"Particle Salad" wrote in message
. ..
I've never even used one of their rods... but I was in Tahoe City last
weekend looking for some flies. I see an "Orvis" shingle, and I think,
cool
a flyshop. I go in... hmm... what's this? Knick-knacks all over the
place,
not a rod or piece of fly gear in sight. Oh, there... "flyfishing
upstairs"
the sign says. Cool, head on up... hmm... lots of clothing. Clothing all
over the place... and not flyfishing stuff either. Oh, there in the
corner... it's a small whiteboard with handwritten fishing reports, three
Orvis rods (none my side of $350), and a box of flies... maybe 40-50
different varities.

That is my experience with Orvis, and it matches the impression I had of
them before going in. I'm sure it's good quality stuff...

"Tim Apple" wrote in message
...
You know, since I've been flyfishing I've heard allot of smack talk
against
Orvis, not but a little while ago I became the owner of a used Orvis
rod,
and I think it's one of the best casting rods I own. I went to Bass Pro
today and looked at some of the mid range orvis rods, and it seems for
rods
in the 100-200 dollar price range, the orvis rods looked better all in
all
and seemed to use nicer hardware. So the question really is, what is the
beef? Is it strictly a stereotype....i.e the Orvis Boy....Or is the
stuff
crap, because it seems pretty much like damn nice equipment to me?

Tim Apple




Orvis has company stores, full line dealers, and shops that just carry
selected items. The level of control Orvis corporate has over each type shop
varies dramatically, but they all get to hang out the Orvis shingle. Thus,
an Orvis shingle on what seems to have been a clothing store. BTW, apparel
is the largest part of Orvis business - not flyfishing! Orvis' presence in
Wally World reminds me a lot of the ill fated attempt Black and Decker made
to become a mass market tool supplier. Who can forget walking into K-Mart
and seeing stacks of plastic circular saws on sale for $19.95? They were not
worth the scrap value of the copper, IMHO. It took B&D years to recover, and
finally had to re-introduce DeWalt to penetrate the market it once
dominated. Hope Orvis doesn't discover the same thing.

Jim Ray