Fenwick Elite Tech?

[Matt]

This might be a shot in the dark, but I've been checking out the Fenwick Elite Tech's for 2011...they look pretty nice, and Amazon has them for $100 as opposed to the $130 on every other website I could find. May get one for Christmas or something...does anyone own one of these exact rods? It seems that they have a lifetime warranty and Titanium inserts with SiC guides!! The only thing I'm worried about is the action of the rod may be a bit too stiff. The reviews I've read state the bottom of the rod is much thicker than expected, seems to me like the action may be a little fast for my liking..

My 6'6 ML Compre has way too fast of an action for me, and is hard to even get the bottom 1/2 of the rod to even flex. Obviously a rod not meant for Trout/Steelhead/Salmon fishing and feels like a good Walleye jigging rod...so I'd like to retire it for something a little less stiff. I'm hoping the 7'0" ML 2011 Compre I'm getting in the mail doesn't have that problem. Shimano for some reason ditched Light Compre rods which doesn't sit well for me as I loved the 7'0" Light 2010 Compre...I also dislike the fact that they're using cheaper(?) Aluminum Oxide guides for the 2011 rods whereas in 2010 they were using Hardloy.

If the Fenwick turns out to me a flop, I may see if Shimano will replace my 6'6" ML Compre with a less expensive Clarus when or if it breaks, which is designed for Salmon and Steelhead, although I don't like the length of the reargrip on these types of rods.

Any input