Affordable Carp Gear?

I had a case of the "I need to get out of the house blues" today, so I made a trip to the local big box store near my house to find out whether they had any affordable fishing gear suitable for carp fishing.

Rods

I found a whole bunch of options for fishing rods. They had about 10 different Ugly Stik models.

They had a 7' GX2 spinning rod for about $50. I'd prefer an 8' if it were available.

I tested the NGT Carpstalker rods a few weeks ago and the GX2's are more substantial rods.

Reels

I didn't find any baitrunner reels, or any reels that I would personally spend money on for carp fishing.

I was looking for some Quantum reels, which they do sometimes keep in stock. The Optix model is adequate for carp fishing in the 40 to 60 size. Amazon has them for $28 right now. If using a shorter rod, lean towards to "40" and if using a longer rod, consider the "60".

Or, if you have a Cabelas nearby, Okuma ABF-55 baitrunner reels will do well right off the shelf.

Fishing Line

I found some 20# PowerPro line, but I'd feel more comfortable with >= 30#. (I use 50# PowerPro.) 

They didn't have any, but Berkley Big Game monofilament is another option. I've caught carp with 20# Berkley monofilament in the past.

Hooks

The local big retailers stock Mustad hooks. A size 4 or 6 Mustad would be suitable.

If they have a suitable Gamakatzu hook, I'd lean in that direction a little more.

Leads

I'd still opt for some inline leads that are commonly used for carp fishing. Some 2 oz or 3 oz inline leads from CarpKit.com or BigCarpTackle.com would be my personal choice.

Conclusion:

It might be possible to find suitable gear for carp fishing locally, but buying from a retailer who specializes in carp gear would be preferable. 

An alternative "starter option" is to get the Ugly Stik Catfish Combo rod and reel if its available. This would allow new anglers to see if they enjoy carp fishing before investing heavily in equipment and gear. I do question though how many carp the reel will endure before the handle breaks. 

Ideally, reel handles should be metal because they take alot of stress when landing carp. I've broken 3 reel handles that are plastic, so I will stick to metal handles from now on.