This article proposes a model of a thin-walled anisotropic rod with a closed profile. The model is based on the adoption of kinematic hypotheses and the use of equations for thin anisotropic shells. The kinematic hypotheses describe the strain state of the cross section of the rod. It is assumed that the profile of the normal cross section of the thin-walled rod is not distorted, but is instead only rotated and displaced relative to the coordinate axes. Using the adopted kinematic hypotheses, we calculate the strains and curvatures of the middle surface of the rod. The strain equations are obtained by varying the potential energy functional of the classical theory of anisotropic shells. As an example, we solve the problem of determining the critical load for a thin-walled rod in axial compression. The proposed model can be used in the design of three-dimensional structures made of composite materials.