It is easy to use, durable and weather resistant, it was engineered to withstand the harsh conditions of your adventure and to make transporting your fishing rods a hassle-free task! It is conceptually similar in design and functionality to the original low profile rack, however, the rod holder tubes have been re-designed to accommodate different types of fishing reels and keep them locked in an up-right vertical position featuring the locking rings to ensure that the rods are not shifting or rotating in any direction while in motion.
Excellent product for transporting and securing most rods!
This product is simple, secure, and easy to use. Installation was also a breeze. Very good system for transporting average size rods- most freshwater and saltwater rods will fit in this no problem. However, my largest surfcasting rod, a 10' Penn Battalion, is too wide at the point that it reaches the forward component of this system (the part that is supposed to close around your rod to secure it). Good thing this rod is a 2-piece rod, and is easy enough to transport inside my vehicle.
This system locks with a key, but this is optional. I usually don't lock it unless I am leaving my car somewhere unfamiliar overnight, or leaving the rods on my vehicle for a long time. I think that because of the obvious keyhole, and the not-so-obvious opening button, that the system is deterrent enough against theft without even locking it. I feel comfortable that most would-be thieves would probably assume it was locked and only opened with the key, but that's just for the rods.
This system does not secure your reels. In fact, it would be obvious to thieves looking at this system on your car, that the reels are easy pickings. This means that to be truly secure you would have to keep your reels inside your vehicle, which equates to having to set up your tackle every use. If you really wanted to keep your setup ready to go and completely secure at the same time with this system, you would have to get a double loop cable (such as for locking up bikes) and two padlocks. One padlock would secure a loop to the reel's support arm, and the other padlock would secure the other loop to the rod itself. This would only work for spinning reels though, conventional reels would be more difficult to secure without actually removing them and storing them in your vehicle.
All in all it is an excellent system, and I am satisfied with it.