Stand Up Roller Wraps

[JasonGotaProblem]

Maybe one of these days I'll build a roller rod for myself, just to get some practice so if someone ever wants to pay me to build one it won't be my first.

And you can bet I'll do at least one layer of under wraps. Mainly for resale value.

[jurelometer]

If you're thinking of selling an ocean rod good luck if the guides aren't underwrapped. Is it necessary? I don't know but it looks like it is and it can look nice. Look at all the junk they put on cars, very little has a good reason for being there. How many cars have tail lights in the back bumper?  Who thinks that's a good idea ?    they sure sell a lot of cars with them. Fishing rods are like food, you eat with your eyes
There's some style points involved here, to each their own

Agree.  There are actually  studies on car taillight size shape and location, and  as you would expect, putting them closer to the ground is not an improvement.

But, I want to be clear that I am not advocating against underwraps, just disagreeing with some of the technical justifications being tossed around. 

Underwraps on a big enough rod seems like a reasonable idea to me:  It is a common practice.  There doesn't seem to be any complaints about the function.  There are plausible explanations for some benefit. It can add some extra bling that many like, or can be pretty well concealed. 

I think that a more accurate technical explanation is that almost all guides frames are too rigid to flex with the blank.  An underwrap provides a bit of cushion to accommodate this difference in flexibility, and shields the blank from potential abrasion as the blank moves under the guide foot. However, underwraps add some additional weight to the blank in an  undesirable location (toward the tip), so the predominant practice is to only use underwraps on larger weight class rods, where any potential effect from this extra tip weight will be less pronounced.

Just don't  get me started on all the rods with unnecessary aluminum gimbal butt caps.  Seems like going backwards functionally in order to look cool, like designing  a car with taillights on the bumper. Aaargh...

-J