Sougayilang Telescopic Combo Review: a handy travel rod that’s good… if you accept its weak spots

I picked up the Sougayilang telescopic fishing rod and reel combo mainly as a travel setup. I wanted something I could throw in the car, take on trips, and not worry too much if it got scratched or banged around. The idea of a full kit with rod, reel, line, lures, and a carry case sounded very practical. No need to dig through boxes for gear, just grab the bag and go.

On paper, the specs look pretty strong for the price: 1.8 m telescopic rod, 13+1 bearing reel, extra spool, lures, and a case. Amazon ratings are around 4.2/5 with thousands of reviews, so it’s clearly popular. But digging into the comments, you quickly see a pattern: people like the portability and the reel, but the rod tip and long-term durability are the big question marks.

I’ve used it as a backup rod and a quick-trip rod, mostly for bass and some trout in freshwater. I also tossed it in the car a few times for spontaneous stops at small lakes. I didn’t baby it, but I also didn’t abuse it. In short: I used it the way a normal person would use a travel combo that costs around this range, not like a high-end dedicated setup.

Overall, my experience is mixed but not terrible. The combo is convenient and actually pretty fun to use for casual fishing, but it’s not bombproof. If you expect a tank, you’ll be disappointed. If you see it as a portable, semi-disposable kit with a surprisingly decent reel and a so-so rod, it makes more sense. I’ll break it down by aspects so you can see if it fits how you fish.

In terms of value, it depends a lot on how you plan to use it and what you expect. For around the typical price (and especially if you catch it on sale like some reviewers did around $50), you’re getting a full setup: rod, reel, line, lures, spare spool, and a bag. If you’re a beginner or just want a simple travel kit, that’s decent value. You don’t have to research matching rod and reel or buy a separate case; it’s all there.

Compared to buying everything separately, you’d easily spend more for a decent telescopic rod, a smooth reel, and a padded carry case from bigger brands. But you’d also probably get better quality, especially on the rod side. So the trade-off here is convenience and a low price vs. long-term durability and premium feel. For someone who fishes a few times a year on vacation, this Sougayilang combo is probably good value. For someone who fishes every weekend, I’d say put that money toward a better rod and a mid-range reel instead.

One thing to factor in is that the reel alone is usable on other rods. So even if the telescopic blank eventually fails, you still have a serviceable reel that you can move onto a better rod. That softens the blow a bit. The included line and lures are more like a starter pack; they work, but I’d personally replace the line soon and upgrade the lures if you care about performance.

Overall, I’d rate the value as good but not outstanding. You’re basically paying for a convenient, all-in-one travel solution, not for top-tier gear. If that’s what you need, it’s money reasonably well spent. If you’re already into fishing and own other gear, this combo is more interesting as a backup/travel piece than as your main setup, and judged that way, the price is fair.

The design is pretty standard for a telescopic rod: several nested sections that extend out and lock by friction. Collapsed, the rod is very short and easy to carry; extended, it reaches 1.8 m (about 5.9 ft). For a travel rod, the compact size is the main selling point, and on that front it delivers. I had no problem fitting it in a small car trunk with luggage, and it even fits in larger backpacks if you angle it a bit.

The problem with telescopic design in general — and this combo is no exception — is that it’s easier to damage or jam than a normal two-piece rod. You have to be careful when extending and collapsing it. If you pull too hard on one section, twist while extending, or get sand or dirt in the joints, you can end up with sections stuck or even cracked. Some Amazon reviews mention rods that won’t collapse again, and I can see how that could happen if you extend it aggressively or don’t clean it.

During my use, I made sure to extend it slowly, starting from the tip section and working back, and collapse it the opposite way. When it got a bit dirty, I wiped it down first. Doing that, I didn’t get it stuck, but I can tell the tolerance is tight: if you jam the sections together too hard, you’ll have trouble. The guides line up reasonably well once extended, but you still need to check them before you start casting, because telescopic sections can twist a bit.

Design-wise, the reel seat and handle are fairly basic but usable. The handle has EVA foam which is comfortable enough for a few hours of fishing. It’s not luxurious, but it doesn’t feel like a toy either. In short, the design is focused on portability, not on being bulletproof. If you’re careful and patient with the telescopic parts, it works. If you tend to rush and throw your gear around, this design will probably annoy you or break on you sooner or later.

The rod is advertised as 100% carbon fiber mixed with fiberglass, which basically means it’s a relatively light blank with some added toughness from the fiberglass. In hand, the rod feels light for a telescopic and not too whippy. Sensitivity is decent: you can feel taps from smaller fish like crappie or small bass. The guides are SIC ceramic, which is standard stuff and handle braided line fine as long as they stay glued and aligned.

The weak point, like several reviewers mention, is the tip section and some of the guide attachments. The tip feels thin and a bit fragile. I didn’t snap mine, but I was very conscious not to high-stick (lifting the rod too vertically with a fish on) or yank heavy lures. Some people report the tip breaking after a few trips, and based on how it feels, I’m not surprised if someone abuses it or hooks into something too big. Also, one of my middle guides started to feel a little loose after a handful of outings, which matches reviews where people said they had to super glue an eyelet back in place.

The reel, on the other hand, feels better than I expected for this price range. The body is mostly metal with some plastic parts, and the spool is an aluminum honeycomb design. It’s not super light, but it feels solid in hand. The handle is CNC aluminum and can be switched from left to right, which is handy. The EVA knob is grippy even when wet, and I never had it slip out of my hand. The 13+1 bearings are probably not all top-shelf bearings, but the reel feels smooth enough for casual use.

