Avid Carp Exodus Rods & AV8000 Reel
Avid have created a range of rods and a new reel that stand alone as fine products in their own right, but when combined go together like fish and chips or hemp and corn...
The Big Questions
Shall we start with the rods?
Let’s do that. They’re called the Exodus range and, quite frankly, they look incredible value for money. It’s a full range that includes a 10-footer priced at just £44.99. The 12-footers, which are available in 3lb, 3.25lb and 3.5lb test curves, are just a tenner more. There’s even a hybrid spod and marker rod with a 4.5lb test curve at the same price.
Cheap and cheerful then?
Go to your local tackle shop and just pick one of these up. They look and feel so much more expensive. Avid have really got the aesthetics just right. There’s a 3K weave finish, a high-modulus blank, an abbreviated handle and laser-etched butt cap. It’s basically a tick-list of how the modern carp rod should look.
And the reels?
This is Avid’s most compact big pit reel yet, but it’s packed full of features. There are seven main ball bearings, plus one in the bail-arm roller, a CNC-machined aluminium handle with a soft-touch rubber knob, a rapid-drag system and a 4.6:1 gear ratio. All for a penny under £75.
Okay, but will it last?
The AV8000s are built to be strong. There’s a high-strength body and a stainless-steel shaft fitted on these reels, so they should easily cope with the punishment dished out during regular carp fishing.
Would you put one on an Exodus rod?
Certainly! Both of these products are new for 2019 from Avid, and they clearly fit together very well. Avid’s early big pit reels were pretty hefty, but the AV8000 is a trimmed-down offering with a weight of 545g. Looks-wise, this understated, all-black reel works perfectly with the similarly styled Exodus range.
Even on the 10-footer?
Yep. The 3lb-test-curve 10ft Exodus rod might be shorter, but it’s no fragile whip. The AV8000 reel doesn’t feel overbearing when paired with this rod, and the two make an excellent-value stalking kit to keep handy for when the moment strikes.