Rainshadow: the rod blank brand of Batson Enterprises

2000: Batson Enterprises, home of Rainshadow, is founded
Sequim, USA: Design and testing in Washington State
RX4 to RX10: Fiber scale, from glass blend to high modulus

The story of the brand

Rainshadow, a Batson family story

Batson Enterprises was born on January 1, 2000. Bob Batson had just spent ten years leading another component company. He started his own business in the garage of his home, turned into a blank warehouse. With Connie Batson, he first hired their son Bill and their nephew Karry.

In 2003, Bob Batson died of a heart attack. Connie, Bill and Karry Batson took over the company and carried on his project. Rainshadow became the best known brand of the group, next to ALPS and Forecast components.

In 2013, the Revelation series and its HDSC design were shown at the ICAST trade show in Las Vegas. Today, Batson still designs and proves its blanks in Washington State. Rainshadow series run from fly blanks to popping blanks, in carbon as well as glass.

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Key dates

2000 Bob Batson founds Batson Enterprises in his garage
2003 The Batson family takes over after Bob's death
2013 The Revelation series and HDSC design shown at ICAST

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything about the brand

Who is behind the Rainshadow brand?

Rainshadow belongs to Batson Enterprises, an American family company. Bob and Connie Batson started it on January 1, 2000, with their son Bill and their nephew Karry. After Bob Batson died in 2003, Connie, Bill and Karry took over.

The group also supplies ALPS and Forecast rod building components. Rainshadow is its rod blank brand.

Where are Rainshadow blanks made?

Batson designs, tests and distributes Rainshadow blanks from its headquarters in Sequim, Washington. Production is handled by partners in China and South Korea. The place of production depends on the series. Batson answers rod builders who ask about the origin of a given series.

What does the RX code on Rainshadow blanks mean?

The RX code shows the blank material. RX4 blends carbon and E-Glass fiberglass. RX6 uses standard modulus carbon, and RX7 uses intermediate modulus carbon.

The higher the number, the more high modulus carbon the blank contains. The Eternity RX10 series sits at the top of this scale.

Rainshadow, the blank brand of Batson

Rainshadow is the rod blank brand of Batson Enterprises. This family company is based in Sequim, in Washington State. It also supplies ALPS and Forecast components. Rainshadow makes bare blanks for rod builders, who then fit them out their own way.

The catalog covers a wide range of fishing. It holds blanks for spinning, casting and fly fishing. Other series target trolling, jigging and tuna popping. Each series has its own name and fiber: Immortal, Revelation, Eternity, RX7 or RX8.

Know-how built on fibers

The team in Sequim designs the blanks, tests them and ships them. Production is handled by partners in China and South Korea. The plant depends on the series.

Rainshadow ranks its materials on an RX scale. The higher the number, the more high modulus carbon the blank holds. Fiberglass also keeps its place, for fishing that calls for toughness.

Each family has its own ground. The Eternity series mainly target bass and shore fishing. E-Glass blanks run from trout to saltwater trolling. SolidGlass blanks work on the ice as well as in fresh or salt water. Revelation comes in spinning, casting, fly and switch models.

RX4: a blend of carbon and E-Glass fiberglass.
RX6 and RX7: standard modulus carbon, then intermediate modulus carbon.
Eternity RX10: the highest share of high modulus in the catalog.
E-Glass and SolidGlass: glass blanks, hollow or solid.
Revelation: the HDSC design, shown at the ICAST trade show in 2013.

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Rainshadow: carbon rod blanks, fiberglass blanks and rod kits

Rainshadow, a Batson family story

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