I am sure the Denalis are great rods, but that is one reason that I don't pay these ridiculous prices for poles. Maybe I am naive, but a good fiberglass pole is good enough for me. I catch my share of fish, and I have had some days when even a $200.00 pole would not have mattered. This is just my personal opinion. Bottom line, is rods have never been an issue, whether the fish are biting or not.