Introduction: The Vanford gets a complete makeover this season and the new Vanford A Series inherits a number of features from Shimano's flagship series, but with a focus on finesse applications with a MGL rotor and lightweight CI4+ carbon infused body. A week before ICAST I had the opportunity to fish these new reels and these are the first impressions.

JP DeRose on Shimano's prostaff shows us the new Shimano Vanford A

Vanford Refreshed: The current Vanford replaced the Stradic CI4+ as the lightweight high-performance spinning reel in the company's lineup and featured a combination of features to deliver lightweight overall ergonomics and handling but with the power to move fish. This was accomplished with the MGL Rotor, a CI4+ body, and a cold-forged aluminum gearing that was even more robust than the one used in the Stradic FK.

The Vanford A is a new MagnumLite reel which means it features a MGL rotor design

This season the Vanford A continues the tradition of being built on a carbon-infused platform but integrates some higher end features. Bob Mahoney, Shimano's Freshwater Marketing Manager explained: "The Vanford A is engineered to meet the evolving standards of finesse anglers with the integration of our latest technologies, such as Infinity Drive and InfinityXross, the Vanford A offers unrivaled smoothness, durability, and performance, making it the premier choice for anglers targeting big fish with finesse techniques."

Shimano's Infinity Drive technology reduces contact between the spool shaft and pinion gear, and is designed to deliver a smoother and more efficient retrieval experience. InfinityXross technology on the other hand is a gear design that significantly improves winding efficiency, a design feature that adds refinement and more control for delicate presentation and precise lure manipulations.

I fished with Bob Mahoney, Shimano's Freshwater Manager, to see firsthand how the new reels felt

In addition to a smoother more effortless retrieve the Vanford A also gets the souped up DuraCross drag system which makes use of a new drag washer that incorporates advanced materials, which are not traditional carbon and steel, and are woven in a unique pattern to provide a smoother drag with enhanced durability (Shimano claims up 10X the durability of previous conventional drag washers). 

A closer look at the Vanford's MGL spool and Anti-Twist fin (located right under the line roller)

The new Vanford looks much higher-end as well with a more polished finish and minimal red-highlights. It has a more JDM style, and a Scorpion-like finish color palate. The new reel also gets the Anti-Twist fin we first saw on the Shimano Stella, which should work well for finesse anglers, but can also easily be removed if you are employing larger knots for braid to leader setups.

The new reel features a more polished exterior with X-Protect water repellant finish and construction. The colors have a Scorpion-esque vibe and I'm here for it

There will be a full range of Vanford reels officially launching tomorrow at ICAST including a 500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000, and 5000 sizes. These reels weigh virtually the same as the previous generation and will retail for the same at $249-$259, and will start becoming available in the next few months.

The new spool also looks cleaner in design

Our Quick Take: The new Vanford looks a lot higher-end than the last generation and they feel that way as well. I fished these new reels for three days at Lake Champlain in New York, pitting them against some tank smallies and found the new Vanford to be noticeably smoother when retrieved and also more precise feeling.

When imparting reel bumps, or start and stop retrieves, the new Vanford feels lighter on startup and more responsive. Part of this is due to the new InfinityDrive and InfityXross features, but I also feel like the new reel is engineered with tighter tolerances overall. It just feels more like the higher-end Exsence.

I'll be reviewing this reel in a standalone review this season but was able to put quite a few smallies through it last week. The new reel feels lighter on retrieve and more precise, and the drag is definitely smoother when dealing with hard running fish

It is also important to note that Shimano seems to be moving towards two very different reel designs with MagnumLite reels like the new Vanford, and CoreSolid reels like the Stella and recently introduced TwinPower FE. It is a bit confusing, and probably warrants a deeper explanation in a future article, but if you look at the rotor arms on the two designs the MGL rotors are asymmetrical while the CoreSolid reels are symmetrical, which enables the MGL spools to prioritize light startup rotation and faster hooksets while the CoreSolid design is optimized for rigidity and the power to wind under heavy loads.

Notice the compact and parallel rotor arms with the CoreSolid design on the new TwinPower...

... compared to the asymmetrical design on the Magnumlite design on the new Vanford.

In just three days of fishing the Vanford A was impressed what a leap this new reel is in both design and handling versus the previous reel, and it will likely garner a lot of attention this week at ICAST and should be high up on the list for anglers looking for a mainstream to high-performance finesse reel this season.