This is a excellent combo outfit for anyone just starting out or for an experienced fly fishermen to add as a primary or backup rod. The med fast action makes casting easier for beginners to learn. It's very lightweight and dont cause you or your arm to get tired. Unlike most other rod manafactures the unconditional lifetime warranty on it is excellent and you can easily register your rod online. I've yet had to ever use it but it's only a $35 charge for repair or replacement no matter if you broke it in the car door or it's a factory defect.
The one thing I would recommend is to buy this just as the Rod, Reel, and case. Dont get it with the line or backing. Like every company that sells complete combos they are all guilty of putting pretty cheap line on them. Even your more expensive companies. You can feel the line is very course. I would recommend to take the money you save and investing it in a better quality line. If you teach fly casting this line will do fine since the basics of casting is taught on land.
It does have bigger rod guides which makes casting smoother and helps with distance. It's very well balanced. TFO rods are definitely up there in quality and standards. My intention was to use it as a spare to keep in my truck to use when I'm out or on my way home from work to hit the rivers and streams I pass by but since I've gotten mine I have liked it so much I havent even used my expensive $800 rod. If your looking for a rod to just learn a backup rod or maybe a new primary rod or even if your an instructor and buying rods to teach with or maybe a guide to have a extra rod incase your client breaks theirs i would definitely give TFO a shot. Your getting the quality of alot of the expensive rods but at a really good price