After nearly 30 years of reviewing outdoor gear, I’ve seen far too many “new” product designs that merely make modest changes to a previous design. But once in a while, someone comes up with something totally new and ground-breaking.
Such is the case with Trxstle and their Convertible Rod Carry system (CRC). This unique product provides secure storage of two rigged fly rods when fully extended but collapses in on itself to hold those same two rods broken down into their shortest sections.
When fully extended, the CRC mounts to any car roof rack and is stable enough to hold firm at both highway speeds, and on rough washboard gravel roads. When collapsed, the CRC can be fitted with a shoulder strap so it can be comfortably toted through airports and stored in overhead bins onboard the planes.
The CRC comes from a pair of young engineers in Olympia, Washington. Company co-founders John Smigaj and Morgan Misek said they wanted a product that fit the needs of active anglers, and those who have limited storage at home, such as urban apartment dwellers.
The CRC features an aluminum housing with four locking sections. The carrier can hold two rods up to 9’ 6” long when fully extended. A two-piece rod can be broken down and slipped into the CRC when it is set at half-length, and four-piece rods fit inside when fully collapsed. A removal shoulder straps clips on for easy transport while traveling.
Inside the solid aluminum frame, a pair of thick latex sleeves cradle the rods. Smigaj described these as “sort of like giant condoms.” They are wide enough to hold four rod sections securely in the collapsed state, but as the CRC is extended, the latex sleeve stretch out, and as it does, the internal diameter shrinks, sizing down to tighten around the single piece of a put-together rod. “That was actually a helpful by-product,” Smigaj said. “The latex bladder narrows down as it stretches and that proved helpful as it cradles any rod, whether fully set-up or broken down into two or four sections.”
The durable plastic reel housing sports padding to securely hold large arbor reels. And the locks on the housing are keyed to be the same as the locks on the removal rack-mounts to keep things clean and efficient.
There are other roof-mounted rod holders on the market — the Rod Vault from Denver Outfitters is one we’ve previously reviewed and enjoyed — but the Trxstle CRC outperforms them all when roof-mounted. Of course, the CRC also gives anglers something no other product on the market does: Secure rod storage while traveling. It’s a breeze to pop the CRC off your fishing rig, break it down, store your collapsed rod, and jump a flight. After arriving at your destination, make sure to rent a car with roof racks and you’ll be able to securely mount the CRC on the rental car roof for fast access while fishing at your vacation spot.
Smigaj and Misek also quickly point to another option for their CRC: Safe rod transport of your rod while using bicycles — or even motorcycles — to access to trout water. The CRC can be secured to bike racks or handlebars for safe, secure handling of your rods while you ride.
The Trxstle Convertible Rod Carry system benefits from Smigaj’s and Misek’s years of experiencing engineering products for other companies, many in the outdoor industry. In addition to work on outdoor products, the pair also worked as lead design engineers for a railroad locomotive and railroad products company for years.
Their skill and artistry as engineers shows in the design of the CRC. It is sleek, attractive, and highly effective in what it does. And though it offers substantially more functionality than any other rod carrier on the market, at just $299— with a $250 pre-order special currently in place — it sells for much less than those other one-use products. (The Rod Vault from Denver Outfitters, for instance, sells for $500)
The Trxstle CRC will be in final production later this spring, ready for shipment by early June. Find more details here: www.trxstle.com
