Like all things, it depends where you go, what are you going to fish etc etc.
Along with a few others at work, I take a fold down Shimano. It extends to 7ft and with a packet of mixed plastics, has caught bream, flathead, whiting. a baby barra and nice murray cod.
The money I think is better spent on a small high quality reel, with good drag. Once you work out the drag, the rod is the spring for want of a better description