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Post 23 Apr 2022, 15:37 • #1 
Master Guide
Joined: 06/07/12
Posts: 865
Location: US-CA
Todd Snyder runs an eponymous menswear company with an online presence and a handful of stores on the east coast. They have a collaboration going with L.L. Bean that has produced a number of distinctive (maybe even a little overcooked) jackets, sweatshirts, etc.

I was kind of shocked to see that the collaboration drop for Spring '22 includes an "L.L.Bean x Todd Snyder Fly Fishing Rod". At $199, the price is the same as the L.L. Bean Pocketwater Glass Rods. You know your obscure hobby (fly fishing with fiberglass rods) has hit the big time when it's offered by an international fashion brand, amiright? Unsurprisingly, they don't seem to know how to handle the rod specs. On the Todd Snyder website, the product size is identified as "O/S" (one size), but the item text calls out 7'6" 4 wt. & 8' 5 wt. I'm a sucker, and I like my 7'6" 4wt. L.L. Bean Pocketwater Glass rod a lot, so I ordered a Todd Snyder rod. When I queried Customer Service to see which size they would actually be shipping, they told me 8' 5wt. Of course the rod I received was 7'6" 4wt. One demerit to House Snyder.

As far as I can tell, this rod is nearly identical to my Pocketwater Glass rod. The grip shape is the same, the guides and wrappings are similar side-by-side, and the "wiggle test" action feels the same. The rough canvas rod socks and fiberglass tubes are structurally identical as well. The main difference is the colorway. For their version, Todd Snyder went with a deep green blank vs the Pocketwater yellow, wrappings with more red vs the Pocketwater brown, black guides vs Pocketwater chrome, and black reelseat vs pocketwater brown. All in all, it's a nice look. The Todd Snyder rod has one other cosmetic/minor improvement over the Pocketwater - they clear coated the rod text markings.

I'm scratching my head a little bit to try to understand who their target market is. In general, L.L. Bean x Todd Snyder stuff seems to be for, e.g., Brooklyn-based urban consumers who want to look "sporty". The catalod does not offer reels or lines or any other accessories, so it's hard to picture someone who has never fly fished before putting in an order for one of these. But who knows....

A few pics follow:











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Post 23 Apr 2022, 17:19 • #2 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
Choices are good, even if that is just the cosmetics.

So do we call this the LL Bean, Todd Snyder signature rod, or the Todd Snyder, LL Bean signature rod?


Tom


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Post 23 Apr 2022, 17:30 • #3 
Guide
Joined: 08/19/16
Posts: 314
Location: Brazil
I won't know what to make of this until my favorite digital influencer weighs in...


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Post 23 Apr 2022, 19:29 • #4 
Master Guide
Joined: 06/07/12
Posts: 865
Location: US-CA
Tom: it is officially the “L.L.Bean x Todd Snyder Fly Fishing Rod”. Catchy, no?

Pete: I already have!

Bwahahahaa…


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Post 23 Apr 2022, 20:29 • #5 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
motosacto wrote:
Catchy, no?

You're correct - no. Not a bit.


Tom


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Post 24 Apr 2022, 07:45 • #6 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/11/20
Posts: 378
Location: Dallas, TX
I spent 25 years traveling to NYC almost monthly for my work in the book publishing, comics and film / TV industry, before the past few years put air travel to a halt. Thus increasing my fishing days exponentially.

I’m familiar with Todd Snyder’s line and his other “x” collaborations. I’ve visited the various shops and tried on a few items here and there over the years. I’m not always a fan of his stuff but he does have style. I agree the Bean collab fly rod is a curious project in his catalog. But it looks great. At $199 I’d buy one in a heartbeat if I wasn’t already loaded up on 4wt sticks that I love to fish.


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