I have the Vanford and stradic FL … definitely prefer the stradic. It’s so much smoother and when reeling there’s less resistance. The Vanford takes more effort to reel than the stradic. A plus for the vanford is it’s super light! Still like the performance of the stradic though!
I own three Vanford reels, ranging in size from 2000 to 4000. I picked them up during a sale in my country. I really like the price, their lightweight design, and how smooth they are to use.
I’ve got 3 2500s and think they are great. They are sensitive for small 15 inch trout and can still reel in 35 in bull reds (although it takes 20 minutes). Had the first one 3 years now and use it about 6 hours a week doing multiple lure casting. Their low weight and high strength are perfect for my needs. My only need now is a better bail roller bearing as the saltwater seems to corrode it. It’s the only wear part so far. I have dunked one accidentally for about 3 seconds with no degradation. My son submerged one for 5 minutes and it still worked for months afterward but got tired of the extra noise and missed the buttery smooth feel so I had all the bearings replaced and it’s very nice again! (60 bucks).
They’re so amazing! I would try a stradic FK next for salt, could hold up a tad better than the Vanford or previous stradic models. Thanks for the reply!
used 2000 shg for two years for stream trout fishing, with 0.5 -0.4 pe, in eastern Europe. After about 100 fishing trips, can say - it's good and durable for it's money, worth the price. There were no obvious problems with reel. After 100 fishing trips, the noise of main gear began to appear - but it's normal, for the reel of this segment. Of course, drag of reel could be better, because during the fishing, sometimes it becames to "light", and you need to look for it :). A big plus of this reel is it's lightweight, delicate work overall, and of course, that there are a lot of ways to "tuning" it (easy to find additional bearing kits and so on - it's big plus of all shimano reels).
I know a guy that uses that reel He is an excellent fisherman, and a great friend of mine, and he thinks very highly of that product one of the finest fisherman in Idaho.
Have you tried this one in the 3000 size? I got a 3000 because my Stradic Ci4+ were that size, and I wanted a direct replacement. Little did I know, the 3000 size and bigger were now switched to carbon drag washers. They stick, slip, and feel generally terrible. I just swapped them out for the felt drag washers (the same ones in the old Stradic Ci4+ 2500/3000 or the new Vanford 2500) and it is perfect! Now feels just like my old Stradic Ci4+ but a hair lighter.
I had the same problem with the 3000. I also have the 2000 and 2500 and had NO problem with the felt drag but the 3000 started getting sticky like you stated.
I think you should wait before buying he Vanford since it's still a Stradic FL with weight saving. I bet 2024, the Vanford FB will come out, and it's going to be a Stradic FM with weight saving. The new stradic, imo, is THE best reel to buy. Basicly a Stella with fewer bearing. So wait for next Icast(we'll I hope it's gonna be next year)
Very low start up inertia due to the mgl rotor makes this reel a great value for finesse fishing. Those that don't like it will love the new Stradic FM or Sustain
I had my stratic ci4 for 4 years, and yesterday my rod flew out of my truck. Got ran over from tip to butt, eyelids destroyed, stratic exploded 😭. Should I buy a used stratic on eBay or get a vanford?
I have a 2500. Its the best reel and most used amongst my Shimano fleet. My family holidays are usually beach/snorkeling holidays so it also travels a lot w me cos I'll shore jig/cast whenever the opportunity comes. Looks wise definitely sexy hell yeah!
