Shimano Rod Test Center is a project involving the best, reputable fishing shops in Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. You'll find a selection of the best Shimano rods available to take and test on the water without having to pay a fixed cost! Each showroom offers a different group of rods and the availability of different models, perfectly selected by the staff according to the needs of a given local market.
This world-unique project has been developed to give you the best experience of Shimano's exclusive rods. Whether you're a predator angler, a coarse or carp fisherman; whether your passion is wild journey in places inaccessible to other anglers, or you choose some commercial reservoirs and finally - whether you value the appearance or performance parameters of the rod, thanks to our design you will find and choose a model that will become an inseparable partner of your trips.
NO MORE MISGUIDED PURCHASES!
With the Shimano Rod Test Center, you can be sure that you are choosing a rod that perfectly fits your individual preferences, because you can test it on the water before making your choice, and not, as is the case with any other rods, only in the store reality!
How many times has it happened that the rod you saw in the store turned out not to meet your expectations while fishing? Bending it and checking the action with the help of the shop staff is a completely different experience to how the rod performs during the cast, leading the lure and the fight itself - i.e. in its natural environment. We are aware that if you decide to buy a professional rod, you would like to know how it will perform while fishing. That's why our Project is perfect for you!
Selected fishing shops, as part of the Project, provide anglers with from a few to even a dozen or so spinning, carp and feeder rods. The range of rods provided may vary depending on the specialty of the store and the geographical region. Selected rods that you can test can be found on a dedicated stand in each shop showroom – they are marked with a special holographic sticker with the Rod Test Center logo.
You choose the model you are interested in, inspect its condition with the store staff, and then pay for it at the checkout. Keep, or preferably also take a photo with your phone, the proof of purchase you received with the rod. Then, for up to 5 working days, you can use the rod for its true purpose – by testing it in natural conditions, fishing and checking whether the characteristics of the rod meet your needs. On the last day of the trial period (5th working day) you return the rod to the shop and receive a full refund of the amount paid.
If you like a particular rod model, on the day of returning the rod you can buy or order, if it is not in stock, an identical, new and tagged Shimano rod from this series or, if you are still not sure about your decision, get another rod available as part of the Rod Test Center project for tests.
Each time you purchase and register a selected Shimano rod at the Rod Test Center, you receive a limited thermal cup with the Shimano themed logo (Predator, Tribal, Aero) as a gift. This promotion only applies to purchases made through direct sales and excludes purchases made through shipping delivery. This means that you can order the rod through the online store's platform, but you must pick it up in person at the store to be able to register the product and get a limited gift.
Below you will find a list of rods that take part in our promotion – for the purchase and registration of each of these rods, you will receive a limited Shimano thermal cup from the seller, on the day of purchase:
What distinguishes our best rods from the competition is the production technology, which makes them simply better. They offer decidedly more professional running characteristics, lighter and more responsive blanks and a level of feel that guarantees exceptional, true fishing precision and a completely new experience. Discover some of the most important innovations offered by Shimano:
Spiral X Core
It is a blank construction technology that includes 3 layers: an inner layer of spirally arranged carbon Infinity Tape, a middle layer of high-modulus graphite mats and an outer layer of oppositely laid and spirally wrapped Infinity Tape. This carbon mat is applied from the top to the butt section of the rod, replacing the cross-laid graphite mats used in classic constructions and reducing the amount of resin needed to bond them. This makes the rod much lighter. At the same time, the carbon tape offers greater strength and stiffness, resulting in better power transmission and sensitivity. It also increases casting accuracy, because the rod does not twist relative to its axis and goes out faster in the tip part after the cast.
Hi-Power X
This is an advanced design of a high-modulus blank, using a cross-carbon wrap on its surface. This wrap was made with the use of light and extremely strong carbon Infinity Tape. Its use makes the blank more resistant to overloads, especially in the tip part. At the same time, it offers more power reserves in the lower part. This technology allows you to give the rod a faster action, while maintaining progressive deflection (in selected models, depending on the action of the rod). The Hi-Power X construction can be used on its own, although in some of the best Shimano rod models it is the outer finish of the blank, previously made in Spiral X Core technology.
Carbon Monocoque
This is a specially designed, resonant butt section of the rod, fully or partly integrated with the reel seat. On standard rods, the butt section and reel seat are made of heavy graphite and encased in cork or EVA foam, while the Carbon Monocoque is made of lightweight Ci4+ carbon and extends all the way to the butt, sometimes contains also a reel seat. Because of Carbon Monocoque hollow design, it reduces the weight of the rod and significantly improves its sensitivity compared to the standard design. Thanks to it, both the vibrations generated by the lure and the bites of fish are better transmitted to the angler's hand. As a result, you can fish more precisely, get a better feel for the structure of the bottom and the most delicate contacts with the fish.
To help you find the nearest store and keep your store list up to date, we've put together a handy map to help you locate Rod Test Center stores in your area.
Do you have questions or something is not clear to you? Visit or contact your nearest Rod Test Center. You can also read the detailed terms and conditions of our campaign, available in your local language on the registration page.
