the stream bait rod formula is about identical, regardless of the brand - here's Tailwalk Troutia.
The Smith telescoping version looks a little different, and has a more progressive taper because of telescoping configuration.
I get to admit I like this taper better than the more-para Troutia.
The stream trout bait rods are in such high demand, they just don't stay in stock, and you have to grab them when you find them.
There are multipiece versions out there also for packing small, and I just checked Valleyhill Accustream at fishihgshop.kiwi, which are OOS now, and they had stock when I bought the Smith.
That's also kind of noteworthy, because fishingshop.kiwi seems to have the lead on Valleyhill rods - always has the best stock and best prices.
I found the Smith I wanted at TackleJapan, and
looks like they still have stock.
A bait rod must have more guides than a spinning rod, because bending the rod under line load puts torsion on the blank.
(spinning rod or spiral wrap needs fewer guides because rod load is pure bending)
Telescoping rods have sliding guides that seat on the blank. They're really strange the first time you put them together, but after a day (literally) in the saddle, the process of moving and stretching a rigged rod makes sense and becomes second-nature. You do depend on the alignment marks.
Your brain tells you top to bottom is safest, but impossible to keep aligned - stretch and seat the blank from bottom to top, collapse from bottom to top.
(Telescoping rods also have a threaded plug on the butt to drain the blank)
Justification for two? Not afraid to take the lower-priced 2-pc Troutia on the kayak.