Great video - I just received a Vanford and am impressed by the smoothness and weight for sure. My handle feels like there is too much play and after inspecting the long screw in the handle which connects to the reel body seems to be slightly loose and I can wiggle it. This then makes the whole handle feel like there is some play in it when connected to the reel. Does your reel have a similarly loose screw or if my handle perhaps defective? Thanks
Its a good reel I feel that material will wear down scratch and break in its cylindrical form (I make slingshots out of knife handle material Which is similar And have to go thick/ Or layered to produce strength) Being hard on my stuff I had to go with what likeley is a more durable reel with the older Stradic before the Ci4 Although Its definatley superior in other aspects
Never was a fan of vanford had a couple but got rid of them, felt cheap not as smooth I thought. I prefer stradic fl or ci4+ but new stradic fm looks like a beast. For the price add a bit more get a sustain and its a whole different class than vanford
Regarding the price. I tell everyone the same thing for anything they're considering. Reels, cars, houses, tools, stereo equipment, and etc. It doesn't really matter. The first thing to consider is can you afford it? Does it prevent the purchase of something you actually need? Are you a techie? Could/would/can it add to your experience? Is the more expensive one actually better? Does it look better? If you're a billionaire and you like fishing and you like finer items then you'd be silly to buy anything less than a Stella. If you're broke, you were just laid off because you're local economy is terrible, trying to save money on your next meal, and etc then you're stuck buying a IX reel. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with either decision. Between the Vanford and the Stradic FM? Lol. Similarly priced. They're both good. Good luck deciding on that. You're right and wrong no matter what. And that's where I'm at right now. But it's a good purgatory to be in. I have a Daiwa Procyon, a (surprisingly enough I found a new) Tournament SS 1600, a Zillion, a Metanium, a couple Calcuttas, and etc. So it's not like I "NEED" a reel. It's purely a want. So I can be picky.
Something to note as well is how long you’re gonna have it. A $300 reel for 10 years comes out to $30 per year. If you have a cheap fishing reel that needs replacing every few years, is it worth it to just upgrade and fish with the best? Great insight, thanks for the comment
I had Stradic 3000 FL, which was a perfect reel, i used it on heavy loads in hard streams and fight big fish. After 3 years of using, it started to wear, and later, weird sound appeared. So i buyed my next reel Vanaford 4000. Was nice light reel, smooth and fast... But not for long, after 6 months it started to make sounds and after 1 year drag is broken almost completely, when i was fighting bigger fish, reel didn't like it, i felt too less power in it. So today i buyed Stradic FM 4000. Fished with it for the first time, after Vanaford its was a bit strange, Vanaford had MGL, so it was smoother for me, but it was too weak. Also, when i reeling Stradic FM , its feels like something is happening inside reel, sometimes its goes smoothly, sometimes not. it feels like you're catching weeds with reel, and you feel it. Hard to explain. Maybe someone had same experience with FM
@@donatasjig Interesting, I haven’t noticed that on any of mine but hopefully we’ll get some good insight with comments here in the future. Appreciate the comment!
I purchased the Vanford's in the 2000, 2500 and 3000 series and thought they were great until I started purchasing the 19' and 23' Vanquish's. It's like night and day. For less than $100 dollars more, the Vanquish just can't be touched. I now own 7 in different sizes. Nice review though.
I wanna ask for opinion, Between getting lot of cheap reel (china made n stuff) Or getting good mid to high end reel (shimano,daiwa, penn etc) Which one are more worth it? Cuz im thinking to buy more reel, since i starting to have my own job, Hqvinb cheap reel means lots of option, but expensive one r more long lasting. What is ur opinion on this?
For a size 1000-4000 i would definitely pick Vanford. Size 5000 it's stradic 100% When reeling a bigger fish i would definitely go for stradic. Small fish -Vanford.
Though I've more expensive reels I still use my Vanford C2000S quite often It's very well constructed and over all good value for your money. There are rumors about a new Vanford coming out with the tight line lay as Stella and new Vanquish and Twinpower.I've the new Vanquish C2500S, to be honest it's real close to the Vanford , but this size is missing from Vanford lineup. Great review 👍
The Shimano Vanford has X-protect, which provides high level water, dirt, and salt resistance. If I said they were fully sealed in the video then you’re correct, and thats on me. But these reels are 100% fine for saltwater use and perform incredible for many anglers that use them for inshore and offshore applications
I have the Vanford and stradic FL … definitely prefer the stradic. It’s so much smoother and when reeling there’s less resistance. The Vanford takes more effort to reel than the stradic.
A plus for the vanford is it’s super light! Still like the performance of the stradic though!
I got the vanford 4000 for a year now. It's all of that and some jazz.
I own three Vanford reels, ranging in size from 2000 to 4000. I picked them up during a sale in my country. I really like the price, their lightweight design, and how smooth they are to use.
For finesse fishing Vanford and Ci4 + are the way to go !
