Personally I'll check the bend of the rod, and how it feels to hand. I hardly checked the wraps unless I see something not registering right with the two peas in my brain. But then I'm looking at rods on the budget end too...the most expensive rod I own is the TCB, From BnM, and I won that one.
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Proud to have served with and supported the Units I was in: 1st IDF, 9th INF, 558th USAAG (Greece), 7th Transportation Brigade, 6th MEDSOM (Korea), III Corp, 8th IDF, 3rd Armor Div.
1980 Ebbtide Dyna-Trak 160 Evinrude 65 Triumph