Douglas vs Hardy:Which is more popular?
In October 2026, Hardy had more branded searches than Douglas among fly rod brands worldwide. Hardy had about 1,900 branded searches, while Douglas had 1,300. Hardy made up 4.6% of all fly rod brand searches we track, and Douglas accounted for 3.1%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about fly rod brands, Douglas and Hardy each appeared in one of the five answers. Douglas and Hardy were each mentioned first in one of the two answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Hardy, about 46% more searches than Douglas
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 1 of 5 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
Each is named first in 1 of 2 answers.
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Top fly rod brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Douglas was mentioned in one out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Hardy was mentioned in one out of five: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Douglas and Hardy were each listed first in one of the two answers that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Orvis5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Redington5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- Sage2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Echo2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Scott1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Winston1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Thomas & Thomas1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Hardy1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
G. Loomis1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Douglas1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about fly rod brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best fly rod for beginners?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which fly rod brands are the best?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What fly rod should I buy for trout?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“fly fishing rod”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“fly rod”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 27, 2026.
Is Douglas or Hardy more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Douglas and Hardy by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all 11 fly rod brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Hardy, Douglas. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Sage | Temple Fork Outfitters | Orvis | Redington | Scott | Echo | Winston | Thomas & Thomas | Hardy | G. Loomis | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 21% | 15.3% | 9.2% | 11.3% | 13.9% | 9.2% | 6.1% | 5% | 4% | 2.1% | 2.7% |
| Dec 2025 | 21.2% | 15.5% | 11.4% | 11.4% | 11.4% | 9.3% | 5.1% | 5.1% | 4% | 2.8% | 2.8% |
| Jan 2026 | 20.8% | 15.2% | 9.2% | 11.3% | 11.3% | 9.2% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 3.3% | 2.7% |
| Feb 2026 | 21.6% | 15.8% | 9.5% | 11.7% | 11.7% | 9.5% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 4.1% | 2.8% | 2.8% |
| Mar 2026 | 19.8% | 18.4% | 11.1% | 13.6% | 9% | 9% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4% | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| Apr 2026 | 20.3% | 16.8% | 11.3% | 11.3% | 9.3% | 9.3% | 5% | 6.2% | 5% | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| May 2026 | 19.6% | 18.3% | 11% | 13.5% | 9% | 9% | 4.8% | 4.8% | 4.8% | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| Jun 2026 | 19.1% | 17.8% | 10.7% | 13.1% | 10.7% | 8.7% | 5.8% | 4.7% | 3.9% | 3.1% | 2.6% |
| Jul 2026 | 19.7% | 18.3% | 11% | 13.5% | 9% | 9% | 4.8% | 4.8% | 4% | 2.7% | 3.2% |
| Aug 2026 | 19.8% | 18.4% | 11.1% | 13.6% | 9% | 9% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4% | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| Sep 2026 | 18% | 17.5% | 11.8% | 11.8% | 9.6% | 9.6% | 6.4% | 5.3% | 4.2% | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Oct 2026 | 19.1% | 15.7% | 10.7% | 10.7% | 10.7% | 8.7% | 7% | 5.8% | 4.6% | 3.9% | 3.1% |
How has branded search for Douglas and Hardy changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Hardy was ahead of Douglas in every measured month of the 12 months ending October 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Douglas’ share of searches among fly rod brands worldwide moved from 2.7% to 3.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 1.3K.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Hardy’s share of searches among fly rod brands worldwide moved from 4% to 4.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 1.9K.
How did search popularity change for fly rod brands worldwide in October 2026?
2 changes
In October 2026, G. Loomis overtook Douglas to rank 10th among fly rod brands worldwide, with 3.9% of the searches.
Hardy’s share of searches among fly rod brands worldwide has gained ground for 3 months in a row, from 4% to 4.6% in October 2026.
How are Douglas’ and Hardy’s branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Douglas’ and Hardy’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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