I normally don't write reviews until fully experiencing a product, yet this dobyns is a highly touted rod line so I trust in my peers who have more experience with the rod (why I bought it in the first place). The DX741SF is a 7'4" Light power Fast action rod that spells light F I N E S S E. I picked one up recently, yet its Winter here so it won't see use until Spring. I did, however, do some comparisons against 3 of my other finesse rods and was a bit surprised. The Dobyns is NOT a light rod. Here's a comparison against 3 of my other finesse spinning rods:
Kade Outdoors custom (on likely a Rod Geeks USA-made carbon blank) Walleye series 7' 2" Med-Lite power Fast action: 3.6 ounces.
St. Croix Victory VTS710MLXF Med-Lite power Fast action at 7'10": 3.7 ounces.
Trika 3X 6'10" Med-Lite power, Extra Fast action: 3.8 ounces.
Dobyn's Champion Extreme HP rod Light power Fast action at 7' 4": 4.3 ounces.
I am unsure why the Dobyn's rod is so heavy in comparison as it costs more than any of the others in my inventory. Dobyn's is supposed to be durable and offer good power, yet the St. Croix has a 15 year transferable warranty, is 6" longer, 0.6 ounces lighter, over 30% less expensive and is made in the USA (Wisconsin, specifically). In fact, my other two rods are also made in the USA, and each costs significantly less than the Dobyns.
Here's a comparison of cork grip quality (excluding the Trika carbon grip) from best to worst:
#1: Kade Outdoors (listed as AAA) - tie
#1: Dobyns (listed as AAA) - tie
#2: St. Croix Victory (listed as Super Grade, which is a cork industry grade just behind the highest rating of Flor, yet it looked slightly inferior to the other two as there was some very minor pitting)
I can't wait to fish the Dobyns rod this year, yet a qualitative assessment doesn't seem to support its significantly higher price point. Time in use will tell, and I'll update my review after some time on the water in Northern Michigan.