Proof down-locking reel seats*
Down-locking reel seats help balance traditionally tip heavy rods. Fiberglass (given the thicker wall construction) and bamboo (which often feature metal ferrules) tend to fall into the "tip heavy" range. The down-locking reel seat places the reel further away from the grip and therefore changes the balance point (fulcrum). Given modern building techniques (thin walled fiberglass, spliced joints, etc...) the need to locate the reel further back may or may not play a decisive factor in how a given rod performs.
