I take care of my equipment and try not to bang things around in transport, or while I'm using them. 

 

5 hours ago, Catt said:

Rod-n-reels are tools...I use my tools!

 

I don't abuse em, but I don't Baby em...they are will taken care of!

Im in this camp. 
 

I am an Industrial Mechanic, and have more money in tools than I care to admit. $45 for a par of Klein crimpers, or $60 for Channellock 480 pliers, or $105 for a snap on ratchet (that I would think twice about doing again). It seems nuts to those that aren’t in the trade, but I use my tools to make a living, I do wipe them down and care for them, but they get used plenty! 
 

Fishing equipment doesn’t pay my bills, but it’s aids heavily in my weekend sanity. I use my stuff, but I don’t intentionally beat on my gear either. The crud gets wiped off occasionally, and rod socks go on when transporting . Scratches and battle scars are earned in time, but it’s not something I go out of my way to do. Kinda like that guy in the shop that wipes grease on his pants to “look” busy.

My boat, truck, firearms, and fishing gear are some of my most valued possessions. I try to take care of them as best I can.

 

My boat is 5 years old now. I had 6 people ask me if it was brand new last season. They seemed surprised to hear it was a 2015.

I take great care of my gear, but I use the heck out of it. I always make sure to lay it on the deck so that the handle is horizontal to the deck to prevent boat rash, always use reel covers and rod socks in the rod box. I have some reels that have over a hundred trips on them and they look as good as new.

 

My boat on the other hand, not so much. I bought an 03 in 2019 that was in GREAT shape, not a scratch on it. Now it has a few noticeable scratches on it because it is a tool and I can't get to where the fish are without taking those chances. 

There's a broad wide line between babying and abusing.  What do you have to lose?  Short of breaking the blank, they're fixable anyway, and sometimes the blank is too.  Go ahead and use them as they were designed -- they can take it.  Just don't expect them to take outright abuse -- no pole pushing your boat, OK?

 

I take care of my gear. From rinsing rods and reels, to tearing things down and deep cleaning. But I also fish what works best hard, sometimes extremely hard. I stay more towards mid market stuff. $150-350 for the most part. I have little interest in ultrathin screaming “break me” gear. If the rod or reel does what it should, it will wind up extremely worn. Because if I’m catching fish, that becomes the priority, not avoiding scuff marks. Any gear that I’ve had that was too fancy to actually fish sat on my desk for a few years and was later sold on eBay. I am not a collector.

I keep covers on my rods and reels in my locker and try not to go out of my way to tear them up, but you can tell they're used for sure. I buy my fishing gear to use it, not to spend all my time worrying about not getting a scuff or scratch on it.

 

I swear my wife notices every scratch on my boat and ask where each one comes from. "Fishing", is what I usually tell her. I don't try to run into things, but it happens occasionally and each one tells the story of all the trips my boat and gear have been on.

I really taking good care of all my gear, some of them are in my car 24/7 all rod and reels cover.

but my really high end combos are in my bedroom, last thing I look at before sleep and first things in morning when I open eyes. Haha....

I take them to car and put them inside car not at back when travel, But I really using them all the time.

even I told to my son what to do if I drop dead anytime

My wife is the only thing I baby...

 

oe