Korda Kaizen Platinum Rods - A Total Fishing Tackle Review!

The Kaizen Rod range has been under development for more than four years and came about as Korda felt that they could develop high end rods that were even better than those already on the market.

All the high-end Kaizen Platinum rods are built on a fast-tapered profile mandrel – meaning that the taper of the rod consistently goes all the way from the butt to the tip. This produces rods with a very ‘tippy’ action, and with pretty much all the flex being towards the tip end. Of course, when under extreme pressure such as casting, the rod will still bend all the way through.

The taper of these rods isn’t the only factor in determining the action and attributes that it displays, and just as important is the type of carbon that has been used in the manufacturing process – for the Kaizen range the only real choice was the best super tensile, high-grade Japanese carbon available!
This ZERO90 carbon is used in just two layers and with very little resin content, and the result of that is lighter, stiffer blanks.

There is of course no point in developing a rod that is incredibly light compared to its power, and then adding heavy components to it, so all of the Kaizen range is fitted with lightweight Sea-Guide TDG rings, with a 50mm butt and 16mm tip – allowing the line to ‘cone’ off of a big pit spool in a way that minimises resistance as it passes through the butt ring, and providing a tip ring that is big enough to allow leader knots to smoothly pass through it.

The reel is attached via a superior quality Fuji DPS seat and the handle is finished fully in Japanese shrink grip – the use of which is more than just cosmetic and allows for a good grip even when your hands or the rod are wet. The aluminium trim and an etched butt cap made by JAG completes the extremely desirable custom look.

So are they any good and are they worth the money?

Korda have gone to extreme lengths to make the Kaizen Platinum range as good as they can be with the materials available. I love the fact that they are UK made and built, big plus for me. So my answer to both questions is YES.

Danny Fairbrass, who has been involved in rod design for many years and one of the driving forces behind the Kaizen range, had the last word;

“They are an absolute joy to use, so lightweight, but powerful, and with really light rings, so they move through the air so easily, and cast so perfectly straight. They also look absolutely gorgeous as well.”