Hardy and it's a great rod. But then again so is Orvis, Loomis, Sage, Winston, Scott, etc etc etc. They all have great rods!!!