Just getting into fly fishing? Great! Or maybe, you are just looking for a new inexpensive fly rod and reel combo this year. Either or, a Redington fly rod and reel combo might be perfect for you!
Redington is a fly fishing brand that designs and manufactures fly fishing gear for the beginner and intermediate levels. If you have never been fly fishing before, Redington’s combos are a great starting point. They’re they’re built to last and perform, but also aren’t very expensive.
Here are all of Redington’s rod and reel combos
- Redington Vice Combo
- Redington Topo Combo
- Redington Path ll Combo
- Redington Crosswater Combo
- Redington Youth Minnow Combo
Every Redington Rod and Reel Combo Reviewed
Each Redington fly rod and reel combo has its benefits and downfalls. The combos on this list go from the most expensive to the least expensive. This does not necessarily mean that it’s in order from the highest performing combo to the worst combo, each combo has it’s perks.
Redington Vice Combo Review
The Redington Vice is a solid combo option for fly anglers that are looking for a bit more power than the average setup.
The Vice combo is the best of the 5 combos that you can purchase. It comes with a lifetime warranty, but you might not even need to use it as the quality of the rod is very good. If you are a beginner however, I would recommend moving on down the list (more on that). If you are somewhat experienced in fly fishing though, this combo is one of the best that you can buy in this price range.
Why beginners shouldn’t get this combo
The reason why beginners shouldn’t buy this combo right off the bat, is because it’s a fast action rod. Fast action rods are awesome for fly anglers that have been in the game for a little while and have learned how to cast a fly rod.
Fast action rods are a bit more difficult to handle, as the mid to lower sections of the rod are a bit stiffer than a moderate fast action rod. Jumping straight into a fast action rod will probably leave you a bit frustrated and casting might be a challenge.
Performance
If you aren’t a beginner, this rod and reel combo will leave you with some of the best performance that this price range of fly rod can give you. It’s an accurate fly rod that will provide you with some very consistent casts..
This rod is also the best one on this list for casting during windy conditions, or just long – accurate casts in general.
I.D. Reel
The reel is the Redington I.D. reel. It is a lower end reel, but it also isn’t a piece of junk. The drag is easy to adjust and it retrieves line quickly. To remove the spool, simply just twist the center cap off and you are good to go. Switching the handle on this reel is not a big deal at all.
The one super nice aspect of this reel is that it’s made of anodized machined aluminum. This is personally my favorite material of reel, as it just offers the best performance compared to other materials.
The one issue with this reel is that it isn’t completely sealed. This can be sometimes a problem if you are fly fishing all day because you’ll have to clean out the reel if it gets sand or mud in it. If the reel was completely sealed, you would never have that issue as junk will never reach the functioning parts of the reel.
Weight
The Redington Vice is very lightweight. It really doesn’t feel like much is in your hand while you are throwing flies. Not much else to say here besides that it honestly feels like picking up feathers.
Other Features
The Vise fly rod splits into 4 different pieces for easy and safe transportation. It comes with fly line and it does have tapered leader as well. So technically, if you have some flies, you are able to go fly fishing right away. I personally would suggest getting some backing on the reel first, but it isn’t a must. It will just help you retrieve your line faster and give you a better chance at pulling in a giant. Which is always cool!
This combo also does include a rod and reel case so it’s unlikely to get broken on a road trip.
Fishing for Trout
If you are fishing for trout, this combo is great. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t buy this rod for other types of fishing – at least not for bigger fish. This is a smaller, more sensitive combo that is really good with dry flies and trout fishing. Don’t take this one out musky fishing!
Price
The Vice is the most expensive of the 5 combos made by Redington. But, it doesn’t break the $300 dollar mark, so you really aren’t putting a huge investment into it – and the quality of it will hold up for a long time.
If it for some reason doesn’t, Redington has a lifetime warranty on this specific combo, so you are covered regardless. I personally think that this fly rod combo is worthy of a couple hundred dollar investment with the perks that it has to offer.
Related: Best Fly Rod Combos Under $300
Redington Topo Combo Review
The Redington Topo is one of the best starter kits to start fly fishing with. Everything you need to start fly fishing is included in this package.
The Redington Topo combo is the combo for the beginner that wants basically all of the equipment you need to get fly fishing right away. It’s sort of in the middle in terms of quality and performance, but surely high enough quality if you are just starting out. Casting flies and creating smooth, consistent loops is going to be quite simple with this rod when you get the hang of it.
What’s included
The Topo combo comes with a fly rod, reel, line, tapered leader, flies, fly box, extra spool of tippet, and a some clippers. As soon as you get this combo, you are ready to fish, really.
