Over the years I have reviewed many Tanuki rods. I have found them to be innovative in design and aesthetically unique. The rod in today’s review is no different. It is both unique and beautiful, in a way only Luong Tam can do! The XL-1 Sport 405 LE — let’s dive right in!
The XL-1 Sport 405 LE is the updated version of the original Tanuki XL-1, a rod that I consider was one of the best four meter tenkara rods of the last ten years. The updated version tries to stay true to its roots of precision casting, while changing weight, balance and aesthetics.
Description
The XL-1 Sport comes in a clear plastic protective rod tube, along with a red Tanuki rod sleeve. The rod tube is strong but light and I’m not sure why more rod companies don’t provide this option for anglers who don’t want a heavy traditional rod tube. The XL-1 Sport is very svelte looking with an overall black coloration and semi-gloss finish. The rod designation is bold, yet refined. The Toray carbon fiber is made in Japan, although the rod itself is manufactured in China. The rod sections (all except the T1 tip section) have signature Tanuki orange accent bands on their tip-ward ends. What would a Tanuki rod be without some flaming orange accents?
The handle meshes seamlessly with the rod, adding to the rod’s overall flawless appearance. The handle is hard and smooth to the touch, even though it’s mainly made of high density EVA foam. Luong says that in addition to EVA foam, the handle has components of plaster and epoxy. When you first pick up the rod you can immediately tell that the handle is non-traditional except for it’s double hump shape. It feels heavier, with more mass than a traditional cork or foam tenkara handle. This mass acts as a counter balance for the rod.
Adorning the handle is a nicely executed graphic of a fish taking a sakasa kebari. One thing about the newer generation of Tanuki rods, all that geography on the handle doesn’t go to waste. There’s no boring old world cork on this rod!
The tip plug is a standard plastic plug that fits snugly into the handle section without the threat of falling out. There is a loop of lillian material attached, as is common in a lot of domestic rods these days. But it’s the butt cap that gets all the news in this review. It’s solid anodized metal and weighs a whopping 11 grams (0.4 ounces). Although that doesn’t sound like a lot, it’s like a lead brick in the tenkara world. Luong states, “the Tanuki XL-Sport is built in with counter balance end cap which makes casting the rod even lighter and more stable. Yes, the counter balance does add about 20 grams compared to the XL-1.” The butt cap is knurled to aid removal, has a decompression hole, and a rubber bumper to subdue chattering of the nested sections.
The lillian, which is Tanuki yellow-orange, is attached to the T1 section via a perfectly executed glue joint. The entire rod can be disassembled for cleaning and drying.
Measurements
| Characteristic | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Sections | 8 |
| Nested (w/ tip cap) | 63.5 cm / 25 inches |
| Extended | 398.5 cm / 13 feet, 0.9 inches |
| Handle Length | 31 cm / 12 inches |
| Weight (w/o tip plug) | 102.5 g / 3.6 ounces |
| CCS | 17.5 pennies |
| RFI | 4.4 / 5:5, Moderate Mid Flex |
| Rotational Moment | 5.9 |
Performance
When subjecting the XL-1 Sport to the 10 Penny Bend Profile test, the rod shows two important things: 1) compared to the original XL-1, the T2 and T3 sections have been stiffened slightly, and 2) because of these stiffened sections, there are two flexion points in the bend profile. Although the effect of these flexion points is currently unknown, they may concentrate forces at these points and potentially increase the risk of breaking the sections under a heavy load. I sent Luong the image of the XL-1 Sport bend profile and he stated that he would make the appropriate adjustments.
After adjusting the taper, he sent me an updated bend profile image. It looks much better to me.
Another thing we can learn from the 10 Penny Bend Profile test is that the increase in the XL-1 Sport’s RFI (RFI 4.4 versus original XL-1 of 3.9) comes from the stiffening of the T2 and T3 sections. Luong stated that he stiffened these sections to increase the rod’s precision in casting a lightweight level line, and to provide more a definitive hook set.
