G. Loomis Asquith 5-weight Fly Rod Review

Sep 06, 2016 · 3 min read

G. Loomis Asquith 5-weight Fly Rod Review

Green metallic G. Loomis fly rod with cork handle and reel resting on pebbles in a shallow sunlit stream

Round 2. Our second review of the much talked about G Loomis Asquith. It’s a silly name, but is it also a great rod? We’re going to skip the techno-babble in this review and get right down to the meat and potatoes. Read on to see if you should spend your next stack on the Asquith. This is our second of two reviews of the Asquith. If you’ve already read the other one, I’m sorry for any repetition. This review is a lot more straightforward. If you haven’t read our review of the 8wt, you can read it here: G. Loomis Asquith 8wt Fly Rod Review If this review helped you decide on your next fly rod, help us by buying it here.

Outfit

Fit and Finish

Loomis has always had great finish work, but not as good as Scott and Winston. The Asquith is no different. There really isn’t much to talk about here. It’s a nice looking rod, but not the BEST looking rod.

Weight

One of the key selling points of the new Asquith is its weight. At 2.8 oz., it’s way lighter than the NRX LP. This was really noticeable when casting side-by-side, but I never heard anyone complaining about the weight of the LP to begin with.

Flex & Feel

When I asked Steve Rajeff about how the Asquith compared to the NRX LP , he said that it was somewhere in between the LP and the ‘standard’ NRX. I’d say that is definitely true, but a little misleading. It’s definitely not squarely in the middle between the two. To me, the Asquith feels A LOT like the LP. Only on long casts did I notice much difference at all.

Distance

If there was one area that I didn’t care for the LP in, it was distance. It just wasn’t a rod that you’d take to the casting competition. I mean that’s why there’s an NRX Trout AND an NRX LP. The Asquith does a better job at making these longer casts (vs LP) without a doubt.

Accuracy

Comparing the Asquith to the NRX LP was probably one of the easiest comparison tests I’ve ever done. The Asquith is better across the board, and MUCH better at 60’. That’s actually a pretty hard feat to accomplish – to offer more accuracy at both 30’ AND 60’. It’s like having a rod that is simultaneously faster and slower… but it’s true.

Warranty

Lifetime. Loomis has the best turnaround time in the biz. Price: $1000!

Conclusion

So, like I did with the 8-weight review, I’ll end with the all-important question of: Is it worth $1000? While the 8-weight left me with some questions, I can’t deny that the performance of this 5-weight is incredible. For a true, top of the line shootout, I’ll need to compare this with the Helios 2, the Zephrus, and the Radian, but I can tell you now that it’s a top contender for sure, and possibly the best of the bunch.

I really liked this rod with GPX, I can’t imagine anything else working better, nor would I recommend another line.

Pros

Better at every distance than the NRX LP
Also, much lighter

Cons

The only thing stopping everyone from buying this is, obviously, its very high cost.

Written by

Ben Freeman

Ben Freeman founded Trident Fly Fishing in 2012 to cut through the marketing fluff and provide anglers with the technical info they actually need. He’s built his reputation by putting gear to the ultimate test in the world’s most unforgiving fisheries. With fishing stamps from over 22 countries and 17+ states, Ben’s passport is a roadmap of bucket list angling—from landing a 25lb Golden Dorado in Bolivia and 150lb Arapaima in Guyana to sight-casting for Roosterfish off the beaches in Baja. Whether it’s battling 60+mph winds to land a 20lb Rainbow at Jurassic Lake or a full day of casting 8in streamers in Mongolia, Ben has spent decades ensuring his gear performs when a trip of a lifetime is on the line.

At Trident, Ben serves as the lead gear geek, specializing in the deep-dive mechanics of rods, reels, and lines. Over the past 15 years, he's reviewed 250+ fly rods and 150+ fly reels and is likely one of the most prolific rod reviewers in the world. But he doesn't just curate the catalog; he scrutinizes every taper and drag system through the lens of a traveling angler who knows what it's like to have gear fail a thousand miles from home. For Ben, the mission is simple: leverage his experience across nearly 100 species to ensure that when you head into the wild, you’re equipped with gear that has been vetted by someone who has actually been there.

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