Hyoo, I've had the CF20 (carbon fiber 20' version, there is also 16' and 30') since Christmas. It's looks like you can change it out with a philipshead and a wrench, but a philips head alone won't do it. Site advertises you can use the CF for other things as such.
My CF20 with attachment is 606 grams = = 21.3 = 1lb 5.3oz, over 16-1/2 long without attachment a bit of tiny rod sticking out, even 20" with attachment.
I'm glad I got the carbon fiber, because while it's the first retriever I ever had, I had extendable metal poles for other uses including magnets, painting, etc. The CF is much lighter and there is much less arc / sag when pulled out to the max compared to metal, and I think much more usable at length.
Since I have nothing to compare against retriever-wise, but looking at videos, it seems the easiest in many scenarios, although I could see certain other styles of retriever doing much better when grasping/pulling is required. The CF pole also won't want to push the strongest before being pushed back into it's previous sheath.
It lets me play much more aggressive on courses. I was at New Hanover yesterday, that miserable course, and I used it 4x. Once when it went deep into heavy brush there and I just don't feel like scratched up. Second, when I was shooting a lot of discs, so one went into the ravine after #3 basket, and another into the deep ravine at 4. (I lost one or two over the years at the stream here when I didn't feel like getting wet in the past). No problem. Then again on #5 big anhyzer, bad kick into the brushy valley. None of these were saves per se, I could definitely have gotten at them eventually, but it saved me a lot of stress and my body wear and tear.
It lets me get discs out of trees, puddles, water, brush, swamp. There needs to be some distance overhead (or whatever direction the plate of the disc is facing) to whap at it and get suction. Maybe 6-8". It's weakness is probably when the disc is in a bush or super heavy brush with lots of branches interfering, but I haven't had such a situation where I couldn't prod it out, yet.
I should note once I have a disc, I try to walk myself backwards and get the disc over safe ground before trying to collapse the pole back.
I just use the buckle on my bag to attach the upper ring and it's secure.
I do wonder if I should have gotten the longer CF30. Haven't needed it yet though and it's quite a bit more expensive. I'm glad I didn't get the CF16, the extra bump to 20 was worth it. A happy medium, perhaps.
Would buy again.
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