Friday, March 13, 2009

Galvan Torque T10 Fly Reel

The Galvan Torque fly reel has been gaining popularity for good reason. It has a sleek design, several attractive finish options, is extremely light weight, and is made in the USA. This is the T10 variant, and it balances nicely on a 9-foot for an 8-weight rod.

The Ross Momentum and Nautilus CCF are the primary contenders in the Torque’s price segment. The T10 is lighter at 8.2 oz than the Momentum #6 at 10.3 oz and CCF-10 at 9.2oz. It is also available in very nice bronze and green finishes in addition to black. Ross only offers black and gold, and both finishes are more utilitarian than eye catching, being similar to what you find in the $100 reel category. Matte silver is an option with the Nautilus. Visually the Galvan is the sexiest of the group. The Momentum and CCF drag systems, however, are excellent and possibly more durable than Torque’s design.

I appreciate the drag knob on the Torque. It has a large diameter and is easily adjustable even while wearing gloves. The detents are light, but resistant enough to avoid accidental adjustment. The Torque is a quiet reel, making rapid yet subtle clicks when cranked.

The spool release is very simple. Just press the center button and off comes the hardware. This is really a nice feature for situations where line changes are common. Conversion from right to left-hand retrieve is not difficult, but it helps to have a pair of tweezers and some dexterity. You have to lift up a retention ring, and hold it in place while inverting the pawl, after which you need to be careful to reseat the ring correctly.

Check out www.riverbum.com for pricing and availability on Galvan’s line of reels.

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