Shimano Aernos AX Pole - 06/05/2009
The Aernos AX has been designed and brought to the market to offer buyers a pole that is as close to Aspire level performance as possible, while keeping the RRP as low as possible.
This pole is all about performance. To prove this, Shimano has released it at 14.5 metres as standard, so that it can concentrate on making it as good as possible at this length. A 1.5m extension is available to take the pole to 16 metres and will cost you a further £124.99. The Aernos is angled directly at competition anglers rather than commercial-fishery regulars. The spares package backs this up as you’ll receive four extra match top threes and a cupping kit with the Aernos. Power kits aren’t even available in the catalogue.
This is one of the slimmest 14.5m poles around and has tremendous balance and rigidity. That doesn’t mean that it’s flimsy and will break as soon as you get a gust of wind, though, because it feels reassuringly strong, especially through the mid-sections that are traditionally the weak points of many ‘competition’ poles. We feel that it would still cope with the rigours of commercial fisheries, because by removing the No1 section of the match kits you’ll get a very stiff, perfect-length power kit.
Additional extras that Shimano has utilised in the manufacturing process of the Aernos include Aero-Joint, Safety Zone, Muscle Carbon, Biofibre, Shimano Alignment System, Double Joint and the ultra-slick finish that is Ultra Sound Sanding. The Aero-Joint technology is one that will vastly benefit the pole angler as it involves a series of raised hexagons of carbon within the joint area so that air and moisture cannot get trapped, thus reducing the possibilities of joints sticking together. An excellent innovation! Spares package: four match top-three kits, one cupping kit and a pole holdall
RRP: £1,479.99
