Riverworks ZX Rod Review: Born in the USA

There are few moments in life that are as unforgettable as getting your first car. My first was a 25th Anniversary Chevrolet Camaro RS. I remember like it was yesterday! It had blue marine metallic paint, Flowmaster exhaust (with chrome tips), and a kid with a need for speed behind the wheel. Later on, I custom painted the interior to match the blue metallic paint and even found a guy to paint silver metallic flames on the hood and side! I wish I had a picture to show you. This was every bit a muscle car a guy could want. I felt too cool cruising around the streets. I knew I had a machine like none other.

When I extracted the Riverworks ZX from the shipping box, I had the same thrill resurface. I knew that this was indeed a "hot rod." (Yes, pun intended). To gear your mindset on the attitude behind this rod, I'll quote someone who has had experience with it. Karin Miller, of Zen Fly Fishing, says of the ZX, "This rod drips with testosterone!" It absolutely does! To me, this rod is like the Harley Davidson of the Tenkara world. It was designed to perform, display craftsmanship, and stand out!

Welcome to the first American Tenkara rod.





The Tube

I am a rod tube fanatic. Some see no use for them, but if you're as crazy as I am, you need it! The Riverworks rod tube is far above and beyond any rod tube out there. It's composed of machined aluminum and covered with a finish to protect the metal. Unlike other tubes, it only opens at one end. The threads in the tube and on the screw cap are solid. I've had many experiences, with other tubes, spending extra time getting screw cap threads lined up with the threads in the rod tube. This isn't your experience with a Riverworks rod tube. Being that it's metal, might lead you to believe it's thick and heavy. But, it's actually light! Aluminum is a strong, durable metal that is long lasting but light. The rod tube comes with the company name printed on the outside.

This can also be used in self defense.

The rod tube cap that doesn't frustrate.

The ZX Rod

When I saw Riverworks posting pictures of their 12 foot, ZX model, my first thought was, "Wow, that rod looks sweet! But it also looks bulky and heavy."  Unpacking the rod from the rod tube and sleeve, my weighty concern was immediately wiped away. It is surprisingly light compared to its aesthetics! I felt, because it looked like the Harley Davidson rod of the Tenkara industry, it would be heft like a Harley. I was wrong. Riverworks lists the weight as 3.68 ounces (without top cap). The balance of this next-to-nothing weight is distributed evenly. Now as each person has their own preference, my preference is to not feel a concentration of weight in the rod. I like it evenly spread out with maybe, just maybe a miniscule of weight mid-way up the first blank after the handle. To me, this keeps the centrality of performance tight, which helps with casting accuracy and the final presentation.

The winding check is from the set of Terminator 2 (not really).

The construction materials are what make this rod scream supremacy! From the ALPS winding check, to the handle this rod is one "bad dude." The ZX handle is, without a doubt, a reflection of Riverworks' mastery in craftsmanship. The handle is comprised of carbon fiber and a generous layer of hand shaped epoxy. Carbon fiber is used in many industries to bring lightweight and durability into harmony. This not only comes into play with performance, but it also adds an awesome appearance to the rod. Because the handle is made so durably, it results in having no bend in the handle. You might be thinking, there is no bend in any other handle, but I assure you, once you've driven this rod you'll notice the difference. This translates into a few things that affect your experience. First, it can change the action of the blanks slightly; because there is no extra movement down in the handle, it results in a slightly stiffer rod (I will get to action later, but as a heads up this is still decently soft tipped). Second, it results in more backbone, which makes fighting larger fish no problem. Last, the feel or sensitivity of what is going on at the end of the line or at the rod tip is felt more in the base blank rather than in the handle. So, I can sense the lightest movements towards the upper part of the handle as it is closest to the blank. Being that we feel sensitivity in our finger tips, this plays naturally into how Tenkara rods are gripped.

Handle shape of the ZX.

The epoxy application in the rod build is long but necessary, and is done by the owner of Riverworks himself, Jeff Lomino. He leaves small dimples in the epoxy that naturally occur for better grip. I didn't notice any aid in gripping with the epoxy dimples, and they're not easily visible unless you try to find them. With a dry hand, the handle grips well; better than a cork or foam handle. It grips even better when your hand is slightly damp or wet! I noticed this when I was putting fish back into the stream. The downside to the handle is that it is not at all pliable. This means it's harder than cork and foam so it takes a couple of minutes for your grip to adjust to. It's not a bad adjustment, in fact, it forces your grip to be slightly less intense (if you normally have a hard grip), which can give you a higher sensitivity to slight movements.

