Redington RISE Reel Review

The eternal compromise for man has always been “What I want” versus “What I can afford.” Or, more to the point, “What I want” versus “What my wife says I can afford.” What if you didn’t have to compromise anymore? What if what you wanted was the same as what you could afford?

Enter the Redington RISE series of reels. Starting at $149, they aren’t bargain basement, but instead nestled in the meaty part of the price point curve. And as far as features go, this is no C-student! The 6000-series T6 aluminum provides for excellent strength and durability in a lightweight package. The machining has an attractive pattern and, more important, is performed to fine tolerances, which results in a tight, precise feeling reel with no play at the drag knob or spool. Plus, the mid-arbor design gives the benefit of faster line retrieval and less line memory over traditional spools, but without the weight penalty of a large arbor reel.

And, in keeping with the current trend of all things anodized, the RISE comes in three color offerings: Burnt Orange (for those looking to stand out), Moss (for the earthy types), and Dark Charcoal (for the traditionally inclined). I received the Burnt Orange, which seemed a bit bold initially, but I became quite fond of its warm tone after a few gray winter days on the water.

The RISE reel garnered my fondness for more than just its appearance. It performed at the level I’d expect from a $250 reel…except it only costs $150! Okay, the RISE weighs a few tenths of an ounce more than the comparable upper-echelon reels, but, seriously, I probably sneeze a few tenths of an ounce. Lightweight is always a bonus for men, but a female friend who also used the reel especially appreciated the reasonable weight (while still getting mid-arbor efficiency) on her non-Herculean arms.

As for the internals, everything spun smoothly and consistently. Redington licensed Koyo’s patented one-way clutch and ceramic-coated bearings for this product series, which has paid dividends in the reel’s performance: instant engagement when reeling in or stripping out, zero play, and virtually maintenance free.

Consistency takes the form of the disc drag system used in the RISE. There is little room for complaint about a well-made cork on Teflon system. Unless you’re going after big game that will go on 80-yard backing burning runs (which you obviously won’t be doing with the 4 wt. reel I received), there’s no need for any crazy new synthetic compound. To the contrary, cork’s smooth and consistent properties, especially at the beginning stage of drag compression, makes it an ideal choice for most fresh water fisheries.

I used the 3/4 version of the reel; Redington’s way of saying it’s suitable for 3- or 4-weight line (the RISE comes in versions up to 10 wt.). On a 4-wt. setup, I can see the usefulness of a drag system, because a 4 wt. can be pushed to land 18”-20” fish. On a 3-wt. rig, it would be overkill, but, then again, so would any drag-equipped reel in my opinion. One trivial complaint, the drag knob and back of the reel don’t have any indicators to reference how much drag is engaged. Part of me likes the old school “by feel only” style, but after a while, especially when first using the reel, I found myself wishing a few dashes had been machined in for the sake of reference.

Otherwise, what else is there to say? The Redington’s RISE series of reels gives you a handsome design along with performance and features you’d expect from more expensive reels, all at a look-how-much-I-saved-Honey price tag.

Check them out at www.redington.com.