Overall, the materials are a mix: rod materials are adequate but not confidence-inspiring under heavy load, while the reel materials feel a notch better than the rod. For a travel combo and light to medium use, that’s acceptable. But if you’re planning to fight bigger fish or fish hard every weekend, I’d trust the reel more than the telescopic blank. I’d say: decent materials for the money, but don’t expect the rod to take serious abuse.

Durability is where this combo divides people, and I’m kind of in the middle. After several outings, my set is still in one piece, but I can see the potential problems that others mention in reviews. The telescopic sections need care, and the tip is thin. I stored it collapsed in the carry case and always checked for grit before closing it up. With that routine, I didn’t get any stuck sections or cracks, but I wouldn’t call the rod tough.

One of the guide wraps on my rod started to feel slightly loose after some use — not falling off, but enough that I noticed a bit of movement when pressing on it. That lines up with the user who said they had to super glue an eyelet. It’s not a disaster, but it tells me the glue and epoxy work aren’t top notch. If you’re rough with your rods, toss them in the back of a truck, or let kids step on them, this one will probably fail sooner rather than later.

The reel, on the other hand, has held up better. No grinding noises so far, no major wobble, and the bail still snaps closed firmly. I rinsed it after a couple of light saltwater tries and didn’t see any obvious corrosion. I wouldn’t use it as a dedicated saltwater reel, but for occasional inshore or pier use with proper rinsing, it seems okay. The handle and knob are still tight, and the drag feels the same as day one. So from a durability standpoint: reel = decent, rod = needs gentle handling.

There are also worrying reports about rods that won’t collapse and about customer service not answering emails. I haven’t had to contact support myself, so I can’t confirm that part, but it’s worth keeping in mind. If you get a bad unit or something fails early, you might have to fight a bit to get a replacement. Overall, I’d say this combo is fine for light and occasional use, but I wouldn’t buy it expecting it to last many seasons of hard fishing. Think of it as a travel tool that might eventually give up, not as a lifelong investment.

On the water, this combo actually fishes better than it looks on paper, as long as you stay within its limits. I mainly used it with small to medium lures: light crankbaits, small soft plastics, and spinners for bass and trout. Casting distance is fine for a 1.8 m telescopic rod. It’s not as crisp as a one-piece graphite rod, but for a travel setup, it gets the job done. I could reach the spots I usually target from shore without feeling too handicapped.

The medium-heavy rating is a bit optimistic in my opinion. I’d treat it more as a medium or even medium-light for safety. It bends quite a bit on a decent fish, and while that’s fun, it also reminds you not to horse the fish in like you would with a sturdier rod. I landed several fish in the 1–2 lb range without any scare, but I wouldn’t feel great about trying to drag a big catfish or heavy saltwater species on this thing. For bass and trout, it’s fine; for anything bigger, you’re pushing it.

The reel performance is the good surprise here. The drag is reasonably smooth and didn’t stutter on runs. The 5.5:1 gear ratio is a solid middle ground for most freshwater techniques. Line lay on the spool is clean enough that I didn’t get crazy wind knots, even with the included line, though I did have one small tangle when casting into strong wind. Once I swapped the line for a better braid, it behaved noticeably better. The handle has no major play, and the retrieve stays smooth even under a bit of load.

In practice, I’d say this combo performs well as a backup rod, beginner kit, or travel stick. It’s not something I’d take to a tournament or rely on as my main rod, but for tossing lures on vacation or keeping something in the car for quick sessions, it works. You just need to respect its limits: no heavy lures, no aggressive hooksets with the rod high over your head, and no trying to swing big fish onto the bank. Treat it like a light, portable tool, and it fishes pretty pleasantly.

Out of the box, you get quite a lot: the telescopic carbon-fiber rod, a spinning reel already spooled with line, a spare aluminum spool, a small set of lures and accessories, and a zippered carry bag. For the price, it looks like a complete starter/travel package. Everything has its own spot in the bag, so it doesn’t feel like a random pile of gear thrown together. You can literally grab the case and head to the water.

The rod folds down very compact, easily under the length of a typical suitcase, and definitely small enough for a car trunk or backpack. The reel is medium-sized and matches the rod fairly well in terms of balance. The included line is braided on paper, but it’s not top-quality braid; it’s usable but nothing special. The lures and terminal tackle are basic: a few hard baits and small accessories. They’re enough to get a beginner started or to catch some panfish or bass, but if you fish regularly, you’ll probably switch to your own tackle pretty fast.

What I liked is that for someone who doesn’t want to think too much, this kit is plug-and-play. You don’t have to buy a separate reel, line, or case. That’s especially handy if you’re setting up a kid, a casual angler, or just want a backup rod that’s always ready. On the downside, you can clearly feel that part of the budget went into including “everything” instead of making everything high quality. The case is decent but light, the lures are cheap, and the line is just okay.

So in practice, I’d say the presentation is good for beginners and occasional anglers: you open the box and you’re basically ready to fish. For more experienced anglers, you’ll see it more as a nice reel and a travel rod with a spare bag, and you’ll probably replace the line and lures pretty quickly. It’s not a premium kit, but as a complete bundle it’s functional and straightforward.