@Jason_M I got an email from them and they conformed they are looking to improve the design of the foot. There’s a guide in the Keys with a prototype too who requested that as well. He fishes Flamingo and that mud is diabolical. Ask me how I know. LOL
It’s hard to make one foot that will be perfect for everyone but they are listening to feedback.
I got out today and put a few hours on it here in the Lowcountry. We had an early AM flood tide so I had a bit of time pushing the bird around in the grass. For reference I weight two… much… and I’m poling a 1998 Egret 167 Carbon-Kevlar. So not a particularly small skiff and my fat azz doesn’t help.
Observations and thoughts after first use.
I think I set my expectations too low. My previous experiences with BYOPP, (build your own push poles) or sectional poles has always been a bit of a disappointment when I compared to a traditional single piece pole like my Stiffy Hybrid. For several years I also used a 24’ Stiffy Extreme… which also happens to be the most expensive pole I’ve ever snapped in two…
How would I compare the Railblaza Trident to those two push poles? It’s tough after only a few hours, but overall I’m already liking it compared to my Hybrid. At 3.8 lbs I didn’t think that being 3/4” of a pound lighter would make that much of a different but in retrospect the Railblaza is about 21% lighter. I notice it most when I want to spin the orientation from foot first to tip first. There feels like less mass is spinning around. It’s subjective I know, but it feel less cumbersome.
The diameter of the Trident at 1.25” is more similar to the Extreme vs Hybrid. One thing I will say about the Hybrid’s finish is it’s pretty good in the wet. If you’ve ever had to pole in the rain the high ridges of the hybrid provide for a firm grip. I actually liked the Extreme less in the wet than the hybrid. Now if the Hybrid got muddy then I felt it would be more slippery than the Extreme. The Trident has a more smooth but nicely textured finish. It was easy to maneuver and I never felt like I’d loose my grip. However to be fair it was dry and cool at 55 degrees this morning so I can’t really comment yet on how the Trident compares in extremes rain.
Stiffness, rebound and flex? One thing I’ve experienced with sectional push poles in the past was they tended to have less backbone compared to traditional 1 piece push poles. There are a variety of reasons but mostly I felt it comes down to materials. Two “100% Carbon” poles can feel drastically different purely based on the quality, density and weave direction. Not all carbon is the same.
The Trident felt positive when pushed hard. Subjectively very similar to the Hybrid. Some poles when you get them at a more relaxed angle they would bow or flex more. This is something that is really noticeable when you are really trying to push hard to chase moving fish. I didn’t notice this with the Trident. It was solid and resisted flexing at all angles I tried. IF it did flex slightly under a heavy load, it would spring back efficiently.
I did try sticking the prototype foot into mud to see how hard it was to pull out. I would say it was on par if maybe slightly easier that the Stiffy, but the foot on the Stiffy is pretty large and sometimes that can actually be a hindrance vs an advantage.
So after a few hours I can honestly say this pole reset my previously low expectations for a mail order push poles. Is it better than my benchmark? Let’s see what changes they bring before launch in 2026, but overall it’s a dang good pole even without the first buyer, lifetime, no questions asked warranty.
That may have to be the next test… LOL
Cheers
Capt. Jan