Because there is so much gear included in this combo, this is one of the best one stop shops for a beginner fly angler. The only other combo in this price range that I would compare it to, is the Cabela’s Prestige Combo. The Prestige is a bit cheaper, but still includes everything that you will need to get fly fishing.
Performance
The Topo fly rod isn’t anything crazy in terms of performance. Yes, it is an awesome starting point for beginners, but I wouldn’t recommend this setup for an experienced fly angler. Get a Vice, or an Orvis Recon if you know how to cast a fly. This is your ideal starter setup.
This rod is a medium fast action rod that is going to be great in the beginning. It’ll be far easier to handle than a fast action rod and is still going to provide solid accuracy when you start getting the hang of fly fishing. Clean and consistent casts are on the horizon here…
Quality
I like to talk about the quality of gear before I recommend something, so people know what they are getting into.
I’ve said it a million times, this combo is great for beginners. But, don’t expect this combo to last you along time – if you don’t take care of it.
A slight mishap could leave it broken quickly, so realize that beforehand. It does come with a limited 1 year warranty, allowing for any manufacture mistakes to be replaced or fixed free of charge.
Reel
The reel on the Redington Topo combo is the Crosswater reel by Redington. It is made of polymer which obviously isn’t metal.
Unfortunate, but ok. Unless you plan on fishing every single day during the summer, this reel is going to hold up fine.
Now, am I saying that it’s the best reel that you can buy? No. It really isn’t. BUT, if you are reading this review about the Topo combo still, I’m assuming that you are new to fly fishing, or relatively new. In that case, buying a cheaper reel as your first reel is going to work.
If you are nervous that the reel isn’t going to last very long, buy a separate rod and reel. The only downfall is that you have to buy everything else yourself. Ya know, the fly line, backing, leaders and so on.
Final thoughts on the Topo Combo
If you are a fresh fly fisherman or woman, I think that the Redington Topo is a solid starting point. It isn’t crazy expensive so the investment isn’t very high.
You can get fishing almost right away as it will come with everything you need to get on the water (you will probably want more flies and whatnot pretty quickly though).. The only other combo that I think competes with this one is the Cabela’s Prestige Combo (in it’s price range). It comes with everything and is a bit cheaper too.
Redington Path Combo Review
The Redington Path ll is a solid budget fly rod and reel combo. It comes with a lifetime warranty and includes pre-spooled line on the reel.
The Redington Path Combo is the next fly fishing combo on the list and it’s going to rival that of the Vice in terms of performance and quality – for an entry level fly fishing combo.
It doesn’t come with everything that you will need in the beginning (backing, leaders, extra tippet or flies), but it is a higher quality of fly fishing rod than the Redington Topo.
Performance
The Path rod is actually a medium fast action fly rod which is ideal for new fly anglers. As far as performance is concerned, you can expect medium sized loops with smooth and accurate casts. It doesn’t have the same range as the Redington Vice, but it is still quite substantial.
This combo is a step up from the Topo fly rod, so casting is going to be a little bit cleaner and more consistent, but a lot of fly fishing is actually dependent on the angler themselves. So, regardless which way you go, the quality of fly fishing is going to depend on how good you become at casting and fishing. And quite honestly, the limits are endless with any fly rod, ever.
Quality
Redington offers a lifetime warranty on the Path fly rod. They do not offer the same warranty with the Crosswater reel that comes with it although. Which, if you are buying this combo now and stick with it for a while, you probably will end up purchasing a new reel eventually.
Back to the quality aspect although. This combo isn’t your top of the line, greatest quality every combo – but it will hold up, if you take care of it. Just like anything in life, if you care for it – it will last. Don’t be afraid that this rod is just going to break in the middle of a fishing trip on you. It’s not going to.
And if for some reason it does break, Redington offers a lifetime warranty on this rod.
Price
The price of this combo is the third cheapest combo that Redington offers, but the second best in terms of quality, performance, and warranty. The reason that the Topo is more expensive, is because it comes with a lot of the extra accessories that you need to start fly fishing, right away.
Reel
The reel in this combo is the Crosswater reel. It’s polymer, not metal. It doesn’t have a lifetime warranty either.
If you’re always on the river, maybe go with a higher end reel. Or, buy the combo, use it out – and then upgrade the reel. Or just buy the combo, take care of it and then not have to worry about getting anything new!
Final thoughts on the Redington Path ll Combo
This combo is very efficient and productive on the river. If you are a beginner or intermediate fly angler, this combo might be perfect for you. It doesn’t come with the extra accessories that the Topo has, but this combo has a lifetime warranty on the rod and is just a better performer in general.
Redington Crosswater Combo Review
The popular Redington Crosswater combo is one of the cheapest doors into the game of fly fishing. Included in the package is a rod, reel, case and line. It also has a one year limited warranty.
