Shimano not supporting warranty.

[jl8200]

Just buy your rods from Academy and you can return them for a replacement. I have brought 3 rods back to them on different occasions that were broken and they took them back with no problems and let me get another of equal or lesser value. At least one I didn't even have the receipt. They have a chart in the computer system and can look up the rod's value. It works for me.