Since power is pretty subjective to the rod builders, there is a lot of crossover between Medium and Medium Heavy it seems. Is the best way to judge rods in the store by comparing the physical size of the blanks?

 

So if I am looking at a M and a MH that are the same diameter just above the reel seat, would they be pretty close then normally?

 

I suppose you'd probably also need to compare rods that are in the same price ranges? Not compare a $50 rod to a $500 rod in other words?

 

An example of rods I'm looking at, the Diawa Aird-X in MH/F looks and feels very similar to the Lews Hank Parker M/F rod I have. Should I then expect them to be very similar? Of course, I have fished the Lews, but I have only handled the Aird-X in the store.

The rod material like graphite vs glass vs graphite glass composite all have very different diameters in the lower 1/3 of the rod.

No subjective method without  putting a reel and line through the rod guides and lifting dead weight*.

You can look at the lure weights suggested; generally 1/4 oz to 3/4 oz is medium power and 3/8 oz to 1 oz is MH power.

If the rod with reel and line can lift 3 lbs it’s Medium, 4 lbs is MH.

Tom 

* one pint of water weighs 1 lb.

Different manufactures/designers apply different elements in blank design.  Tube diameter, tube thickness, progression of the taper and the materials all contribute to establish both powers and actions.  Generally the design concept used one manufacturer will be found within a series or multiple series.  When you find that sweet power action rod, look further.  One of the positive aspects that Dobyns and Edge have is consistency in the progression of the powers while maintaining the integrity of the stated actions.  That’s not to say other brands don’t but these two do.

What Columbia craw said.  if you look at the duckett Wheeler rods or the phenix feather rods they are really big diameter down by the fore grip relative to their power.  You can make power in a spot on a rod by adding diameter to the blank, adding thickness to the graphite mesh in the first place or adding more wraps of the mesh.  Then the mandrel and the taper of that mandrel that the graphite flag is wrapped around will impact.  The stiffness of the binder layer between layers of graphite (the scrim) plays also.  There are so many factors as part of the physical design that can have huge implications that diameter is just one.

 

I have a great example sitting next to my desk right now.  I have a Phenix feather ML and a Falcon Expert ‘Buzzbait’ which is rated H (more on that in a minute).  The ML is at least 50% bigger diameter in front of the grip and is pushing 2x the diameter.  The difference is less when you go up the rod, but it is a stark difference.

 

Now would I call the Phenix a ML and the falcon an H?  Probably not.  The phenix is rated 1/4-5/8.  That’s more like a true medium to me and most others.  And the falcon is a 6-power falcon which in their scheme is a very light heavy or closer to a MH in some brands and rods (it is rated 3/8-1 oz) and this specific one is on the lighter end of all their 6-power rods. So practically speaking I’m comparing a medium with a medium heavy in reality, but to emphasize your question- the stated power is a guide.  A better way most of the time is to look at the lure rating.  if the bottom end starts with 1/8 on a casting rod then you’re looking at a ML or L.  If the top is 5/8 then that’s a medium, 3/4 MH, and 1-1.25 then light heavy or a really powerful MH.  Above that gets to be a crapshoot depending what the rod is designed for.  And if you’re in store feeling rods, then you should be able to feel how it flexes and how much force it takes flex it.