The Redington Crosswater combo is another solid starting point for beginners. It comes with a moderate-fast action fly rod and a polymer Crosswater reel. The Crosswater combo also includes a rod and reel case for protection. The biggest downfall of this combo is that it doesn’t include the extra accessories that you need to start fly fishing right away.
Performance
With a lower end fly fishing combo, you can expect lower end performance. That isn’t the case completely with this combo, as it throws flies pretty well for the price you pay.
Because it’s a moderate-fast action fly rod, it allows for long flowing and smooth casts. When you become a decent fly angler, you’ll be putting flies in very accurate locations fairly easily.
The one issue with moderate-fast action rods is that they are tough to cast flies when it is windy. If you are fishing a windy location a lot, a fast action rod is going to be far more accurate.
If you compare the Crosswater combo to the Redington Path or the Redington Vice, the two ladder are better in terms of quality and just general casting performance. It is also a bit cheaper, but not by much.
I personally would recommend purchasing the Redington Path combo over this one as it is only a bit more expensive but comes with a better quality of rod.
Reel
The reel on this combo is the Redington Crosswater reel. It’s made of polymer which obviously hinders the quality of it. It does come with a couple benefits such as 1) larger arbor design 2) drag is easy to adjust and 3) you can change the handle side easily though.
When you are looking for a cheap combo to buy, getting something that has an amazing rod and reel at the same time is going to be difficult. I’ve recommended combos with this reel before, so I’ll be ok doing it again.
Don’t plan on this reel staying in perfect condition for a century as it most likely is going to breakdown eventually. Hopefully, you have fallen in love with fly fishing when it happens although!
Related: Best Fly Fishing Reels Under $300
Quality
The one big question of this combo is “how long will it last?”. Well, that is going to be up to you. If you plan on fishing a lot, maybe consider going with something a bit more expensive. But, I did recommend getting some of the other Redington combos and to be honest, they’re not that much more expensive than this one.
Warranty
The warranty for the Redington Crosswater is a limited 1 year warranty. That isn’t great, but it at least has something for a backup plan.
Final thoughts on the Redington Crosswater Combo
There are definitely better fly rod and reel combos out there, it’s just a matter of how much are you willing to pay to go get them.
This combo isn’t very expensive, but it also doesn’t come ready to fish. It’s a horse a piece when you are searching for fly fishing gear; some of it is going to be cheap with quality concerns, while other gear is going to blow a lot of people completely out of the water with the price tag.
If your budgets is pretty minimal, but you still want to fly fish, this combo will work. If it were me, I would just get the Cabela’s Prestige combo at the same price although. Similar quality, just comes with everything you need to start.
Redington Youth Minnow Combo Review
The Minnow from Redington is the best fly rod combo you can get for youth fly anglers. It's a bit smaller than your standard fly rod and comes at a reasonable price.
Finally, something for the kids! This combo features a moderate action fly rod that is a bit shorter for youth fly anglers to manage. The combo features a Crosswater reel and also a carrying case to put the setup in.
It doesn’t come ready to fly fish (tippet, flies) but it does come with a one year warranty from Redington.
Performance
If you are getting something for your kids, this combo will be great! It’s nice because it has a shorter rod which will allow for better control when casting.
It is a moderate action fly rod which means that the entire rod is fairly flexible and that is going to result in the youth actually being able to throw flies around. Bottom line, you get a kid this combo for their birthday and you’ll have one happy camper!
Reel
Redington uses a Crosswater reel for this combo as well. I gave my opinion about twelve times earlier, I don’t think you want to hear about it again! (for kids, this reel is going to be plenty enough)
Quality
The youth that you give this combo to is most likely not going to break it, unless they decide to jump on it.
If for some reason that it does break, it does have a one year warranty for a replacement. Bottom line here, the price that you will pay for this combo is going to provide the person you are getting it for a high quality experience.
Final thoughts on the Youth Minnow combo
This combo is the perfect way to get your kid started in fly fishing. It’s a high quality youth setup and has a smaller rod which will be easier to manage.
It isn’t super expensive and the only downfall is that it doesn’t have all of the necessary accessories to get started in fly fishing. I think that if you have a kid/ sibling/ cousin or whoever it might be that enjoys the outdoors, a fly fishing combo like this would be perfect.
Redington Combos are Great Starting Points
You really aren’t going to find a ton of fly fishing combos that have the same amount of quality than the Redington combos. Yes, there are a few that might rival/ be better than Redington but, as whole – I don’t think too many brands out-duel Redington for inexpensive combos.
I hope this article helped get you started and pointed in the right direction! Good luck my friend and tight lines!
