Ken whiting back with Airrus rods..

[Nitroman77]

Francesco Dotto, President and CEO of Airrus International announced the appointment of Ken Whiting to head up Airrus U.S.A. as a part of the initial restructuring after its purchase of Airrus  this past March.

After the sale of Airrus in late 2003 Ken retained his position as President of Airrus until 2007 when he accepted an offer from another company. Ken has spent the last couple of years working as a consultant for several companies within the tackle industry. Ken’s return to Airrus brings him full circle back to the company he founded in 2002.

During the past nine years Ken’s offerings in the New Products Showcase at ICAST have garnered him 7 Best of Shows in the Rod Category, 1 Best of Show in the Apparel Category and 1 Overall Best of Show in 2007. Three of the rod awards were won back to back in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Ken was further honored by Outdoor Life as he was named to their OL25 list for 2009. The OL25 are 25 individuals selected in any given year, who have made significant contributions to Outdoor Sports in a variety of categories including Innovation. As a part of the OL25 competition following his selection, Ken received Outdoor Life’s prestigious “OL 25 Readers Choice Award”. 

Airrus is proud to announce the introduction of three new rods, the Micro Pulse, Co-Matrix 2.0 and the Ken Whiting signature series called Nano Fusion which will be shown for the first time in July at ICAST. Of the three, Nano Fusion will be the rod that will be shown in the New Products Showcase. Ken feels “Nano Fusion” is the most innovative and technically advanced rod he has ever designed. The blank is constructed utilizing one of the latest in cutting edge materials to come out of the composite industry called “Bucky Paper” and integrating it into the blank by way of a proprietary Airrus process called “Carbon Nanotube Layering”. This process has produced a rod that is so sensitive you will just have to try one to believe it. Nano Fusion will be the only new offering to feature our new “Custom Balance” weight port capable of weight adjustments from 5 to 60grms. However all three new Airrus rod series will have our new Micro Guide System specifically designed to reduce friction and provide for longer, smoother and more accurate casts.  Be sure to look for the new Airrus at ICAST this year, you won’t be disappointed.

Airrus International has also appointed Trophy Technologies of Mc Cordsville, Indiana as exclusive distributor for all Airrus products within North America as well as customer service, warrantee issues and returns. Trophy Technologies are best known as the owners of the Reaction Strike and Castaic, two extremely well known brand names in the North American marketplace.

[vArm]

wow, good for Airrus, they put out some amazing rods when he was with them. One of the best experiences I've ever had dealing with a rod company was being able to call Airrus and just shoot the sh*t with Ken.

The Puls-R was an outstandingly innovative rod for its time.
can't see what they come up with.

[bassbandit]

WOW!

A couple months back, I posted a link to Airrus's home page with a pic of the Co-Matrix 2.0. There was a quote saying " A Legend Is Returning." I assumed they were talking about the Co-Matrix as the legend, but I guess now it's clear that it meant Ken. I'm excited to see what he comes up with.

[Tokugawa]

Great - bucky paper. Next we'll see resin loaded with bucky balls too.

[mhood]

Great - bucky paper. Next we'll see resin loaded with bucky balls too.

How many balls does bucky have?

[Tokugawa]

Great - bucky paper. Next we'll see resin loaded with bucky balls too.

How many balls does bucky have?

Buckminsterfullerene has tons of them...although they are nano-balls.

[mhood]

Bucky sure did milk that geodesic dome thing like a thousand dollar Holstein, didn't he?

[Tokugawa]

Bucky sure did milk that geodesic dome thing like a thousand dollar Holstein, didn't he?

You ain't lying!!

Not to mention, bucky paper is exceedingly expensive...so you have to wonder how much of it is really used in a rod and how much of the "sensitivity increase" is imaginary...or from the micros.

[brokeneye]

"hal blaine strikes again!"

[dragon1]

The marketing wizard has come full circle...least we know that he will stay at the "home-dome" this time around (for how long?).

Still, if priced like the Airrus rods were originally; there may still be some very good rods priced competitively in the market.

[NCbigbass]

Whatever will Duckett do without the delegate genius Ken Whiting masterminding the whole scheme? Oh well, all those rods will make excellent tomato stakes It is sad really because I feel that people like him and companies that he has created and then left or sold are responsible for the downfall of reputable companies like G Loomis. He creates a new company and new rod every year, produces a rod that sells for half the price of a Loomis because it is make in China, hypes it up as the best thing since sliced bread, and then sells out. Meanwhile the public has been convinced it is just as good of a rod as Loomis or Croix for half the price, because they don't know any better. So in the end the companies like Loomis have to adjust their warranty and not sell blanks because they can't afford to because the Ducketts and Carrot Stix of the world have just about put them out of business. I am sure I will get flack for this, but it kills me when I see the stainless insert lightning rod guides, cheap eva ugly stick foam, clear guide-feet showing thread wraps, poor craftsmanship, etc. on a carrot stix that sells for $150. And now that I have been building rods the last few years I understand that the components of the Carrots probably cost less than $20. But Ken has already made his money and is off to something else Now where do I get me one of these new Bucky Paper rods? I am sure it is the best thing ever I can't wait to try one

[DavidSA]

I still have 5 Airrus co-matrix rods and have fished the carrot. Not in a drunken fit of rage would I prefer one to the models of Loomis GLX or the St Croix LE's. For the price range of the co-matrix at the time, it offered great value. I think many companies have picked up the game in the $100 to $140 range so they better bring some serious innovation.