I’ve got 3 2500s and think they are great. They are sensitive for small 15 inch trout and can still reel in 35 in bull reds (although it takes 20 minutes). Had the first one 3 years now and use it about 6 hours a week doing multiple lure casting. Their low weight and high strength are perfect for my needs.
My only need now is a better bail roller bearing as the saltwater seems to corrode it. It’s the only wear part so far.
I have dunked one accidentally for about 3 seconds with no degradation. My son submerged one for 5 minutes and it still worked for months afterward but got tired of the extra noise and missed the buttery smooth feel so I had all the bearings replaced and it’s very nice again! (60 bucks).
They’re so amazing! I would try a stradic FK next for salt, could hold up a tad better than the Vanford or previous stradic models. Thanks for the reply!
used 2000 shg for two years for stream trout fishing, with 0.5 -0.4 pe, in eastern Europe. After about 100 fishing trips, can say - it's good and durable for it's money, worth the price. There were no obvious problems with reel. After 100 fishing trips, the noise of main gear began to appear - but it's normal, for the reel of this segment. Of course, drag of reel could be better, because during the fishing, sometimes it becames to "light", and you need to look for it :).
A big plus of this reel is it's lightweight, delicate work overall, and of course, that there are a lot of ways to "tuning" it (easy to find additional bearing kits and so on - it's big plus of all shimano reels).
I know a guy that uses that reel He is an excellent fisherman, and a great friend of mine, and he thinks very highly of that product one of the finest fisherman in Idaho.
Having good gear while targeting big fish is such a gamechanger. I’ve seen some of your fish pics, so I know u are aware of that!
Have you tried this one in the 3000 size? I got a 3000 because my Stradic Ci4+ were that size, and I wanted a direct replacement. Little did I know, the 3000 size and bigger were now switched to carbon drag washers. They stick, slip, and feel generally terrible. I just swapped them out for the felt drag washers (the same ones in the old Stradic Ci4+ 2500/3000 or the new Vanford 2500) and it is perfect! Now feels just like my old Stradic Ci4+ but a hair lighter.
Interesting, I have not. I’ll check one out in stores and see if I feel some difference!
I had the same problem with the 3000. I also have the 2000 and 2500 and had NO problem with the felt drag but the 3000 started getting sticky like you stated.
I run a couple of c2000 vanfords on my walleye jigging rods. Love the light weight, balance great on my rods.
I am partial to the Stradic FL, myself, but the Vanfords are absolutely fantastic too.
I think you should wait before buying he Vanford since it's still a Stradic FL with weight saving. I bet 2024, the Vanford FB will come out, and it's going to be a Stradic FM with weight saving. The new stradic, imo, is THE best reel to buy. Basicly a Stella with fewer bearing. So wait for next Icast(we'll I hope it's gonna be next year)
Interesting perspective! I love my
stradics too
Vanford FB doesn't seem to have gotten released yet? Couldn't find anything.
@@biesman5it hasn’t but I expect it anytime.
@@biesman5There’s no such as a FB. Do you mean FA?
Very low start up inertia due to the mgl rotor makes this reel a great value for finesse fishing. Those that don't like it will love the new Stradic FM or Sustain
Since I fish mostly finesse stuff it suits my style very well. Great input, thanks!
@humbugvideos i have landed a 60# halibut with a 3000 size Exsence MGL so these reels can handle not finesse applications
When you say test are you talking about braid or mono??
I had my stratic ci4 for 4 years, and yesterday my rod flew out of my truck. Got ran over from tip to butt, eyelids destroyed, stratic exploded 😭. Should I buy a used stratic on eBay or get a vanford?
@@tonydavila2606 Try out the Vanford!
I have a Tatula LT 2000 and love the look but I also love the color of the stradic but want that extremely light weight of the vanford
Just got the new Tatula Mq 2500S, light and great drag... I like Vanford as well but I would prefer the Complex XR
@@cthierry4428so I’m on the fence of getting the new stradic or the fl or the Vanford but I do have the new tatula MQ
Where I reside Okuma Celilo rods are pretty hard to come across, Do you have any other fishing rods you enjoyed using on trout?
