Lamson® Litespeed™
By Brendan Mason

With its combination of light weight, tough finish, smooth drag, and stylish design, the Litespeed has proven to be a top performer in the mid-priced reel market.  Although it has been on the market for some time now, the fact that its design has been left unchanged since inception gives testament to the quality of this reel.  The Litespeed's large ports and clean lines give the reel a progressive quality of "cool".  You'll find yourself showing off the reel when you take those photos with the big fish you catch with it.

The Litespeed features a true large arbor, wide spool design.  Line lays in a shallow layer, allowing for a fast retrieve rate and reduced memory.  The fit and finish is very impressive for a reel in this price range.  The Litespeeds I have tested all had the type 3 anodize "Guide finish", but the reel is also available in a dark grey, type 2 "Smoke finish".  I found the Guide finish to be the most durable finish of any reel I have used.  It has not worn, chipped, or scratched and provides excellent saltwater protection.

The drag consists of the Waterworks-Lamson sealed conical drag; the same drag that is used in the ULA and Velocity reels as well.  It is completely sealed and zero-maintenance, which combined with the Litespeed's durable finish makes for a nearly indestructible reel.  The drag is smooth, with very little startup torque, and overruns are not a problem.  Changing from right to left hand retrieve is as easy as unscrewing the drag cap, flipping over the clutch, and replacing the cap.

My first introduction to the Litespeed was with a rod and reel I borrowed while fishing for striped bass and bluefish in New York City.  When I asked the boat captain what his impression was of the reel, he replied simply that he had caught over 150 false albacore with it.  That was all I needed to hear.  I soon outfitted myself with a Litespeed 1 for my T&T LPS 3wt and a Litespeed 3.5 for shared use between an 8wt single hander and a 7wt spey.  After several months of use, from Patagonia to Canada to Costa Rica, the reels have both performed flawlessly.  Their light weight for each given size is a huge advantage, especially with the bigger reel.  The size 1 weighs only 3.75 ounces and the 3.5 weighs in at 6.5 oz.

The Litespeed is available in 6 sizes for line weights 1 through 11.  The Litespeed 1 holds a WF3 with 75 yards of 12# backing, whereas the Litespeed 4 will hold a WF10 with 250 yards of 30#.  Prices range from $255 to $355.

www.waterworks-lamson.com

 

Article	060
Created	6-26-2004
Modified	6-23-2004
Author	Brendan Mason
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