REVIEW: Favorite Balance Casting Rod

The Favorite Balance casting rod and the other Favorite brand rod models gained popularity through marketing from YouTube fishing channels. I’m typically skeptical of market hype products that only become mainstream after massive sponsorship dollars are dropped but the price point of the Favorite Balance intrigued me enough to look closer. My local Cabela’s had a display of them and after a couple of minutes of inspection and seeing the price was only $80, I decided it would be a good candidate for a review.

Lots of folks shop for rods in the sub $100 price point. If the initial inspection was even half right then this might be a really good buy for folks. I checked out the Model # BLNC-701MH, a 7’1″ Medium Heavy rod that weighs 4.9 ounces.

The Good

The split grip with an EVA foam highlighted with cork is a really nice aesthetic feature but it also served to give a reassuring grip during the wet conditions I tested it in. The rod is pretty lightweight for its backbone and length and cast heavier baits with ease.

The new raised leg micro guide system Favorite is using on the Balance rod is nice and combines the benefits of microguides and distanced, larger guide eyes. I also appreciated the spiral wrap blank being incorporated into a rod that is less than $100. It really pops on the rod.

Room for Improvement

One of the guide eyes on the Favorite Balance had exposed thread which didn’t make it into the epoxy during manufacturing. Quality control should have caught it but for $80, I guess you can’t expect perfection. My only other gripe with the rod is the openly talked about blend of 24Ton and 30Ton IM Carbon. If you’re going to take a swing at quality in this price point, just do the 30T and call it good.

Lighter baits are going to need a lighter weight rod. With some higher-end MH rods you can still get great distance on 1/4 ounce baits or less but as with almost all sub $100 rods I’ve tried, you have to really pay attention to action and weight ratings. Once I hit 1/2 ounce of weight with the Favorite Balance MH I could chunk it with pretty good accuracy and distance. That’s not so much a place for improvement but an FYI. And speaking of FYI, sensitivity in the Balance is what I would rate as moderate. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being hypersensitive, this is a 5.

Favorite Balance Final Thoughts

If you need a jig rod or a bigger T-rig rod, the Favorite Balance will fill that for those shopping in the price range it lives in. It’ a good looking rod with decent performance and should work for lots of folks who need something reliable.

Speaking of reliable here is the Favorite Warranty: Favorite Fishing USA, LLC warranties all Powered by Favorite rods for one year for defects in manufacturing and workmanship from the manufacturer. Each rod found to be defective, upon review by the company, will be replace at no cost to the consumer. Freight to return the rod will be borne by the customer, and freight to return a new rod will be borne by Favorite. This rod replacement will be limited to only one replacement rod. The returned rod must be received by Favorite within six months of purchase. Any damage deemed to be caused by the customer will not be eligible for this warranty replacement policy. For any questions regarding the warranty of a Powered by Favorite rod, please call 877-800-6246.