Daiwa D Shock 7ft Spinning Combo

A rod and a reel bought as one, matched by Daiwa and supplied with monofilament already on the spool. Put the two halves of the rod together, thread the line through, tie something on the end and you are fishing.

It is an entry-level outfit and it is built like one. The blank is fibreglass rather than carbon, so it is heavier and slower than a dedicated spinning rod, and more forgiving of the treatment a first rod tends to get. The reel is a 3000 size on a graphite body, running on a single ball bearing. As a first outfit, as a spare left in the boot, or as the rod you hand to whoever came along for the day, those are sensible compromises.

The rod

• 7ft, two sections, put-over joint
• Fibreglass blank
• Aluminium oxide guides
• Stainless hooded reel seat
• Cork grips
• Hook keeper

The reel

• 3000 size, one ball bearing
• Graphite body
• ABS machined aluminium spool
• Twist Buster II line roller
• Digigear drive
• Supplied pre-spooled with monofilament