I got the rod out in the back yard. I like the action of this rod, but it is a bit heavier than I'm used to. It is "fast for glass" with almost all of the bend coming in the top 2/3 of the blank and the bend in the top 2 ft is pronounced. I would say this rod is aggressively progressive. I took out an IMX (8'6" 5wt) to compare it against and the iconoglass loads much better inside 20ft, but casts just as well out to the limits of my back yard (40ft or so). It is fast, but not overly so. My only complaint is that it is relatively heavy. Pictures and a more detailed review will follow.

Power is not lacking. Flexible tip means fast action (tip action). If anything, it is going to feel too fast for you. It isn't as fast as their graphite, but it it isn't slow either. I would say moderate-fast action.

And I just got some NFC spam. They say that all models are all back in stock and on sale for $150.

I received the 8wt blank a week or so ago, haven’t built it out yet. Initial impressions are that it is well made and going to be very fast for glass, bare blank felt very heavy in hand, that may very well change when it’s built. As has been stated, very progressive w most of the flex in the tip

My experience as well, bare blank feels heavy, tip has zero bounce.

I just received my 8054 and 7644 blanks in clear, and they are well-built blanks. The wiggle test feels like other S2 glass rods I have tried lately; specifically the TFO Finesse series. All S2 glass feels fast to me. The blank looks like it will build a fine rod, and that balance should not be a problem with a good grip and seat on it. More later!

Is it NFC supplying the blanks or a dealer? Its NFC building the blanks right, I am assuming they're not sourcing the blanks through another company correct?

Okay, I'll call them.Thanks.

The packaging that came with my gray 5 wt says made in USA.

I was thinking red wraps with metallic silver trim wraps might look sharp on the cyan blank FWIW.

Agreed, my takeaway was that the caster is working very hard to make the rod load.

Thanks for the report.

I'm sure they could tell you, but probably part of their accounting for the federal excise tax on fishing gear, aka the 1950 Dingell-Johnson Act, Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration. https://taxmap.irs.gov/taxmap2018/pubs/p510-033.htm Plenty of descriptions with a web search.

I ordered a couple of conventional rod blanks from NFC in the spring and it took two months to receive them. Just a fair warning for those who would like to get a build started right away.

I’ve had (edge) orders take a couple months, but mostly they’ve shipped right away. Just ordered one of NFC’s 8684 rods on Monday and it shipped Wednesday.