The company has long credited the use of stepped mandrels for the quality and capability of their rods
(Susan), James William Ohlenforst, Jack Harold Ohlenforst (Aimee), and Jayne Marie Caballero (Luis), her siblings Robert Hocke, Marie Lombardo, Rene Hocke, and Nannette Thibodeaux, 5 grandchildren Mary Beth Ohlenforst, John Roland Ohlenforst III, Joseph Ohlenforst, Julia Caballero, and Andre Caballero, her great grandson John Roland Ohlenforst IV and one on the way
You can go lighter, but I would recommend using a 7 or 8 weight depending on where you are fishing
Second, the layering worked well for hiking, but during the several rainy, damp days I would get chilled at rest stops and night camp
Perhaps Winston overrated the rods line designation by a slight margin