Seems all these rod makers are in the "gotta have something new for the trade show" mode. I expect there to be some really nice used rods on the market these days.
Hi Ben, thank you for reviewing a highly relevant rod series from Hardy. The question in the title is extremely catchy given that the performance of the Hardy Shadow was at paar with many premium rods. I‘ve watched the video twice, unfortunately the question remains unanswered
Nice review. Aydon Castle is in Northumberland, in England, not far from Hardy's hometown of Alnwick. It's pronounced as spelled, so you were correct. Looks a nice rod. I'm very happy with my Shadow, but if I didn't own it, I'd be tempted. I fish mainly small to medium sized rivers and streams here in the UK. Don't need long range casting capability, so a medium action rod with feel is right up my street.
Its actually named after the ancient Aydon Forrest which lies a few miles South West of Alnwick in Northumberland - the home town of Hardy. Pronunciation is ‘ey-dun’ in british english dialect.
I thought this was a Demon sintrix replacement given the price in Europe although the description of the action sounds more Shadow Sintrix. Did you get the Demon Sintrix in the states?
The Shadow was attractive because of the price point. At this price I can think of other rods I'd go to first. It had better be special to deserve consideration. I don't hear that in the review.
Fly rods, in general, have all jumped in price, so it's not surprising to see the Aydon priced higher than the Shadow. There are few medium-fast action dry fly sticks in the middle price range, so there is definitely a market for the rod. Whether or not the Aydon amasses the same cult following as the Shadow remains to be seen.
