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Whether you are backpacking to reach cutthroat-filled high alpine lakes out west or bushwhacking through Appalachia’s dense canopy in search of a brookie honey hole, we can’t think of a better way to enjoy the outdoors. Hiking and fly fishing are two pastimes that fit about as smoothly as peanut butter and jelly. However, serious backpackers know that space is at a premium while on the trail for an extended time. Your four-piece rod doesn’t break down enough and fits awkwardly strapped to a pack. Plus, do you want to risk breaking that brand new R8 Core stumbling down a switchback, especially with today’s warranty lag times and rising repair fees?

Your sense of self-worth and dignity are too high to fish with a tenkara rod, but you cannot stand the thought of seeing trout rise to an evening spinner fall without a fly rod in hand. Redington’s brand new Trailblazer is designed for this scenario, the hike-to-fish crowd looking for a compact, backpack-friendly rod. Breaking down to six pieces, the Trailblazer meets this requirement, but how does it perform? You will not want to skip this review if you are looking for a new rod to take on your next hike-to-fish adventure.

Outfit

Fit & Finish

Redington is no stranger to risk-taking, and they’ve continued this tradition by giving the Trailblazer a fiery red colorway. This is generating much buzz, with negative and positive comments flooding our Youtube review. If you are on the fence, at least the high-viz color scheme makes it harder to misplace. On the flip side, you might accidentally attract bigfoot deep in the woods.

Besides the rod’s color and accessibility factor, the Trailblazer features standard components found on most Redington rods. A black-anodized, single-uplocking reel seat gives way to a half-wells grip with average-looking cork. Hard-chrome stripping guides and single-foot snake guides top the Trailblazer off. For a sub-$300 rod, it’s okay.

Distance

The Trailblazer seems to have enough juice in the tank to make fishing high alpine lakes manageable.

Accuracy

We were not necessarily looking for pinpoint accuracy for our on-the-water quick take. The Trailblazer is a specialized tool and wouldn’t be our first choice for super technical fishing situations on the East Branch of the Delaware or Henry’s Fork. That said, the Trailblazer should more than suffice on the average freestone rivers or lakes you are likely to come across while hiking.

Flex & Feel

The Trailblazer features a medium fast to fast taper that lends well to most trout fishing situations. We like the Trailblazer for lake fishing, where you might fish subsurface flies for one minute, then switch to dries or small terrestrials. With its smooth, progressive flex, a lighter trout-oriented line like the RIO Gold is a near-perfect option. You can expect a better presentation to spooky wild trout with less grain weight hitting the water.

The Trailblazer isn’t perfect, and its major drawback is a BIG one; the rod is HEAVY. Six-piece rods generally weigh more than four-piece rods. Even still, the rod was significantly heavier than other six-piece rods we’ve fished.

Conclusion

With its fiery graphics, reasonable price, and compact packaging, the Trailblazer is already making a splash. With more people interested in combining fly fishing with other forms of recreation, the rod represents a great starting point for outdoor enthusiasts needing an affordable rod to throw in a backpack or bike saddle bag. However, the Trailblazer offers enough performance for the serious angler needing a less-expensive, 6-piece rod for their adventures. The primary issue is the weight factor; potential consumers will have to decide if the compact packaging the Trailblazers affords is worth the price of gaining the extra heft.

Pros

  • Solid all-around performance
  • Attractive price
  • Portability factor
  • Not a Tenkara rod

Cons

  • On the heavier side for a pack rod
  • Divisive colorway