Rod Recommendation

Greetings,

I am looking for the community's help picking out a new casting rod.  The rod will actually be for me wife, who now refuses to use spinning gear since I taught her to use casting gear.  The rod will be used primarily to throw lighter baits--but not BFS light--that would normally be thrown on spinning gear, like smaller 2.8 and 3.3 Keitechs, 1/4oz jigheads and tubes/grubs for smallmouths in rivers (I throw these baits on a Kistler Helium 3 7' Medium/Extra Fast for comparison).  I am thinking about rods rated primarily for 1/4oz-5/8oz, which corresponds with most manufacturer's medium power rods, and a fast or extra-fast taper.  It will be paired with a new Daiwa Tatula SV TW103 that is currently on it's way from American Legacy Fishing.

The rods that I am currently considering are listed below:

ALX ENOX Hunch 7' Medium/Fast

Kistler Helium 3 7' Medium/Fast

G. Loomis IMX-Pro 842C MBR Medium/Fast

G. Loomis GLX 842C MBR Medium/Fast

St. Croix Legend X or Elite 7' Medium/Fast

Shimano Expride A 7'2" Medium Lt.+/Fast

I am flexible on cost, but probably cannot swing a Daiwa Steez AGS, or G. Loomis NRX or Conquest unless they are really discounted.  With that being said, my primary considerations are sensitivity, availability, weight, and durability.  Are there other rods that I should be considering?  I have experience will all of the rods listed above, in some configuration--but not the powers and tapers listed--except for the new ALX ENOX.

If it matters, the idea of pairing a Daiwa reel with a Shimano branded rod makes me super uncomfortable, though I could probably handling having it paired with a G. Loomis.  Yes, I recognize the inconsistency in this, as G. Loomis is owned by Shimano...

Thanks in advance for the assistance!

Edited May 26, 20206 yr by mmoser52
Added information.