Waterworks Lamson Litespeed 2 Hard Alox Fly Reel

This season Litespeed reels will adopt the ergonomic and structural improvements introduced on the 2011 Anniversary Series Litespeed. The spool profile has been flattened slightly and the handle moved outboard to keep knuckles away from moving parts; the drag knob has been redesigned for better grip. As with our other premium reels, pocket milling the spool face and integrating the counterbalance increases strength and stiffness without adding weight. Litespeed reels come in a close second to a corresponding Force reel in terms of retrieve rate and weight, and share out patented maintenance-free, super smooth conical drag.

Technical Detail and Specifications

Line Storage Format Our large arbor reels maximize the benefits of large arbor design by maximizing the arbor diameter-to-width ratio. The spool is large in circumference and wide, so that line is stored in a shallow layer. The increased circumference provides high retrieve rate and eliminates line coil memory. The wide, shallow line layer means there is little radius change as line is pulled form the reel. This results in constant drag torque during long runs and eliminates the risk of tippets breaking due to drag force gain.

Hard Alox Finish All of our premium reels are offered in one fantastic finish only -- a proprietary combination of alloy selection and conversion coating that we call “Hard Alox”. The term Hard Alox is taken from the anodizing process itself, wherein the aluminum surface is converted to aluminum oxide. By increasing the coating thickness and reducing porosity, our Hard Alox coating is much more durable than any other reel. Ask a dealer for a demonstration and prepare to be impressed.

Hard Alox trumps the conventional and abiquitous Type 2 anodize, a finish which emphasizes gloss and color selection over durability. In place of Type 2 we offer you enhanced resistance to abraision, impact and corrosion and a look that tells the story of beauty which, while not being just “skin deep”, actually does start there.

Drag System The ULA, Litespeed and Velocity drag consists of a pair of precisely matched conical elements which are drawn together with spring tension to produce variable rates of smooth rotational braking. By re-configuring the surface area of traditional disks into a pair of matching conical elements we were able to seal the drag completely from moisture, salt and grit. And since the mass of the drag elements is centralized, the spool's rotating mass is much lower which makes the reel more responsive to light drag settings. Because the average radius of the contact surface is much smaller (being conical rather than disk-shaped), start-up torque is too low to measure. US Patent #5,915,639; other patents pending.

Clutch Most premium reels rely on a pawl type clutch mechanism. These are often vulnerable to stress related failure, contamination and wear. The ULA, Litespeed and Velocity employ a Torrington zero-lash roller clutch. This mechanism relies on the locking effect of a number of ramps and rollers to achieve torque transmission. There are no "teeth" or "steps" to break off or wear out. And the zero-lash feature means instant engagement. This improves feel and eliminates "spike" that the reel, line and leader experience when a typical pawl clutch hooks up.