The Ström is the evolution of Loop’s popular 7X series, bringing forward the distinctive design of that rod while adding some meaningful updates. We’ve had the opportunity to get our hands on the 7-weight, put it through its paces on the water, and so far, we’re very impressed with what Loop has put together.
An Evolution of the 7X
If you’re familiar with the Loop 7X, the first thing you’ll notice about the Ström is the blank.
Rather than using a traditional round graphite blank, the Ström features a heptagonal, or seven-sided, graphite blank. It’s a very unusual design in fly rods, and it isn’t simply there for the sake of looking different.
The idea behind the flat-sided blank is that it can improve the way the rod tracks through the casting stroke. Obviously, something like tracking is difficult to quantify through feel alone, but after casting the rod, there is a noticeable sense of precision to it. The rod tracks beautifully and produces very clean loops.
It also looks fantastic. The Ström has a very distinctive appearance without feeling gimmicky. It is clearly a premium rod, but the unusual blank design is functional rather than simply decorative.
Compared with the previous 7X generation, the new Ström also feels like it has gained a little bit of power. We have only had the 7-weight in hand so far, so we'll reserve final judgment until we've cast the other weights, but the 7-weight certainly feels like a more powerful rod than its predecessor.
A Medium-Fast Action With Plenty of Reserve Power
Once we got the Ström out on the water, the action was probably the thing that stood out most.
I would describe the 7-weight as decidedly medium-fast.
That might sound surprising when talking about a premium 7-weight designed for applications like salmon, steelhead and saltwater, but this isn't an excessively fast or unforgiving rod.
Up close, casting off the tip, there is still a reasonable amount of feel. You can make short, controlled casts and tight presentations without the rod feeling like a broomstick.
That's particularly useful when you're fishing situations where you need to make a quick shot at a fish where having a rod that can load and respond at shorter distances is a real advantage.
As you start extending the line, though, the character of the rod becomes more apparent.
There is a lot of reserve power in the blank.
The Ström loads progressively into the mid section while leaving plenty of power down in the butt section. That means you don't need to overpower the rod to get good line speed, but when you do start pushing for distance, there's plenty left in reserve.
It's a very easy rod to control.
You can generate tight loops without having to put a tremendous amount of effort into the cast, and when you need to carry or shoot more line, the deeper part of the blank comes into play.
That's a combination I really like in a rod: forgiving enough to be enjoyable up close, but powerful enough that you aren't going to outgrow it when you start casting farther.
Ceracoil Guides
Another major upgrade is the addition of Ceracoil guides.
These are an improved version of the classic recoil-style guides, who's guide frames are designed to flex rather than being completely rigid. That's a great feature for a fishing rod because guides are inevitably going to get knocked around, stepped on or otherwise abused at some point.
The Ström takes that concept a step further by adding a ceramic insert.
The result is a guide that combines the flexibility and durability of the recoil-style frame with the smoother line contact of ceramic. In practice, you can feel the difference when shooting line.
There's less friction through the guides, which helps contribute to the very good line speed we're seeing from this rod.
They're also fantastic-looking pieces of hardware and fit the premium nature of the Ström really well.
Thoughtful Details
One small detail that I particularly like is the line-weight labeling on the top of the rod.
If you own several rods, particularly if you're fishing from a boat where multiple rods are rigged and laying around, it can be annoying trying to figure out which one you're grabbing.
With the Ström, the line weight is clearly marked on the top of the rod. It's a small detail, but it's exactly the sort of thing that makes a premium rod more practical in the real world.
It's also a good indication that Loop has thought about these rods as fishing tools rather than simply as casting instruments.
Different Weights, Different Applications
One thing worth keeping in mind is that Loop appears to have designed the different Ström weights with specific species and applications in mind.
That means you shouldn't necessarily expect the 3-weight, 5-weight and 7-weight to feel identical apart from the amount of power they produce.
The lighter rods are likely to have somewhat softer actions, while the heavier rods become progressively more powerful to suit their intended applications.
That makes sense when you consider how different the demands are.
A 3-weight designed for small-stream trout fishing has very different requirements from a 7-weight intended for steelhead, salmon or saltwater. Rather than simply scaling the same blank design up and down, Loop appears to have tailored the rods around those different use cases.
Based on what we're seeing with the 7-weight, I would expect the Ström series to have a fairly broad range of applications while maintaining that medium-fast character throughout the lineup.
The 7-Weight on the Water
For the 7-weight specifically, we're pairing it with a Loop Runner reel and a bass taper fly line for our initial testing.
The rod feels smooth and controlled without feeling sluggish. It loads easily, tracks well and generates line speed without requiring you to throw your entire body into the cast.
At short distances, there's enough tip response to make accurate casts. At longer distances, the deeper loading and powerful butt section give you plenty of room to increase the length of your cast.
For a 7-weight, I think this makes a lot of sense for steelhead, salmon and saltwater applications, where you want a rod that can handle larger flies, longer casts and heavier lines but don't necessarily want something excessively fast or technical to cast.
A Premium Rod With a Distinctive Character
The Ström is Loop's core premium rod series, and after spending some time with the 7-weight, it's easy to see why.
It's not simply an evolution of the 7X in terms of appearance. Loop has retained the distinctive seven-sided blank while adding new components and refining the action to produce a rod that feels modern, powerful and extremely smooth.
What I like most is that it doesn't fall into the trap of making a premium rod that is all about maximum speed.
The Ström has plenty of power, but it's still enjoyable to cast. You get the feel and control you want for shorter casts, while the deeper sections of the blank are there when you need to reach farther.
Add in the Ceracoil guides, thoughtful details like the line-weight markings and the distinctive heptagonal blank, and you've got a really interesting new flagship series from Loop.
We've only had the 7-weight in hand so far, so we're looking forward to getting the rest of the lineup and seeing how those lighter weights compare.
For now, though, the Ström 7-weight has made a very strong first impression.
You can check out the new Loop Ström rods in shop or online at Drift Outfitters.
