I do not intend to run more than 10 miles of flat loops in mountainous terrain or anything like that. All I need is a rod to use with my builder's shape and drainage level. The 8ft size makes this rod compact and lightweight while the aluminum construction makes it stiff and strong. The only thing that could be a problem with this product. Another nice feature is that one side is graduated in tenths (from an engineering background, I'm used to that) and the back is graduated in inches. "Fur", but at least that protects the face from scratches.