Hubless reels

[Robbie]

In the expectation that i will one day finish building my rod I have been looking at reels, I am also an unashamed tackle tart and like looking for shiny new toys. My eye have been caught by some of the hubless reels such as the:

Lunar AC2
https://swiftflyfishing.com/products/lunar-ac2-hubless-fly-reel

Although not truely hubless the Vosseler Air One also caught my eye
http://www.vosseler.com/en/Fly-Reels/AIR-One/

Then I started looking a little outside the box and came across L H Designs and in particular their Highlander reel
https://www.lhdesign-flyrodreel.com/fly_reels.html

Vosseler are a reputable firm so probably a safe bet of quality of product, I am not familiar with the other two so any experiance, comments or opinion would be welcom.

Would also like to be pointed in the direction of any other gems that may be out there.

[Lochan_load]

Same as you robbie I wanted a new reel to match up with the rod I'm making and I'm also an unashamed tackle tart  :shock:  :lol: I looked at the lunar but it's a bit rich for my pocket and also considered the einarsson because I know they're good reels. I looked at all sorts but the one I went for in the end was the new loop Q. 120 for the 4/6 that suited my needs, it's a cheaper version of their more expensive reels. Seems very well made and it's a nice looking thing ( which In the end is the most important thing  :lol: ) drag is very good. The size of them is big so if I'd bought it for a 4wt it wouldn't have been suitable. Seems strange but anyway ideal for what I want. Never heard of that highlander reel but it's a thing of beauty, more like a nice hip flask than a reel  :gay4

[arawa]

Would also like to be pointed in the direction of any other gems that may be out there.

Another unashamed tackle tart here. I'm an absolute fan of the Sage Click reels. Simple and elegant. I have more than several  :roll: :roll: in different sizes and they work beautifully on my 3 and 4-weight rods.  No drag of course, but easy to palm and I have landed some very decent trout using them.

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Notwithstanding the above, I have been looking for a new reel with a drag for a new 5-weight rod and I am waiting delivery from the US of a Galvan Rush Light. I was attracted by the excellent reviews

https://www.yellowstoneangler.com/gear-review/2016-5-weight-reel-shootout-best-5-weight-reels-best-fly-reel-comparison-galavan-torque-nautilus-x-reel-galvan-rush-light-bauer-rx2-einarsson-plus-lamson-lightspeed-3-tand-cheeky-boost-aspen-reels-islander-reels-sage-click-ross-colorado-lt

and the classic design. Even for a tackle tart like me many of the current offerings are too modern or blingy. But I liked the look of the Highlander.

[Robbie]

That loop reel looks nice Andy, bloody good price as well. I suspect the Highlander reel is going to be way to expensive for me, but its nice to dream.

Hadn't looked at the sage reels...but had cast an eye over the Galvan reels which look very nice , as do some of the Ross reels.

I had been lead astray by getting a brief shot of an Abel reel. Theres just too much nice kit out there.

[Robbie]

The highlander reel is a little bit out of prices range at £2100. Shame, guess I'll just have to get a big win on the lottery.

[Lochan_load]

I thought looking at it there would be a hefty price tag, the fact the price wasn't on it tells you a lot!
Beautiful thing but you wouldn't want to fling it in the bottom of a boat!

[Sean Freeman]

The LH Design reels are stunning, think the standard one is somewhere around £650-700. If you're ever interested, Mark Leggett of The Alternative Tackle Company deals in them and he is a top bloke.
Also does some really nice custom fibreglass/carbon rods from good builders.

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[Robbie]

Sean, is that your reel in the picture? I'm unlikely to be in a position to purchase on elf their reel but would be interested in the opinion of someone who has handled one in the flesh.

[Sean Freeman]

Unfortunately not, it belongs to a friend of mine but having used it I can say it's very light considering the classic look and especially with it being made from titanium. Everything on it is rock solid and built to perfection, the spools are pretty cool too and the clicker is strong. I'm tough on my reels though and dinging a reel that pricey would kill me so I can never justify one.

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[Robbie]

Thanks for the useful informatiuon, always good to get firsthand experience.