Fox Horizon X5 Rods

It’s testament to the legacy of the benchmark Warrior range that it often steals the limelight from its more expensive stable-mates. That particular range has stood astride the budget carp rod market like a colossus for well over a decade. Just as it shows no sign of loosening its grip, so the Fox machine moves to tighten its stranglehold on the top-end market too. The endgame looks to be the launch of the new Horizon X5 range.

The Horizon X5’s come with three handle choices

The Horizon name has been winning fans among those anglers who demand range-fishing excellence for some time now, and this latest series of models looks set to enhance that reputation even further. So, how do you improve on the thoroughly excellent brute of a rod that is the Horizon XT? Well, through innovating technology and addressing the eternal truths of longer casting – rods need to be made stronger, thinner, lighter and recover quicker to allow the user to cast further.

When the development team, headed up by renowned duo Shaun McSpadden and Scott Day, set about developing a new Horizon blank, they needed to push the envelope of carbon tech in the process. To do so, they deployed several layers of carbon cloth (complete with nanofibre technology) that all run in different directions (giving that crucial beef) and are electro-bonded together during the curing process. The upshot is that the X5 blanks recover in an instant, snapping back into line, allowing your main line to whisper through the rings in the straightest line possible, reducing friction and drag.

High-end components have been used throughout

Of course, Shaun and Scott are anglers first and foremost, so they’ve retained the crucial fish-playing capabilities of the previous Horizons. It’s all too easy for tackle firms to push further and further along the long-casting path, but that’s far from the full picture, and Fox clearly recognise this.

Such as the K-Series rings which are strong yet lightweight

Do you know what? They’re good looking rods too. We’re talking 18mm Fuji DPS reel seat, super-subtle black whippings throughout and understated cosmetics (we know you love it!).

They’re also strong rods, benefiting from a 1k carbon wrap along the length of the blank, as well as nice touches like the reinforced carbon power joints (push-over joints that have been beefed-up with an extra carbon wrap). The K-Series ringing is lightweight and strong, allowing you to go for broke, while moving that rod through the air faster than ever before.

They also help reduce line wrap, which increases your casting distances

As you might expect, the range is pretty big, allowing you to choose from a fair few models to find the one that best suits your fishing. The anything-but-standard, abbreviated-handle build is for those of you who prefer a stripped-back look, and you can choose from 12ft 3.25lb, 12ft 6in 3.5lb, 12ft 3.75lb and 13ft 3.75lb versions. Those models are also available with cult (although slim) full Duplon handles.

Logo of quality

Because they know that we’re all tackle tarts at heart, Fox has made matching Spod/Marker rods too. They’ve got the multidirectional nanofibre, interlaminar resin and reinforced joints at their hearts too, which makes them formidable weapons to team with your fishing rods. It’s a pretty comprehensive, powerhouse of a range to be honest!

“GIMME”: Horizon X5, £309.99 to 359.99; Horizon X5 Spod/Marker 12ft, £259.99; 13ft, £269.99; foxint.com