Theo Pike has spent some time with the Vision Kalu reel and gives us his findings.
Depending on who you’re talking to, a modern trout reel is either a massively over-engineered line holder (“Who needs a disc drag to land a little 6-inch trout?”) or self-indulgent bling that’s more likely to help you scare fish than catch them (“Jewellery for your fly rod! You’re just a tackle tart!”)
Sometimes there may be a grain of truth in those arguments. But I think the picture at the top of this review addresses them both rather well…
I first got sight of Vision’s Kalu reel at the end of last year, when Jim Williams posted the results of a grayling-season photo shoot on his Facebook page. That looks good, I thought, and made a mental note to check it out in person when Jim brought the full Vision range to this year’s Sportfish Show.
Since then, the Kalu 3/4 has become my constant companion on rivers across the UK and beyond. From urban south London to Scotland, and from the West Country to Scotland and Slovenia, I’ve found it instrumental in getting me up close and personal with some special fish this season. So what exactly are the features that make the Kalu an excellent match for modern ultralight fly-fishing and similar leader-to-hand techniques?
Appearance: when you’re trying to put the sneak on jittery fish, a flashy reel can telegraph trouble from well beyond casting range. If anything, the brown powder coating on the Kalu seems to absorb light instead of reflecting it, and even the sunset orange drag knob is dully non-reflective, making for a stealthy close approach. (For your inner tackle tart, the Kalu’s subtle ‘brunette’ finish also makes a very good visual match for the modern look and feel of bronzed or matt metal reel furniture, and one friend has commented that its curves remind him of older Lamsons).
Weight: weighing in at 121g, the 3/4 size is heavy enough to balance the latest generation of long, light dry fly and nymphing rods, as well as shorter rigs. I’ve enjoyed hanging the Kalu off the Greys Streamflex XF2 10 foot 2 weight, the Sage ESN 10 foot 2 weight and the Marryat Tactical 10 foot 3 weight this season, and it’s proved a great match for all of them. (However, I think I’m right in saying that Jim goes one size up to balance similar rods in the Vision range, so it may pay for you to check your personal preferences).
Spool capacity: with dimensions modelled on Vision’s tried and tested GT design, the Kalu has a deep, wide mid-arbour spool which positively swallows backing and fat, high-floating modern fly lines. On the other hand, if like me you’re also exploring leader-to-hand and the latest micro-diameter nymphing and presentation lines from makers like Sunray and Rio, you may want to build up the arbour with extra backing, or even half an old double taper. Alternatively, you could just get used to a pleasingly unstuffed spool…
Drag system: Vision’s description refers to a “sealed, smooth drag system consisting of stainless steel and carbon discs”. While I’ve not actually taken the Kalu apart to examine this claim, any reel that’s smooth yet powerful enough to help me land a 7lb salmon on a 2 weight rod and 3lb tippet immediately gets my full attention. Drag settings are predictable and controllable, thanks to the knurled and numbered knob, and light-tippet-snapping startup inertia feels absolutely minimal. You’ll hear a very subtle outgoing click as a big fish takes line, but it’s otherwise completely silent in operation - a boon for self-effacing fishers who’ve moved beyond the shrieking ratchets of old school click-and-pawls.
Other engineering: there’s very little play between the Kalu’s spool and cage, though super fine modern fly lines can sometimes creep into the channel between them – in which case it’s simple (but still takes a reassuring degree of effort) to pop out the spool and get the line back again. If you want to change from left to right hand wind, that’s also very straightforward - a simple process of reversing the one-way assembly within the spool’s central spindle, before screwing the housing cap back on again.
If the Kalu does have one drawback, it’s the fact that the stealthy powder-coated finish seems very prone to chipping - certainly compared to more durable anodised reels (and I’m from the camp that tries to make sure my gear lands on top of me when I take a fall, rather than vice versa!) But maybe it’s not so surprising once you remember the price point – from just £109.99 for the 3/4 reel, and £39.99 for a spool – and if the outer shell has proved a little fragile, the inner workings have been totally bombproof. If you’re even more budget conscious, the Kalu’s little sister, dubbed the Valu, offers similar specs in different colourways for £10 less, just without the coloured and numbered drag knob.
(Still, does anyone know an easy way to patch up chips in brown powder coating? Y’know, for photography and that kind of thing?)
With all these features taken into account, you may not be totally shocked to learn that the first Kalu in my collection has now turned into two… one rigged for dry fly work on the XF2, one for nymphing with the ESN. It’s a beautiful, functional design, it’s a tried and trusted performer in the field, and it’s amazing value for money compared to many other reels on the market right now.
The only other question is… should I grab a third before they all sell out?
For full manufacturer’s specs on the Vision Kalu reel, check the Vision website: http://www.visionflyfishing.co.uk/reel_vkv.html
For your nearest Vision dealer, search here: http://www.visionflyfishing.co.uk/dealers.html
To see more from Theo please visit his website by clicking this link
