You gotta think this way...
Sure you can buy 2 or 3 replacement 50 dollar rods for what I paid for my st.croix avid...
But that means 2-3 ruined fishing days... 2-3 trips back to the store... 2-3 times dealing with the highschool kid at costumer service... And you are using a lower quality rod...
What's your day on the water worth to you?
In my experience... If you can afford the "investment" on a higher end rod... You'll be happier in the end...
Also my brother broke a st.croix legend (his fault) flipping a 5lb walleye and "fumbled" the ending... Lol
He contacted st.croix about what happened... They said it sounds like a defect... So my brother said he didn't wanna wait 1-2 months for a new rod... So they sent him a new one charged to his credit card... And when they received the broken rod... Reimbursed him... The new rod was here in less then a week...