Unlike fly rods, which are often only a few tenths of an ounce different among brands, styles, pricepoints, and even sizes- there is some weight to be saved when it comes to selecting the right fly reel for your Backpacking Outfit. In this post, I’ll try to outline some of the best lightweight fly reels for your next backcountry mission. Keep in mind, I do not operate on an unlimited budget, so most of these data points are from online research and may vary from real world specifications. That being said, I have either personally owned or have had trusted friends with first hand experience with all the brands on this list, but not always these particular models.
For the purposes of this list, an “Ultralight” Reel will be defined as a reel under 3oz in it’s smallest configuration.
Photos By Jackson Dockery & Atticus Leithner
When Redington released the Zero quite a few years ago now, I was stoked. It really opened up the UL reel market to a much lower price-point. It’s predecessors were in the $250-$400 range, while the Zero was introduced at a price less than $100. At it’s current price of $109 the zero is still very difficult to beat. In my mind, the zero is the frontrunner for any Ultralight outfit, unless you just have money to burn
- 2.7 Ounces (2-3wt) /// 3 Ounces (4-5wt)
- Cast Spool and Frame
- Click and Pawl Drag system
- $109.99
- Made in Korea
The Click is the Zero’s Hotter older sister. It’s Lighter, machined, and just better looking. It’s also 3 times the price. The sage click is also the lightest reel on this list, at a scant 2.3 ounces.
- 2.3 Ounces (0/1/2wt) /// 2.62 Ounces (3/4/5wt) /// 3 Ounces (4/5/6wt)
- Machined Spool and Frame
- Click and Pawl Drag System
- $330.00
- Made In Korea
Another Gorgeous UL Fly reel: something about Lamson’s Minimal and Futuristic design asthetic just looks right on an Lightweight fly reel. The lamson does have a slightly larger arbor than the other offerings on this list, which will give a little more line pickup per turn of the spool. Although it’s not often needed, the tiny arbors on these reels do make it hard to catch up with a larger fish running towards you- but that is seldom (or never) on most of the streams I fish. That being said, any additional arbor size makes it just a bit easier to reel up when moving spot to spot, and reduces line coils.
- 2.7 Ounces (2/3/4wt) /// 3.1 Ounces (4/5/6wt)
- Machined Spool and Frame
- Click and Pawl Drag System
- $369.99
- Made in USA
THE HOT-ROD UL Reel: Take the Purist, slap Lamson’s superb conical sealed drag in it, and give it an even larger arbor and more backing capacity. What’s the catch? The price. This is the perfect reel for those journeying off the beaten path in search of larger fish that are a little more likely to give that drag a workout.
NOTE: See the Lamson Speedster on honorable mentions for a sealed adjustable drag, at a lower pricepoint, for only a half ounce penalty.
- 2.82 Ounces (2/3/4wt) /// 3.31 Ounces (4/5/6wt) /// 3.7 Ounces (6/7/8wt)
- Machined Spool and Frame
- Sealed Adjustable Drag
- $629.99 – not for the penny pinchers!
- Made in USA
The Brookie is one the the OG Ultralight reels, and sports slightly more”dated” styling, but gives up nothing in terms of performance, and plenty of reliability. The galvan does have a unique Adjustable click and pawl, that can be set to your preference at home before you hit the water.
- 2.54oz (0-1wt) // 2.72oz (2-3wt) // 2.97oz (3-4wt) // 3.2oz (4-5wt)
- Machined Spool and Frame
- Adjustable Click and Pawl Drag System
- $275.00 – $305.00
- Made in USA
Another affordable reel, like the zero. The shadow click offers distinctive styling and a low weight at a very low price. Based on very little first hand experience with this reel, I would probably splurge and purchase the Zero for the extra 10$.
- 2.36 Ounces (2/3wt) /// 2.9 Ounces (4/5wt)
- Cast Spool and Frame
- Click and Pawl Drag System
- $99.95
- Made Overseas
Honorable Mentions:
- Hardy Ultraclick UCL : The lightest fly reel I could find (2.2oz), but seems to be discontinued
- Lamson Speedster: Just on the cusp of what I considered “ultralight” for this list. The 3wt model comes in at 3.26 ounces, and sports a sealed adjustable drag- perfect for when you need a little more stopping power for larger fish. The Guru and Litespeed are also only slightly heavier than the speedster.
- Orvis Battenkill Click: The only Mid Priced Machined reel I could find, but the weight didn’t make the cut (3.4oz in 1/2/3wt). The classic style may appeal to some, but it does have a very small arbor. The Battenkill accells in durability.
- Ross Colorado: Another beautiful reel, that just missed due to weight. The Colorado is 3.2oz in a 2/3wt, made in the USA, and has a Click and Pawl Drag. But hey, what’s a few grams?
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