Casting the rod is very nice. The rod is definitely heavier than the original XL-1, and this is immediately appreciated when picking it up. But its more substantial handle mass and heavy butt cap move the balance point closer towards the handle, making the weight of the rod a little less noticeable. Also, the tip heaviness of the XL-1 Sport is more than the original XL-1, but not by much. This is borne out by the rotational moment measurements, where the Sport is 5.9 and the Original is 5.6. Both are outstanding numbers, however.
I fished the rod both with the butt cap in place and with it removed. Personally, I preferred the later configuration as the rod is noticeably lighter and less swing weight (coming in at 91.3 g [3.2 ounces} without the butt cap). However, the rotational moment doesn’t change because although making the butt heavier does move the balance point towards the handle, the increase in overall rod weight cancels its effect out in the calculation. Some prefer a shorter balance point despite an overall heavier rod, though. With the butt cap removed, the balance point moves towards the tip slightly, but the rod is designed so well that I couldn’t appreciate any detrimental effect to its perceived tip heaviness.
I fished the rod with a #3 fluorocarbon level line that when adding tippet, made the line a little longer than the length of the rod. The rod cast the line beautifully. Targeting accuracy was excellent. The XL-1 Sport is a joy to cast.
The fish I caught were small, ranging from 8-12 inches. Fishing was slow when I used the rod. Still, I fished with unweighted, slightly weighted and more heavily weight flies. The rod handled all of them beautifully. I didn’t appreciate any griping from the rod with the heavy flies. When I did get a hook set, it was positive and decisive.
The three negatives that I noticed were that the rod is heavy in its native configuration, the handle felt hard and slick to me, and I had an increased number of premature releases. The latter was probably due to my technique, but I still wondered if the rod contributed to these as well.
Conclusion
The Tenkara Tanuki XL-1 Sport 405 LE is a beautifully designed rod and is a joy to cast. It is aesthetically unique and fits right in with newer generation Tanuki rods. The rod’s appearance is classic Tanuki art. As to the rod’s physical characteristics, I suspect that the tactile feel of the handle will either be appreciated or disliked, as will the over all heavy weight of the rod. But despite these distractions, the XL-1 Sport is a high performance rod and would be a star in any angler’s rod collection. Personally, I prefer the original XL-1. But if you are looking for a domestically available four meter class tenkara rod, one that’s designed for precision casting and lightweight level lines, then take a look at the new Tenkara Tanuki XL-1 Sport 405 LE. It’s sure to please!
Disclaimer: My opinion regarding this rod is just that, my opinion. Your opinion may differ. Also, your rod may not have the same length, issues, or functionality as my rod. There are variations between rods, even in the same production run. No description can fully tell you how a rod feels or fishes. For this, you must personally hold, cast, and fish the rod then make up your own mind. I was loaned the Tanuki XL-1 Sport 405 LE and I returned the rod after the review. There was no expectation of nor incentive for a positive review. I have no formal affiliation with Tenkara Tanuki.
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Do we know when it will be available to pre-order?
Luong updates the pre-order date on the product webpage. Look just below the pictures. As of today, it says “21, 2024”. I assume that’s March 21, 2024. https://www.tenkaratanuki.com/online-store/Tanuki-XL-Sport-405-LE-p613395675
I always assumed that Japanese rods were still manufactured in China. Something I am glad you pointed out. However Toray is the real deal. I have fished it on WTRs ice rods and it is quality stuff. Glad that the material itself is proprietary! Some day I will fish one of these rods but $300 is pretty steep to draw my interest. VERY PRETTY though.
It does seem apparent that Tenuki rods are mostly made to fish Kebari. I like the idea of a unique target market for experienced tenkara anglers. I talked to him at the Wasatch Fly Expo. Very nice guy. Hope the best for him and his business!
-Skiddy