Matrix Aquos Ultra-XD Method Feeder Rod

How well is it built?

I've spent most of this season putting the 13ft 1in 160g Ultra-XD through its paces on big-pit reservoir and commercial distance work, and it's become my go-to for 80 yards-plus method feeder fishing.

Out of the three lengths in the Ultra-XD range, the 13ft 1in is the one I'd recommend to most anglers first.

The Ultra-XD uses a higher-grade carbon blank than the Ultra-C and Ultra-X siblings below it in the Aquos range.

You can feel the difference the moment you load it on the cast: faster recovery, cleaner tip kick-up, less blank wobble on the forward stroke compared to the lighter Aquos variants.

Three variants cover the range. 12ft at 130g (3.7m), 13ft 1in at 160g (4.0m), and 13ft 7in at 190g (4.2m).

All are 3-section plus interchangeable quivertip, with no 14ft variant despite what a few retailer listings suggest.

Guides are forward-facing oversized units. That combination genuinely does reduce line friction on long casts.

Shock leader knots pass through without the slap you get on tighter ring trains, which means more of the energy you put into the forward stroke actually reaches the feeder.

The reel seat is Matrix's own-brand Aquos screw-down, not Fuji. Honestly, it does the job. Clamps a mini big-pit reel securely on repeated long casts and I've never had one come loose mid-session.

The handle combines cork at the reel seat with EVA along the rest. Cork for the warm classic feel under palm, EVA that stays clean after a muddy distance session where you're elbow-deep in groundbait.

8.0 is a fair build score. Genuinely flagship-leaning spec inside the Aquos family, without asking Horizon X money.

How well does it cast and feel?

Anglers have often asked me whether the jump from the Ultra-X to the Ultra-XD is worth the extra money, and on casting performance the answer is clearly yes.

The 13ft 1in 160g variant comfortably hits 85 yards with a 4oz loaded method feeder, and on a good day with a tailwind I've put feeders out closer to 95 yards.

The Ultra-X below it tops out around 65 yards with the same payload because its 60g casting window is the limiting factor. If you fish 50 yards-plus as your normal range, you're basically asking the wrong rod to do the job.

What makes the Ultra-XD cast well at range is the combination of three things working together.

The higher-grade carbon blank gives you tip recovery speed, the forward-facing oversized guides keep line flow clean, and the 130g to 190g casting windows across the three variants mean the blank isn't overgunned relative to your payload.

For me, the 13ft 1in 160g is the sweet spot. The 12ft 130g is a touch short for genuine big-pit work, and the 13ft 7in 190g starts to feel overgunned unless you're pushing 5oz-plus feeders on serious reservoir waters.

8.5 is a fair casting score. There are feeder rods that cast further, but they cost twice the money.

How does it perform when playing fish?

The truth is, when I first picked up the Ultra-XD I expected the 160g casting window to make it feel overgunned on smaller commercial carp. It doesn't.

The progressive through-action bends right through the whole blank under load rather than locking up in the middle, so the rod cushions hard takes from 2 to 5lb F1s without spring-loading the hooklink.

That's the single most important playing-fish trait for me on a distance feeder. You're casting a long way out with a loaded method feeder, and the moment you hook a fish you need the rod to absorb that first head-shake rather than transmit it straight to the hook.

On bigger commercial carp up to mid-doubles, the backbone in the lower blank keeps you in control at range. I've landed fish to 15lb on the 13ft 1in 160g on 0.22mm mainline at 75 yards, and the rod never felt like it was running out of reserve.

If I was to be really picky, the Aquos-branded reel seat isn't as refined as the Fuji DPS you'd get on a Horizon X. Under heavy casting load the Matrix seat stays locked fine, but the feel isn't quite the same.

8.0 reflects a rod that plays fish genuinely well for its class, with a blank action that punches above the price.

Is it good value for money?

If you're casting 50 yards-plus with 4oz feeders as your normal range, the Ultra-XD is the Aquos variant you need.

The Ultra-C below it is close-range commercial only (8-11ft at 2.4mm tips), the Ultra-X middle variant tops out at 60g casting weight, and the Ultra-XD 130-190g range is the only one in the Aquos family that genuinely handles distance method and heavy-feeder work.

That's the starting point for the value calculation. Most sub-£100 feeder rods force you to choose between casting range and build quality; the Ultra-XD gives you both at mid-tier pricing.

Cross-shopped against the Preston Supera X Distance at a clear step up in price, the Ultra-XD covers around 80 per cent of the practical distance method job without the flagship Japanese blank.

For anglers who don't need the absolute last 5 yards of casting range, that's genuinely strong value.

Against the Drennan Vertex Distance Feeder a step up in price, the Ultra-XD gives you most of the practical distance casting performance at notably less money. Drennan has the match-scene pedigree; Matrix has the price-to-performance ratio on the Ultra-XD.

If you already run Matrix tackle, the Ultra-XD is the natural fit.

Where the value case gets tighter is against the Horizon X range above. Horizon X gives you genuine flagship spec with Fuji DPS reel seat, higher-modulus blank and a more refined guide train.

If budget allows, Horizon X is where you should be. For most of us who don't have that budget, the Ultra-XD is the sensible step short of it.

8.0 is a fair value score. Proper distance feeder performance inside the Aquos family, without stretching to Horizon X money.