Finally remembered to borrow my neighbors digital scale & here are the weights of the rods mentioned:

Kistler Helium LTA (69APC) 6'9" MH: 4 oz

E21 Carrot Stix:

6'9" MH baitcast: 3.5 oz

6'9" Parabolic baitcast: 3.3 oz

7' Med spinning: 3.5 oz

Shimano Cumara:

6'8" Medium, extra fast: 3.7 oz

6'8" MH spinning: 4.2 oz

These are the rods I own & you can see that the Kistler is the heavier, but not much from all of them. Before the new split grip rods came out, the Kistler was one of the lightest rods available & most sensitive.

The Carrot Stix 6'9" parabolic b/c rod is the lightest from the bunch of b/c rods, while the Carrot Stix 6'9" MH b/c rod is .5 oz heavier than the parabolic.

In regards to the spinning rods, even though the Cumara 6'8" MH spinning rod weighs more than the 7' Medium spinning Carrot Stix, the length of the Cumara is a couple inches shorter; but is 1.3 oz heavier than the Carrot Stix. I guess this is due to the Cumara's Alconite guides versus the chrome guides on the slightly longer Carrot Stix.

So it seems in overall comparison, but not by much that the Carrot Stix is the lightest rod from the list.

NOW in regards to sensitivity.....after trying out the Cumara med, extra fast b/c rod & the Carrot Stix MH b/c rod...the Carrot Stix MH b/c rod is slightly more sensitive than the Cumara. BUT I have to say that this is due to the chrome guides on the Carrot Stix. Why I say that is, the Kistler Helium LTA is very sensitive due to the zirconia guides & the chrome guides on the Carrot Stix is as sensitive. The alconite guides seem to dampen some of the vibration going through the rod blank.

Granted I did a static weight comparison of the Cumara b/c & Carrot Stix MH b/c rods by picking them up, one in each hand/fingers. I could tell slightly that the Carrot Stix felt lighter by doing this static weighting, but it wasn't till I got the digital scale that the differences were minimal.

Don't get me wrong, the alconite guides are sensitive. But comparing the alconites to zirconia or chrome guides, there is a difference in sensitivity. It does make a difference!

Also when I used the Carrot Stix MH b/c rod today, something that got me very surprised. First let me say that from the pics from my previous post, I use braided line on most of my b/c reels. The MH Carrot Stix, dragging a wacky rigged 5" Yum Dinger, I felt it when it fell from some weeds on to the bottom. At first thought, I got a hit & set the hook...for nothing. It wasn't till I realized that it's the plastic worm being dragged on top of some weeds & dropping down that the slight vibration was from. That blew me away, talk about a rod being very sensitive. I don't recall feeling this on the Kistler, I'll have to take it out & try to feel that.

I balked a couple weeks ago at how cheap looking the chrome guides made the Carrot Stix LTX look. I mean, I'm paying $150 per Carrot Stix w/ chrome guides??? Now I understand that guides w/o inserts are alot more sensitive. Also the graphite blanks from different mfg's makes a difference. This is something to keep in mind for future rod purchases.

With the new Shimano Chronarch MG51 b/c reel, it is so light on the Carrot Stix MH b/c rod! I couldn't believe how much lighter it felt on the Carrot Stix than on the Cumara. The reel on the Cumara is quite light, but on the Carrot Stix...it's crazy light! Now keep in mind that the Carrot Stix MH b/c rod is only .4 oz lighter than the Cumara med, extra fast b/c rod. But having a very light reel still makes the whole package that much lighter.

These are my observations & just trying to have you guys understand that the weights of these very popular rods are not that much different. Still, I was very amazed to now see how much of a difference in weights they all are. Guides w/ inserts like alconite do make the rod slightly heavier, you can feel that when you pick one up & pick up a rod w/ chrome or zirconia guides.

All these rods a very sensitive, I feel more of what's going on w/ my lures on the other end. It has made fishing very interesting that I can feel more of what is going on in the water.

Now I get to thinking...what the feel would be like if the Carrot Stix had the Alconite guides & the Cumara had zirconia or chrome guides...???? The world will never know.....

Here are some baitcast reel (left hand) weights w/ braided line spooled on:

Shimano Curado D:

301 w/ 50 lb braid: 11 oz

201 w/ 40 lb braid: 10.2 oz

101 w/ 30 lb braid: 7.7 oz

Chronarch MG51: 6.1 oz

Daiwa:

Zillion w/ 40 lb braid: 9.0 oz

Advantage HSTLA w/ 40 lb braid: 9.2

Exceler w/ 40 lb braid: 9.6

Abu Garica:

Revo S w/ 40 lb braid: 8.9 oz

The Cumara uses Fuji SiC Guides not Alconite. Nice writeup.

Oh, I missed that...thanks!

                 Ghost, that was a great read. Very well done.

Great analysis, Ghost.  You provided very useful information.  I'm an analyst by trade and appreciate your work here.  I'd been thinking about a Cumera.  I might have to think more seriously about the Carrot Stix.  Thanks.  Leon

Great stuff!

Just for curiosity I measured my old, old Fenwick HMG 66MH and it "clocked in" at 4.63 oz(digital scale).

Anyhow, I htink it's more important to have a well balanced rod than a light rod but tip heavy.

Just my $0.02

Those E21 rods are just gimmicks.  :

good analysis, Ghost. thanks for the info.

WOW!!!  What an awesome write up.  Thanks so much for the info.

Weight is just part of the equasion that goes into the making of a quality rod.