Everything You Need to Know About Fishing Rod Sleeves

Why?

rod socks keep rod and reels clean rod socks protect your fishing rod

When you store or transport your fishing rods, they’re at risk of collecting dust, being scratched or chipped, and tangling, especially if they’re too close together.

Fishing rod sleeves prevent all three of these issues.

They act as an effective dust cover, keeping your tackle clean and ready to go. They offer scratch and chip protection, especially during transportation, when they can rub against one another or other hard objects and really take a beating. And by enclosing the rod and line, they prevent annoying tangles.

Material

Rod sleeves are made from durable materials like PET and neoprene.

  • PET is an abbreviation for polyethylene terephthalate, a type of polyester that’s very similar to the common fabric. It’s commonly used in packaging of all kinds, with particular emphasis on its fibrous applications demanding high wear resistance. PET is extremely tough, and it’ll do a great job protecting your rod from scratches and dings.
  • Neoprene is a synthetic rubber that’s commonly used in wetsuits, footwear insulation, and medical braces. Available in a wide range of application-specific thicknesses, it offers fantastic protection from dust, scratching, and gouging.

Length

rod sock length

Ideally, a rod sleeve covers the blank from the tip to the reel seat, providing maximal protection. 

It’s important that you measure your rod carefully, selecting a product that best fits your tackle. That’s not always possible, but the best products will be offered in a wide range of sizes and styles to fit almost any rod.

Diameter

While casting rods wear guides that keep the line close to the blank for maximum vibration transmission, large spinning rods need big, tall guides to channel line from a reel that’s stripping line far from the center of the blank.

If you need a rod sleeve or a big saltwater spinning rod, you’ll need to measure the distance from the blank to the top of the largest guide and look for a product that can accommodate that.

Retention

You want a rod sleeve to stay put, keeping the blank covered.

The best designs include an elastic strap or cinch that can fit over the reel, pulling the sleeve down to the reel seat and keeping it there.

Some of the less expensive options on our list don’t have one, a nod toward keeping prices down.

Don’t worry, though. If an inexpensive 10-pack is the right choice for you, it’s not that hard to tie a knot with some paracord or string, create a loop, and make a retention strap of your own.

SF Fishing simply nails the rod sock, offering a wide range of lengths and designs, as well as 2-in-1 options for ultimate protection.

And whether you need to guard your favorite bass rod, that beautifully balanced 5-wt. fly rod, or your most reliable ice fishing stick, SF Fishing has the right model for you.

Source: usangler.com