Hardy Ultralite MTX 7000 Fly Reel Review

Mar 07, 2018 · 3 min read

Hardy Ultralite MTX 7000 Fly Reel Review

Close-up of Hardy Ultralite MTX 7000 fly reel: black machined aluminum frame, orange anodized spool and knurled drag knob

Please remember that there are no ads on this page and 100% of our funding comes from your purchases, so if you find this review to be informative, please help us keep the reviews coming by purchasing your next fly reel from us. Last but not least from Hardy is the Ultralite MTX 7000. Like a sports car, Hardy has added a little extra carbon fiber, a few extra letters after the name and raised the price in the name of performance. Yes, the MTX is like the souped up version of the Ultralite series. But do these enhancements mean that it’s also… better? 8-Weight Shootout Full Results

Weight

5.8 ounces. Great!

Drag

Silver lightweight Hardy Ultralite fly reel with orange anodized MTX 7000 spool and black skeleton-style frame

Like the other Hardy reels we tested, the MTX suffers from a single turn drag. What’s worse, is that the MTX can only really be turned about ¾ of the way. This means that you’re only going to get about 1.5lbs of usable drag. If you really crank it down, you can get up to 4.5lbs, but it’s really tough to do, particularly with the small drag knob. All the way down, you’ll be free spooling.

Drag Test Graphs

Hardy Ultralite MTX 7000 fly reel drag test graph: blue line on white grid plateauing near 4.5 lbs force over distance.

Sound

Certainly my favorite thing about this reel is the sound. It’s got a nice incoming click and a louder, more satisfying outgoing. If you catch a bonefish on this reel, you’re going to know it!

Spool & Retrieval Rate

So Hardy does know how to make a large arbor reel. The MTX has some wicked fast line pickup at over 10” per turn! It’s second only to the Loop. Beware though. If you’re using Airflo’s Tropical Punch, it won’t hold much backing.

Looks & Ergonomics

The MTX is a little too modern looking for me. At the risk of being called a traditionalist, I’ll say that it also doesn’t have the same high quality feel to its finish as the Fortuna. But on to more pressing issues: the drag knob and handle are really bad. The handle is tiny. The drag knob is too, but it’s got a grippy surface so it’s slightly better than the really, really bad knobs out there.

Finish and durability

Close-up machined silver aluminum Hardy Ultralite MTX 7000 fly reel with orange accents and ventilated spool design

I don’t know if it’s the light weight or the carbon, but the MTX held up really well! It’s definitely one of the better reels in terms of all-around durability.

Warranty

Lifetime to the original owner + $35. Price: $499

Conclusion

Rather than tell you how there are way better reels out there for the money, I’m going to focus on the interesting. The Ultralite MTX is the first reel that I’m aware of (I’ve qualified it so please don’t e-mail me saying that I'm wrong and such and such reel company did it first) to employ a carbon fiber structural element. To me, this is a no-brainer. It’s lighter, stronger, and apparently more durable. This is the future, and it’s just a matter of time.

Buy it with Free Shipping here.

Pros

Weight
Sound

Cons

Poor ergonomics
Designed for freshwater

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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