Galvan Rush Light Fly Reel Review

Feb 01, 2015 · 2 min read

Copper-anodized Galvan Rush fly reel, machined aluminum large-arbor design with circular porting and black center cap

Ask and you shall receive. You wanted to see how Galvan reels stack up, and as it turns out, quite well. The Torque turned out to be one of our favorite reels, and we were excited to see if Galvan could churn out a great value reel as well. Scroll down to find out. 5-Weight Challenge Full Results

WEIGHT

5.15 ounces. About Average.

DRAG

While the drag on the Rush doesn't really hold a candle to the jaw dropping power of the Torque, it's still pretty nice with 3.82 lbs of stopping power. It's also a little stickier than the Torque - but not much. It only has .27lbs (or 7%) of startup inertia.

Sealed?

Not sealed.

DRAG TEST GRAPH

SOUND

Just like the Torque, The incoming click is great, but the outgoing drag sound is a little too muted for our tastes. I want to hear that brown trout run!

SPOOL & RETRIEVAL RATE

The dimensions of the Rush are virtually identical to those of big brother Torque. It's got a narrow spool which brings in line at 7.2 inches per turn. and it holds about 130 yards of backing.

LOOK & FEEL

Where the Torque is very modern, the Rush is much more traditional. It's also a lot less ported and lacks the ability to quickly dry the backing that the Torque has. Nevertheless, this a a quality reel and it oozes Made-in-the-USA.

Ergonimics

Handle: The Rush's handle is nice, but not quite long enough to be top of the line. Drag Knob: The drag knob is great - comfy and easy to adjust. Spool Change: The one-button release works really well.

The Drop

Average. The paint job on the Rush didn't hold up well to dragging and it left a very visible trail. The drop didn't leave too many divots, however. No damage.

WARRANTY

Lifetime to the original owner + $0! Price: $260

CONCLUSION

The Rush Light is is very much a Torque "Light". Unfortunately, when they were changing this reel for the value-minded consumer, they took out a lot of the things we loved and left a still-too-heavy price.

PROS

Decent all-around reel
Made in the USA quality

CONS

Didn't really stand out in any way
It could be a great reel at $199

Written by

Ben Freeman

Ben Freeman founded Trident Fly Fishing in 2012 to cut through the marketing fluff and provide anglers with the technical info they actually need. He’s built his reputation by putting gear to the ultimate test in the world’s most unforgiving fisheries. With fishing stamps from over 22 countries and 17+ states, Ben’s passport is a roadmap of bucket list angling—from landing a 25lb Golden Dorado in Bolivia and 150lb Arapaima in Guyana to sight-casting for Roosterfish off the beaches in Baja. Whether it’s battling 60+mph winds to land a 20lb Rainbow at Jurassic Lake or a full day of casting 8in streamers in Mongolia, Ben has spent decades ensuring his gear performs when a trip of a lifetime is on the line.

At Trident, Ben serves as the lead gear geek, specializing in the deep-dive mechanics of rods, reels, and lines. Over the past 15 years, he's reviewed 250+ fly rods and 150+ fly reels and is likely one of the most prolific rod reviewers in the world. But he doesn't just curate the catalog; he scrutinizes every taper and drag system through the lens of a traveling angler who knows what it's like to have gear fail a thousand miles from home. For Ben, the mission is simple: leverage his experience across nearly 100 species to ensure that when you head into the wild, you’re equipped with gear that has been vetted by someone who has actually been there.

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