Winston’s New Pure 2 Rods

Photo: Courtesy of Winston

The R.L. Winston Rod Co has launched their brand-new Pure 2 rod series. As the name suggests, these rods are the next evolution of the company’s much-loved Pures.

“The Pure is an all-time rod, no doubt,” said Adam Hutchison, National Marketing Manager for Winston. “The Pure is an iconic rod.”

So, why move on from such a beloved, well-received rod?

The decision came down to two things—new materials and improved tapers.

“We’re not tied to product lifecycles,” Hutchison said. “But when new materials and inspiration strike, we’re gonna run with it.”

The new materials replaced boron—a mainstay in Winston rods for years—with a better material for the Pure 2. Winston Design and Manufacturing Engineer Hank Haen was happy about the switch, saying it allowed the team to use the technology in the Air 2 to create a better dry-fly centric rod in the Pure 2.

“When an opportunity presents itself and we can make a great taper, we’re gonna go ahead and do it,” Hutchison said.

The Pure 2 isn’t just a “refreshed” rod; it’s been redesigned from the ground up, which allowed Haen to really dial in the action for this rod series. Both Haen and Hutchison noted that the old Pure rods weren’t completely aligned in their actions. The shorter, lighter rods were fast, by Winston standards, while the longer four and five weights were closer to that progressive Winston feel the company is known for.

The Pure 2 maintains a consistent action throughout the lineup, offering a more cohesive experience that really complements the flagship Air 2 line.

“The big accomplishment with these rods is that they all fit in the box where you put a true to line weight on them and they’ll cast great,” Haen said. “You get a phenomenal amount of feel with each rod.”

While much of that feel is thanks to the redesigned tapers and improved materials, you’ll also notice the new length configurations in the Pure 2 series. Only two of the rods are the traditional nine foot length. Everything else is reminiscent of the company’s old LT rods.

Those lengths were a deliberate choice in design, Haen said. Gone is the venerable 8’6″ 4-weight, with an 8’3″ rod taking its place.

“I don’t think you lose anything with losing three inches (off an 8’6″ 4-weight),” Haen said. “You lose three inches, but you get better torsional stability. It also makes the rod surprisingly lighter. Three inches doesn’t seem like much, but it is.”

The 8’3″ 4-weight is Hutchison’s personal favorite from the new lineup.

“You don’t even think about it when you’re casting to a fish rising,” he said. “That’s the ultimate goal with a fly rod, it’s intuitive, you’re just fishing. All of a sudden, you get snapped back into what you’re using. It’s got that perfect balance of progressive action and faster recovery rates. You can throw a 14-foot leader off the tip, or you can stretch it out. This thing is designed to fish dry flies up to 40 feet. A good caster can cast it well beyond 60, 70 feet, but I hope they don’t. I hope people slow down, fish it close, and feel its magic for how it’s been designed.”

Photo: Courtesy of Winston

Speaking of design, the team at Winston also made a change to the grip for the Pure 2. It’s now the same 6.5-inch cigar grip found on the Air 2. The grip on the old Pures was a bit polarizing, because it was only six inches long, and a bit thicker than the new grip.

“I didn’t like that old grip, it was a bit too big, too much of a swell, too short,” Haen said. “Grip design wasn’t something I thought I’d have to do as a rod designer, but it’s amazing how important it is. With a longer, slimmer grip, you unintentionally get a bit more feel out of the rod, because the longer grip allows the butt section to bend that cork a bit. You actually get flex in that cork.”

Haen and Hutchison both made it a point to complement the entire team at Winston for their work on the new Pure 2, as well.

“This year was great for us in terms of R&D because we turned these rods around really fast,” Haen said. “Having a production crew that has my back is awesome. A great all-around achievement for everybody.”

The Pure 2 draws heavily from Winston’s roots in the Jefferson Basin in Montana, and it’s truly a rod series built for those who enjoy the art of fishing with dry flies.

“We designed this rod in trout country, it’s a product of our people and our place, it’s a reflection of what we all enjoy fishing,” Hutchison said.

The Pure 2 is available now from your local Winston dealer. It retails for $995, the same price as the old Pure.