Too bad about the short handle. People get so caught up in light weight and the split grip hype they forget you have to fish with the thing too.

Speaking of.... where do you put your lower hand during a two handed cast when using a split grip?? Seems kinda' awkward to me.

Better guides and reel seat as well plus they have changed the finish.

Not to mention the Caras have been the same price for years when all the others have went up. with the upgrades I think the slight price increase is well worth it.

The split grip models for the most part are on the rods that are normally used for closer range presentations. If you still want to make a two handed cast there is ample cork at the bottom of handle to grab.
I can say I was initially a little leery of the split grip option but after fishing with them I am a convert. I love them and cannot wait until Falcon adds a few split grip Caras to the spinning lineup.

I am still waiting to see what people think about the new reel seat. I am not sure about a reel seat that forces your hand into a certain position. I like to be able to change the way I hold the reel during a long day of fishing.