Box was damaged but rod and real seems find. Would have liked a product manualThis is a nice looking rod and reel. I used it extensively on a recent fishing trip and really liked it other than some quality issues. The reel has two features I really like. It has a continuous anti-reverse, so unlike older reels that have two or more positions where it will reverse to before it stops, on this reel when the anti-reverse is engaged it will only wind forward. The other feature I like is the handle flips back making the reel more compact without having to remove the handle. The reel is extremely smooth and will run for several seconds with just a light tap. The rod has good length and nice action which made it easy to do long casts and I was able to pop my lures fairly close to where I wanted without much effort. Unfortunately both the rod and reel suffer from some quality issues. Right out of the box the reel had a spot where the enamel was rubbed away exposing the bare metal. On the rod the guide on the lower portion of the pole is slightly off from the reel mount, not enough to cause any issues, but enough that it's noticeable. Since the position of the reel mount is fixed unfortunately there's no way to adjust this to line them up better. Additionally when I tried to pull apart the pole, the metal sleeve on the upper portion of the pole wasn't glued on well and slipped off so I had to slide it back on. This combo definitely feels on the cheaper side, but then what do you expect for $50. I'd recommend it If you're looking for a nice starter rod and reel or something inexpensive that's not going to get heavy use.It is a very nice fishing rod/reel combo, I don't have any gripes with the rig except it's a 'little' heavy for my liking but seems well made and comfortable to fish. I usually go for rods of 6 foot plus in length but this is a little shorter than I'm used to. The reel has ball bearings and is very smooth when you crank it. Aesthetically its nice looking rig. I'm using it for trolling with down riggers because it has some backbone.We picked the red pole and it’s an attractive fishing pole. It’s smooth when reeling in the hook. It’s a nice size for adults and kids around 10 years old (with experience).It's a little more rigid than I'd normally care for, but it has become one of my two go to daily poles. It's fitted most of the reels I've stuck on it, it packs up easy, and is otherwise good to go if you're looking for a solid back up rod, or cheap daily rod to fish a creek or lake shore.Literally new favorite. 7’. Lightweight for SURW, impressively !! Casting is INSANE!! I went Carp fishing w my brother and accidentally sent my oatmeal/corn ball OVER THE POWERLINES. Although I was terrified I was gonna get electrocuted and dropped/threw the pole, it withstood me chucking it LOL! VERY DURABLE IF I SAY SO MYSELF!! The reel casts and reels in sooooooo smoothly and nicely. It’s a brighter/hot red than pictured I will say. I used a braided line and was able to spool w ease. Hands down this is my new favorite pole set up. I let my brother try it out the same day and he, like myself, was blown AWAY at the cast-ability and overall usage of the pole. It SERIOUSLY IS IMPRESSIVE and priced phenomenally!!!!!! If I could legit give it more stars, I 100% would in a heartbeat. Best fishing pole I’ve ever happily utilized in my almost 30 years of life. KUDOS on this set up, manufacturer !!! Don’t believe me? Try it out for yourself and you, too, will be amazed at this poles action!!!Love it its easy to assembleI haven't had a chance actually to fish with this yet, but the action on the reel is awesome. I'm used to Walmart cheapo rods and reels where the reel, when you cast out the line and set the drag, the handle will move backward an inch or so, sloppy. With this one, there is no back play at all. I put an 8lb test on it and threw a practice plug a few times, and it cast smoothly. The rod is longer and stiffer than what I'm used to, but then again, I usually only fish with my daughter for panfish. Years ago, I had a buddy, and we went river fishing for catfish, I'm sure this setup would be more than adequate for larger fish. The only drawback that I could see, and it's probably just because I'm not used to it, is the length of the rod behind the reel. It's about 18". I've noticed on some higher price rods that this is the case. I guess it's good for sticking it in the sand on the beach or bank of a lake or river, but for fishing off of a boat, I think it's going to get in my way.