Pete Tyjas spends some time with Redington's new Vapen Red fly rod that is a bold break from tradtion. What does he think?
If you’re going to stand out make sure you do it properly. Redington do this with their latest line of rods: the Vapen Red.
The first thing you’ll notice is the bright red handle that will scream out from all the other rods in the racks of your fly fishing store.
A collaboration between Redington and golf club handle manufacturers Winn Grips has seen a handle that has departed from cork and the other man-made options available from other rod makers and thrown it out of the window, departing from what we fly anglers would call the "norm".
Is this a move for the better though?
The grip feels a little softer in the hand than cork but not to the degree it will feel totally alien. Redington tell us that the handle is made from polymer that won’t slip in your hand. There is only one way to try this out so I dunked the handle in a bucket of water and gave it a cast. No problems at all, it doesn’t slip.
They may be on to something but it is a radical departure from what we know and will probably take time for us to be accustomed to, or even go the full hog and accept fully. I know many anglers who are verging on obsessive when it comes to the quality of cork on their rod handles but are they the sort of people who will buy a rod with a man-made handle?
Interestingly, having had the rod for a while now I have got over the shock value and don’t give it too much thought when I take it out of the tube. I have also put the rod in a lot of peoples' hands and the response has been positive. I like it too.
This is a rod review though and I am some 300 words in and have only talked about the handle. What about the blank?
The Vapen is described as Fast Action by Redington. To me, this means it is one of the stiffest rods in their line-up. Doing the “fly shop waggle” it looks like a quick recovering blank.
Time for a cast. The rod I am road testing is a 9ft 8wt. A good rod for bonefish and if you like to head for the coast in the UK for bass, it is a perfect choice.
I chose a Sewincaster 8wt line that although designed for sea trout fishing fits the bill for the sort of fishing I’d be doing with this rod. It has a short head that will load the rod quickly and fire the line out.
Back to the rod action. It is a stiffer rod but certainly not a broom handle. I found it pleasingly progressive and as I false cast more and more line the deeper it bent. It didn’t buckle at all when I really went for it.
At short distance it was crisp and precise and worked perfectly with the line.
One thing I had noticed was how light the rod feels in the hand. It is quoted at 4.3oz and I know it was something a fair few people mentioned to me too.
Like I said before, I have spent time with the rod and think it is a gem pitched at a fair price. You may or may not find it difficult to get your head around the handle but don’t let that detract from what is a really great rod, and if the handle is a no-no for you then you’ll be pleased to hear Redington also make it with a cork handle.
The Vapen Red range covers rods from 9ft 5wt to 12wt priced in the UK at £299
The Vapen cork handled range covers rods from 9ft 4wt to 9ft 8wt priced at £249.99
More from Redington at their Website
Thanks to Charlie for the rod pics!