Kistler or Dobyns ???

??? which one ???

for what application?

what does it matter ? Pick an application.
worm / swim bait / crank bait / weightless fluke / c-rig

My son and I have bought several Kistler rods and are very happy with them. Their business is right here in Magnolia so I can stop by and by and buy them. Plus, they are great at taking the time to help educate you (at least I need educated) on their different rod types.

Im going to try to give an answer as vague as the original "question"...
Dobyn's...

Never used Dobyns but own several Kistlers and would not hesitate to get another. To be truthful you could pick just about any rod of same quality as the two you mentioned and it would be a good choice.

I use Dobyns rods and LOVE them. LIGHT, SENSITIVE and very strong. If you go with them, their power ratings seem to be a tad light, but that may just be my opinion. GREAT ROD LINEUP with LOTS of options for everyone. I LOVE the Champion XP and Champion Extreme HP rods I have. I also like the Savvy and Fury rods, too, haven't tried the Sierra rods yet. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

I've owned a couple of Kistler rods but have levitated to the falcon rods. Cheaper and do what I want. Kistlers are good though.

So,,,,, what it seems is half dozen of one ....... 6 of the other.
so I got one each in their 7'3" Heavy models to check out and evaluate.

Kistler or Dobyns? Yes, please...

Both. My pinion is we over think some things related to fishing.

lol....

Dobyn's

I still have a couple dobyns I use, I have picked up 10 klx/heliums Kistlers in the last 18 months and won't buy more any more dobyns. The dobyns I have are champion and champion extreme series as a point of reference.

Kistler hands, down. They've got it going on with their new "Feel N' Reel" series. The Helium's and Magnesium's are incredible and the Z-Bone's are the closest thing you can get to an NRX without it being an actual NRX. Trey will also personally handle some issues and their customer service is top notch. Great company to deal with! Be sure to look for their sales that are often going!

+1 for Kistler. Good pricing, extreamly light and the Z Bone has unbeatable sensitivity for contact baits.

Both are very solid rods.

Are you trying to learn something in particular or is this just one of those "Ginger or Mary Ann" questions?

I've got some of both but would lean more towards the Dobyns, that's just personal preference and can understand as to why someone would lean more towards the Kistler. They are both very good rods and can't go wrong with either one.

I'm betting it's more of an, I'm going to be buying all new rods, 10 to 12 rods from drop shot to a 4-8oz swimbait rod, which brand? I was about to post the same question, but Dobyns Fury, St Croix Mojo, or TFO Tactical. Now I'll know to be specific with my question!

From replacements to customizations Kistler offers great service.
I buy all of my new rods from them now.
Lots of companies offer great rods but its service and attention to the customer's needs and wants that sets them apart.
Gave me a great deal on changing out grips on my Heliums from cork to Winn. Not sure if any other rod builder will do that.

I have several of each, both have great customer service (which is a big deal). I have two Dobyns which I use only for crankbaits... the 805 and the 705. In my opinion I think those are the two best rods for those applications. I even have a Powell rod which I would group in there too. The kistlers I have are for worm / jig applications but I also have my baby which I use for drop shotting. That Kistler has caught me more big fish than I care to imagine.
They are both great rods, buy what works best for you.