The Coolest Pieces of Gear We Tested This Week

Consider this more a review of a program than just a product. During the pandemic, when you couldn’t go see a college basketball game or hang out at your favorite brewery for six hours, folks very clearly took to the outdoors. Among one of the big growths in outdoor industries was fly fishing. As we turned to open spaces, more folks decided to learn this graceful art. Fly brand Redington, and specifically their parent company Far Bank, who is dedicated to education and stewardship, saw that the interest was good and decided what would be even better would be to retain those new fly fishermen—keep them using the rods instead of having them sit up on a nifty rack in the garage behind the bikes.

So what Redington has done is directed their quality gear to newcomers who they found were only fly fishing two to three times a season and aren’t really sure how to get better at it. The result has been twofold—Redington’s Fly Fishing Combos and Far Bank’s well-produced instructional video series from the most basic (there’s literally one called “What Is Fly Fishing”) to series involving every species of fish, technique and body of water. With a little more knowledge, you get out more often.

The Combos are strategically assembled to provide the basics for your day on the stream or bay—a quality rod, reel, leader, loop-to-loop connector, line, Cordura carrying case and some basic flies. They’re well-made and well-designed, with something for every level of angler. And then you’ll fish more.—Jon Coen, Men’s Journal contributor

[$129.99 – $429.99; farbank.com]

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