I just realized the Trout in the lake I fish in are 2-6kg 😱Know any sweet rods that can handle such hefty fish?
Okuma Guide Select rods are great, lamiglass X11 rods are nice, and bass pro makes some decent ones too. I’d check those out
@@humbugvideosThank you for everything!
I owned the Vanford C2000S model which not available in America at all, it’s okay reel. I like the Shimano 22 Complex XR more than the Vanford though
I have a 2500. Its the best reel and most used amongst my Shimano fleet. My family holidays are usually beach/snorkeling holidays so it also travels a lot w me cos I'll shore jig/cast whenever the opportunity comes. Looks wise definitely sexy hell yeah!
Would this be a good reel for the panfish 68 ultra light rod ? Or what would you recommend
@@Fbody_123 Yah, I would do the 1000 size!
Great video - I just received a Vanford and am impressed by the smoothness and weight for sure. My handle feels like there is too much play and after inspecting the long screw in the handle which connects to the reel body seems to be slightly loose and I can wiggle it. This then makes the whole handle feel like there is some play in it when connected to the reel. Does your reel have a similarly loose screw or if my handle perhaps defective? Thanks
No, mine isn’t loose at all! I’ll have to do some research on that
@@humbugvideos Thanks - Is there any way or me to send you an e-mail with a video of what I'm talking about?
@@garethmorris2042 my Instagram is @humbugvideos, always welcome to message me there!
Ugly stick carbon are fantastic along with my Stradic 2500HG FM reel.
Its a good reel I feel that material will wear down scratch and break in its cylindrical form (I make slingshots out of knife handle material Which is similar And have to go thick/ Or layered to produce strength) Being hard on my stuff I had to go with what likeley is a more durable reel with the older Stradic before the Ci4 Although Its definatley superior in other aspects
Never was a fan of vanford had a couple but got rid of them, felt cheap not as smooth I thought. I prefer stradic fl or ci4+ but new stradic fm looks like a beast. For the price add a bit more get a sustain and its a whole different class than vanford
I respect that opinion! Everyone has their preferences
That happened to me when I got a Stradic, I had to return it. I think we just got a defective one, because everyone else talks so good about them.
@gerardreches I had 2 both felt the same, didn't like it and sold them both
Regarding the price. I tell everyone the same thing for anything they're considering. Reels, cars, houses, tools, stereo equipment, and etc. It doesn't really matter. The first thing to consider is can you afford it? Does it prevent the purchase of something you actually need? Are you a techie? Could/would/can it add to your experience? Is the more expensive one actually better? Does it look better?
If you're a billionaire and you like fishing and you like finer items then you'd be silly to buy anything less than a Stella. If you're broke, you were just laid off because you're local economy is terrible, trying to save money on your next meal, and etc then you're stuck buying a IX reel. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with either decision.
Between the Vanford and the Stradic FM? Lol. Similarly priced. They're both good. Good luck deciding on that. You're right and wrong no matter what. And that's where I'm at right now. But it's a good purgatory to be in. I have a Daiwa Procyon, a (surprisingly enough I found a new) Tournament SS 1600, a Zillion, a Metanium, a couple Calcuttas, and etc. So it's not like I "NEED" a reel. It's purely a want. So I can be picky.
Something to note as well is how long you’re gonna have it. A $300 reel for 10 years comes out to $30 per year. If you have a cheap fishing reel that needs replacing every few years, is it worth it to just upgrade and fish with the best? Great insight, thanks for the comment
I had Stradic 3000 FL, which was a perfect reel, i used it on heavy loads in hard streams and fight big fish. After 3 years of using, it started to wear, and later, weird sound appeared. So i buyed my next reel Vanaford 4000. Was nice light reel, smooth and fast... But not for long, after 6 months it started to make sounds and after 1 year drag is broken almost completely, when i was fighting bigger fish, reel didn't like it, i felt too less power in it. So today i buyed Stradic FM 4000. Fished with it for the first time, after Vanaford its was a bit strange, Vanaford had MGL, so it was smoother for me, but it was too weak. Also, when i reeling Stradic FM , its feels like something is happening inside reel, sometimes its goes smoothly, sometimes not. it feels like you're catching weeds with reel, and you feel it. Hard to explain. Maybe someone had same experience with FM
@@donatasjig Interesting, I haven’t noticed that on any of mine but hopefully we’ll get some good insight with comments here in the future. Appreciate the comment!
