EVA under reel seat

[MBB Nate]

I just bought a savage gear browser casting rod.  I had not noticed until now but under the reel seat the blank is wrapped in EVA.  I have never seen this on a rod before that I can recall.  I haven't fished it yet so I have no idea if this is a bad design choice.

Has anyone seen this design before or know why they would do this?

[zippyduck]

I'm not a fan of EVA and putting it there reduces your connection to the blank. I wonder if some of these designers are fishermen.

[Mike Cork]

Yeah that doesn't make sense? I wonder if it was a defect in manufacturing, it's definitely going to hamper the transfer of vibration.