Best holders on the market hands down! Only rod holders I will use without being a foot away from my rod. I can surely say I 100% trust my rods are secure in these rod holders. Definitely worth the price!!

Very solid pieces. I can't believe I waited until now to try these. These are probably the 7th or 8th different brand I have tried. But, these are on a different level. Great Quality. You won't be disappointed. Do it.

I want to preface this review by saying I am 65 years old, somewhat overweight, and not in the bests of health. Keep those factors in mind when reading this review. I primarily fish for catfish, and my personal best so far is 50 pounds, so I needed a sturdy rod holder. Also, this is an initial review based on my very first experience with Takedown Rod Holders. I am using the Takedown Rod Holder W/Step (uncoated).

UNBOXING

Straight out of the box I was impressed. The Takedown Rod Holders were very well made with sold welds and sturdy construction. They looked exactly like the photos (which is always a good thing when ordering online... because that is not always the case).

FIRST TRIP TO THE LAKE

I'm not sure what type of dirt the person in the video I watched had, but where I was fishing, the dirt was hard-packed. I struggled to even get the rod holders started in the ground. I finally resorted to using a large rock to get them started, and about halfway in I used the step, which worked as intended. I stopped at about a half-inch from the ground. I really have no reason for that, I just did.
Three observations about positioning the rod holders:
1. I was wearing soft soled shoes, which did make using the step a little trickier. A more firm sole would be much better.
2. The rock did not damage or bend the rod holders, but of course it did scuff them up a tad. This had no effect on how the rod holders functioned.
3. I have purchased a auto body mallet to drive them in the ground. You can get one pretty cheap at Walmart. I would highly recommend this if you are dealing with hard dirt.

TAKEDOWN ROD HOLDERS IN ACTION

My spinning rods fit perfectly into the holders. The longer rods rested in the "vee" on the lower handle while the shorter rod rested near the bar that holds the reel foot. The rod butt sat on the ground against the step. I used the upright position and have not yet used the 45 degree or lateral positions.

I was able to easily take the rods in and out of the holders to check bait or reposition them as I do every 30-45 minutes.

I will say I did not catch any large fish on this trip. Even so, the Takedown Rod Holders did the job they were intended to do. The rod holders did not budge when a fish hit my bait and I was able to easily reel in to set the hook, remove the rod from the holder while keeping tension on the line, and land the fish with no problem. Judging by today's performance, I have no doubt they will handle any catfish I might hook.

BOTTOM LINE

I'm impressed. You have probably already guessed that by now, but I did want to state it for the record. How much so? I intend to buy more of the same rod holders (when finances allow it) Considering the quality of the materials and workmanship, I also think Takedown Rod Holders are a great value as well.

A FINAL FOOTNOTE

I needed to contact Takedown Rod Holders due to an address mix up. They were quick to respond and resolved my issue immediately upon being notified. For my order, shipping was also pretty darn quick as well. Great product and great customer service - a winning combination.

Multiple ways to position your rods and strong enough I’ll never have to replace them

Used my rod holders this weekend. They were great! I will definitely be buying more in the future!