Which do you prefer & why?

I prefer Cork over foam myself. Nostalgia perhaps. I also think cork holds up a little better.
I own several of both.

I wish I owned more cork than foam. I love the way the cork rod looks as well as how it feels. And I can stick endless hooks in cork without getting tear out. Foam seems to tear out after a while. Just my two cents.

Steve

Cork. Better sensitivity

I just like the feel of cork better.

Cork, all they way. Of course that has a lot to do with me being a fly fisherman.

Foam, them cats are rough on the handles when they sit in a rod holder....only have one rod with cork and is starting to chip away (but i do like it) just prefer foam because i feel it'll last longer

I never really cared just buy what feels right for what I am doing at the store that said I took 5rods with me yesterday 4 out of 5 of them were foam.

And that brings up a good point. All of my catfish and surf rods are foam. For that very same reason.

My carbonlite and vendetta are pretty comfortable with those eva grips, but really cork is the best. Sensitive and light for bass fishing.

I have both but preffer the cork, old school maybe but seems to be more sensative

I have both and they are both good. No preference . Although most, maybe 90% are cork.

I catfish a good bit and use cork and eva handles on my Pro Angler rods. My rod holders are Bee Readys. If you've seen them you know how they hold the rods. The Eva handles in time will get a groove where they are placed in the holders at the same place every time. The Corks dont get a noticable groove. My newest Cabela's Crappie rod has a cork handle and I like it much better than the same rod with a EVA grip.

Cork for me.

This.



And this.

Cork has better feel and it does hold up better. Foam snaggs and can tear. Cork won't snag and is hard to damage. I do have and use both but I try to stay with cork when possible.

Cork..... looks better but is subjective.

EVA foam.... light, sensitive and easy to shape for customs.

Hyperlon.... More durable, heavier, lasts longer, hard to shape.....


For bass rods, i would choose EVA.

Cork, for the feel. EVA foam if the rod is in the rod holder.

Cork for casting rods, foam for live bait and trolling rods.

Cork. All of my rods are cork.

I prefer cork but real life being what it is, the handle is usually my last consideration in buying a rod. I have a hard enough time finding a specialty rod with all the other criteria, that when I find it, I take what I can get ( and what I can afford).

My very favorite rods are my old Finwick's from the 60's that are both cork... with a lot of character. I have sanded some of the very badly beaten areas flat with a belt sander, laminated new sections of cork on and shaped it back down to my own comfort zone. Good as or better than new.
Maybe it's just my own limitations, but I can't do that with any kind of foam. I had a few rods handles destroyed by squirrels that got into my garage while I was out of town. I finally ended up re-handling them with wrapped flotation tape.

CORK