IMO I think it does,after seasons of use strains on the fibres will tell and the pole loses some rigidity as fibres part and joints wear, more so I think with flagship poles which have a higher carbon content – There’s no pole like a new pole, it’s like anything else, deterioration with age is inevitable ~think

The carbon itself may not lose any of it’s properties, but the resin holding it together can break down over time and reduce rigidity. Same with joints that have worn down. Worn joints will flex more than thicker carbon and cause a pole at longer lengths to sag more due to forces of gravity.

I would say in theory a pole should loose rigidity over time. However, in practice I suspect it’s negligible in a well looked after pole. Too many other factors affect performance like the wind or heavy hollows. My 8 year old speccy looks like it’s on viagra and holds it’s own againt Z9’s and the new Aspire ultra. In fact when the above poles were compared it proved to me how little poles had ‘improved’ over the last few years, although the manufacturers wouldn’t have you believe this.