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A
Weapon For The Water: The Redington Vapen Red 890-4V Fly Rod
(continued)
  Power:
Casting power aside, the Vapen 890-4V exhibits just fair fish-fighting power.
The backbone is sufficient for many scenarios, but it's definitely on the wimpy
side. I realize this isn't a 12 weight, but I could feel the lack of guts even
when fighting small beach snook on a tight drag. It would probably not be my
first choice if fishing around mangroves or docks.
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Performance
Ratings for Redington Vapen Red 890-4V |
|
Short Overhead
Cast
(1-5) |
Medium
Overhead Cast
(1-5) |
Long Overhead
Cast
(1-5) |
Roll Cast
(1-5) |
Power
Backbone(1-5) |
Total |
Possible |
Rating (=Tot/
Pos *10) |
|
2 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
15 |
25 |
6.0 |
The handle is detailed with countless little Redington logos.
Features:
The
890-4V features a bright red polymer grip, carbon fiber reel seat, composite
fighting butt, hidden hook keeper, pac bay TiCH guides, alignment dots for easy
ferrule alignment, and a canvas-covered rod tube.
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Features
Ratings for
Redington
Vapen Red
890-4V |
|
Grip
(1-5) |
Guides
(1-5) |
Reel Seat
(1-5) |
Hook Keeper
(1-2) |
Rod
Tube/Sleeve
(1-2) |
Total |
Possible |
Rating
(=Tot/Pos
*10) |
|
4 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
15 |
19 |
7.89 |
You'll find Pac Bay
stripping guides and
chrome snake guides
on this stick.
Design &
Ergonomics:
Let me dig a bit deeper into the grip. What makes the Vapen Red so unique is
it's non-slip polymer grip that was designed in collaboration with golf club
grip manufacturer Winn Grips. The red handle sports tiny Redington logos for
added gripping texture. It's feel is somewhat firm but there is a bit of
softness there. You'll notice a slight tack to the grip as well, and through
sweat, slime, water, and sunscreen it never gets slippery. I've seen some people
bad mouthing the grip online, but I'm a fan. I think it feels great, but if I
had to change something about it I'd firm it up a hair more. Oh, and I'd make it
a different color! I know the name of the company is Redington, but the color is
a little too loud!
A sliver of
composite cork
adorns each end of
the red handle
portion.
The weight of the
Vapen Red is
slightly heavier
than some others on
the market, but the
blank sports a very
interesting look.
The rod is a glossy
dark charcoal color
with a wavy look to
it, and the main
wraps are done in
black with a little
red trim here and
there. Other than
the grip, the rod
looks simple and
stealthy- I dig it.
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Design &
Ergonomics
Ratings for
Redington
Vapen Red
890-4V |
|
Grip
(1-5) |
Colors/
Graphics
(1-5) |
Weight
(1-5) |
Total |
Possible |
Rating
(=Tot/Pos
*10) |
|
4 |
3 |
3 |
10 |
15 |
6.66 |
The hidden hook
keeper is a neat
design feature.
Application:
An 8 weight is an extremely versatile tool for a variety of fresh and saltwater
fish. The argument could be made that unless you are fishing for big saltwater
fish, a 5 and an 8 weight are just about all you need day in and day out. The
Vapen should prove to be a rod capable of quarreling with a diverse range of
species, however it's weaker backbone may hurt it in situations requiring brute
strength, like fishing around structure with a hefty leader or fishing for
extremely hard-pulling species like big jacks or false albacore.
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Fly Rod
Application
Ratings for
Redington
Vapen Red
890-4V |
|
Freshwater
(1-5) |
Saltwater
(1-5) |
Floating
Line
(1-5) |
Sinking/
Shooting
Line
(1-5) |
Total |
Possible |
Rating
(=Tot/Pos
*10) |
|
4 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
15 |
20 |
7.5 |
Rubber rings on the
inside of the metal
locking rings would
help improve their
feel when tightened.
Ratings:
(We've
re-calibrated our
ratings standard for
2008 and have
included a key at
the bottom of the
following matrix as
a guide):
|
Redington
Vapen
Red
890-4V
Fly
Rod
Ratings
(?/10)
|
|
Construction/Quality |
Nice
build
quality
with no
surprises
evident. |
7.6 |
|
Performance |
The rod
performs
best at
mid to
long
range,
but
lacks
power in
the
backbone. |
6.0 |
|
Price |
About
the
upper
limit of
what I'd
want to
pay for
this
rod, but
still a
good
price. |
7.0 |
|
Features |
Unique
handle
design
and I've
always
liked
that
hidden
hook
keeper. |
7.89 |
|
Design
(Ergonomics) |
A good
looking
rod with
a comfy
grip,
but I'm
not too
sure
about
the red
coloring
of the
handle
and the
rod
weighs a
tad more
than
some
others. |
6.66 |
|
Application |
An 8
weight
is a
versatile
stick,
but
heavy
duty
situations
will
make you
wish for
more
backbone. |
7.5 |
|
Total
Score
|
7.10 |
Ratings
Key:
1 =
terrible
: 2 =
poor : 3
=
lacking
: 4 =
sub par
: 5 =
mediocre
: 6 =
fair : 7
= good :
8 =
great :
9 =
excellent
: 10 =
unbelievable!
For More
Details
of the
updated
rating
system
visit
our
explanation
here |
Pluses and Minuses:
|
Plus
Minus
|
|
+ A
nicely
put
together
fly rod |
- Not
good for
short
casts |
|
+ Throws
well at
medium
to long
range |
- Lacks
backbone |
|
+
Affordable |
- Feels
a bit
heavy
during
casting |
|
+ An
alternative
to cork
that
works
well
|
|
|
+ Cool
looking
blank |
|
Small, but fun!
Conclusion:
Redington continues to march on as one of the premier fly fishing companies when
it comes to getting the most bang for your buck. For me, the Vapen 890-4V
certainly had a few negatives, but overall I still enjoyed my experiences with
it. The grip is nearly perfect in my book and I wish other manufacturers would
experiment with similar non-cork grip materials. Cork has a great look and feel
when it's fresh, but after it's exposed to friction, water, fish slime, and
sunlight, it can quickly deteriorate and cheapen the look of even the most
high-end rod. Personal opinions vary greatly when it comes to fly rods because
of individual preferences, casting styles, and the like, but if you are looking
for a new 8 weight check out the Vapen Red because it may be exactly what you're
looking for!
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