I purchased the Vanford's in the 2000, 2500 and 3000 series and thought they were great until I started purchasing the 19' and 23' Vanquish's. It's like night and day. For less than $100 dollars more, the Vanquish just can't be touched. I now own 7 in different sizes. Nice review though.
@@philipfalco7304 I’ll have to check out the Vanquish! Appreciate the comment
i just purchased one today and i’m wondering what line is best for this reel.?
All depends on the fish your targeting and how your targeting it!
What would be a slight upgrade to the ugly stick?
Depends on what species your targeting!
@@humbugvideos large mouth
@@bruce3579 Okuma makes some really awesome stuff in the sub $100 range that is both durable and sensitive. I would check out the Celilo rods!
@@humbugvideos I'll have to check those out thank you!
Hard to beat the aird x and Tatula Xt's in that price range
The drag works so well. I'm not sure the correct words... It's very accurate?
Yah I’d say it’s accurate, but the rod also has a lot to do with the accuracy as well!
Love the Stradic FL with my mh carbon lite 7ft Johnny Morris rod can drag bass through anything with this setup.
Just got the 1000. Its awesome!
I wanna ask for opinion,
Between getting lot of cheap reel (china made n stuff)
Or getting good mid to high end reel (shimano,daiwa, penn etc)
Which one are more worth it?
Cuz im thinking to buy more reel, since i starting to have my own job,
Hqvinb cheap reel means lots of option, but expensive one r more long lasting.
What is ur opinion on this?
There are plenty of Shimano and Diawa reels under $100 that are incredible to use and will last you a long time. I would honestly stick with them!
Is this a good reel for salmon/steelhead on a Okuma pro series rod
That would work well!
Excellent review. I agree 100%
For a size 1000-4000 i would definitely pick Vanford. Size 5000 it's stradic 100% When reeling a bigger fish i would definitely go for stradic. Small fish -Vanford.
Thanks for the awesome video 😎
How would you rate the Vanford against the Sustain?
I don't know enough about the Sustain, so I don't want to give a fake answer. I've heard great things though!
The sustain is very heavy in terms of physical weight compares to vanford
Apparently now the 3000-5000 models have the carbon drag washers.
Interesting
Better choose the Twinpowerr..
wil it really work all day ?
Yup!
I like them so much I bought two fantastic real
Though I've more expensive reels I still use my Vanford C2000S quite often It's very well constructed and over all good value for your money.
There are rumors about a new Vanford coming out with the tight line lay as Stella and new Vanquish and Twinpower.I've the new Vanquish C2500S, to be honest it's real close to the Vanford , but this size is missing from Vanford lineup.
Great review 👍
Appreciate the comment! Shimano has done a great job bringing down features from their nicest modes
I just got the g Loomis GCX LITE with the vanford 500 let’s gooo‼️‼️‼️
Yes sirrrrr
Nice reel but the stradic Fm 1000Hg is not bad 😅
Yang benar😂
Awesome I have two
You’re gonna need it for a trout like your profile picture!
@@humbugvideos that was actually on 13 ft edge centerpin rod
@@petewrobel3050 Jealous, that sounds like so much fun!
Not sealed! Do more research before you say something. A fresh water reel. Only 3 reels are fully sealed which are Van Staal, Visser and Zeebass
The Shimano Vanford has X-protect, which provides high level water, dirt, and salt resistance. If I said they were fully sealed in the video then you’re correct, and thats on me. But these reels are 100% fine for saltwater use and perform incredible for many anglers that use them for inshore and offshore applications
Dont you be dissin on my ugly stick
Nah ci4 looks way better
cant wait casting for screamers. wobble wobble wobble bam! zzz zzzzzzzzz
Hell nah, vanforda are waste of money
You’re probably a Van Staal guy huh? 😂 🤡
Vanford are for Biggers
It feels cheap.
Are we talking about the same reel?
@@humbugvideos yep