Lamson Speedster Fly Reel Review

Jan 15, 2013 · 2 min read

One of the most exciting new products of 2013 is the Lamson Speedster. For those of your unfamiliar with Waterworks-Lamson, they produce some of the finest fly reels on the market and are unquestionably one of the leaders in design. Lamson's newest creation is 2013 Lamson Speedster Fly Reel which combine's Lamson's silky smooth drag and lightweight design with a new, larger arbor.

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Weight

Weight is always a top concern with fly reels, especially when fishing one of today's ultralight high performance rods. At 4.25 ounces, the Speedster is certainly not heavy, but no lightweight either.

Drag

One of my biggest concerns (before testing) with the Speedster's new larger arbor was that the "standard" Lamson drag wouldn't be sufficient. True, when compared directly with the Velocity, the drag is reduced, but you can easily dial in plenty of drag to stop that big brown trout. It's also sealed to keep out dirt and sand.

Sound

As with all new Lamson reels, the Speedster sounds great. It's got a click in both directions, which I prefer to a silent retrieve.

Arbor Size

The key feature of of the Lamson Speedster Fly Reel is the new extra large arbor, but how much larger is it? It's about 4/10th of an inch larger than the Lamson Velocity. The largest diameter of the reel is 3.75 inches (measured with a digital caliper) versus 3.3 inches for the Velocity. The base of the spool is 2.41 inches versus 2 inches on the Velocity. What's the bottom line? You'll pick up line about 15% faster with the Speedster.

SPOOL

The other new feature of the of the Lamson Speedster is it's narrow spool. This is one of my favorite features, as I routinely find myself having to use my fingers as a level wind.

Warranty

All Lamson reels come with a limited lifetime warranty. As good as it gets in this business.

Conclusion

I haven't had a chance to fight a fish with this reel yet, but I'm betting the Lamson Speedster a fantastic trout reel. Lamson also addressed one of my pet peeves by narrowing the spool so that you'll spend a lot less time wishing you had a level wind on your reel.

Pros

Silky smooth Lamson sealed drag
Great new narrow spool
15% faster retrieve

Cons

Not as light as most Lamson reels
Drag isn't as powerful as other Lamson reels

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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