8 Foot X-Comp Design Secrets

We recently introduced the 8’ X-Comps and have gotten a great response. There have been some questions about the blank designs and materials, so I will share some insights into the blanks here.

Materials – The 8’ X-Comps are made with the exact same materials that are in the 7’3” models. The lower part of the blanks contain a high concentration of carbon fiber (graphite), which is used to create a lot of backbone while still maintaining an overall light construction. The middle and upper part of the blanks contain mostly S-glass, but we run some carbon fiber all the way to the tip to give the blank excellent sensitivity. Overall, this combination of materials yields a powerful, sensitive, and durable series of blanks.

Weight – Yes, some of the 8’ X-Comps weigh less than their respective counterparts in the 7’3” lengths. The data on our website is correct. We spent over 18 months gathering feedback from fishermen and rodmakers to perfect these blanks, and the feedback was consistent: “make the actions slower”. We accomplished this by taking a lot of material out of the middle of the blanks- the backbone section of the 8’ X-comps is approximately 32” – 35” up from the butt, while the 7’3” X-Comps have a lot of backbone 45” up from the butt. The 8’ models are similar in power and ratings to the 7’3” blanks, but the power is located lower in the blank. This is why some 8’ blanks are lighter than the corresponding 7’3” models.

Recommendations - The 8’ models can be used to fish for a lot of popular species. This will help you to choose the right blank for your build:

XC802 - fluke, light blackfish, striped bass, reds, snook, tarpon
XC803 - blackfish, striped bass, tarpon, kingfish, cobia
XC804 - blackfish, striped bass, tarpon, kingfish, cobia, snapper, grouper
XC805 - deep water blackfish, cod, pollack, kingfish, grouper
XC806 - cod, pollack, grouper, tilefish

The 8’ X-Comps are in production and can be painted with any of our custom colors. You can buy them here.