The only rod with a carbon fiber handle.

The rod blanks are no class clown. They are made of IM10 graphite. IM10 refers to the tensile modulus ratings of graphite rod blanks. Tensile modulus is a measure of how much pulling force on a given diameter. In other words, how much load per square inch of cross section ("stress") the material can tolerate before breaking. An IM6 is rated at 30 million modulus, IM8 rated at 40 million modulus, and the IM10 is rated at 55 million modulus (all are approximations depending upon manufacturer). The higher modulus graphite has a higher strength to weight ratio. With the IM10, it is stronger and lighter because it needs less material to compensate for strength. So the blank you're getting with any of the Riverworks rods are made from some of the highest quality graphite.

The ZX is listed at 27 pennies using the Common Cents Rating system. When I measured it, I arrived at 26 pennies. The ZX is a 12 foot rod rated as 6:4 action, so 26 pennies would classify this as a fast action rod. However, the action of this rod was quite unique to me. The first 3 tip segments are as flexible as the Tenkara USA 12ft Iwanna (rated at 23 pennies), but the 4th segment down has more backbone than the traditional 6:4 rated rod. I am not classifying this as a soft, 7:3 rod at all. When casting, the soft tip requires a bit more flick of the wrist than usual but the 4th segment kicks in and when it reaches the load point in the 4th segment, it flips the line over a bit faster than your standard 6:4 rod. I fished a size 2.5 level line on this rod all day and had wonderful turnover. I believe the best pairing would be a size 3.0-3.5 level line. The ZX also handles traditional braided line well, particularly because of that 4th segment. This allows traditional line to have a better turnover so that the fly can hit the water first.

Anti-swivel and brown lillian.

This rod is one of the most compact I've come across in its collapsed position, measuring at 19 7/8 inches. With the cap, its length is 20 1/2 inches. One more reason to love Tenkara: compact-ability! When extended, the ZX I have measures to 11 feet 10 inches. Variations are to be expected from any manufacturer. It could be due to the manufacturing process or even how hard I pull to extend each segment. The butt cap is easy to unscrew and has a solid backing as well as a and dampener to absorb the segments gently. When you're examining one, you'll notice how precisely the epoxy is laid at the butt section and at the top of the handle meeting the winding check. The owner does this by hand and has to be extremely steady or he risks trashing an expensive handle. These rods are made with the utmost care and quality assurance you will find on the market today.

The "Pearl Swirl" cap.

And now for my disclaimer: I'm not partial to any company and I did not get this rod free by any means. So when I do a review, know that I'm not paid or given free an item assuring any company that my review is "all positive." That being said there a few things I, personally, didn't like about the ZX. The handle length is a bit short for my taste, but this aids in the overall collapsed length and keeping it compact, so it's a catch-22 situation. The logos on the blank and handle seem like they could fade and eventually rub out after plenty of use as they are applied post epoxy application. Not really any performance issues here, more cosmetics. Although, the length of the handle could give an advantage if it is longer. With a longer handle, you do have the option to choke down or up on the rod more so than shorter handles to get maximum length or a shorter length in casting. The flip side of this issue is Riverworks does offer other models that have long handles.

Riverworks Company USA has a "No B.S. Replacement" program. If you break any rod segment just contact Riverworks and they will send you a replacement part at cost. This is a non-profit replacement program. Let me be clear, you are paying for the cost of the segment. So for example, if a non-tip section of the rod is needed: $12.50 for the one segment, shipped. Riverworks No B.S. Replacement program details can be found here.

The Riverworks Tenkara ZX is the company's flagship Tenkara model. The heart and soul of Riverworks is poured into the ZX and you can really tell. When you order your ZX, which you can order directly here, you can bet you are getting a Tenkara rod of the highest quality. From the rod tube to the butt cap, the ZX will not disappoint. The Riverworks Tenkara rods are not mass produced, but are available in limited quantities per year, per model. This makes owning a Riverworks rod a special investment. These rods are born in the USA, and I am proud to own one!

The Riverworks Tenkara ZX package.