All I use is PST rods for crankin'. Only time I've ever broke a tip is due to my own negligence. Had one 16' tip break one time swinging a fish in, and it so happened to be when I got to Ross Barnett after a 3 hour drive. I think the tip was fractured in transport and broke swinging in a 9" fish. I swing them all in under a 1 1/4 or so, no problems. I keep extra tips cause I'm human and make mistakes. I think like the others said, there had to be a problem with the rod before hand, I can't imagine what I would have to do to break the handle section, and I put them rods to the test!! Mine are doubled just about constantly, I fish in places where others dare to fish with cranks, I play in the trees a lot!!