Head-to-head · Best Fly Fishing Rods Under $300

Redington Classic Trout vs Redington Vice

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Redington Classic Trout and Redington Vice score essentially the same (4.5 vs 4.5). Pick the one whose trade-offs match your priorities — the strengths and watch-outs below are where they actually differ.

Ranked #2 in Best Fly Fishing Rods Under $300

Redington Classic Trout

4.5

1 sourceall derived$199.99as of Oct 14

A medium-action, four-piece trout rod that Redington sells at $199.99 in the 9-foot 5-weight. Hatch Magazine calls it a rare deal and praises how smoothly it loads at fishing distances of 50 feet and under, while calling its reel seat and cork basic. Outdoor Life named it the best budget rod in its trout fly rod test.

Strengths

— Loads smoothly, bending nearly to the cork, per Hatch Magazine
— Suited to dry flies, nymphs and light streamers at 50 feet and under
— Soft tip is forgiving when setting the hook on light tippet

Watch-outs

— The tip is easy to shock past 50 feet, causing tailing loops, Hatch Magazine reports
— Reel seat hardware is bare-bones; Outdoor Life's tester had one come unglued from the blank
— Bulky handle of middle-of-the-road cork

$199.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #4 in Best Fly Fishing Rods Under $300

Redington Vice

4.5

1 sourceall derived$279.99as of Oct 14

A fast-action, four-piece carbon fiber rod that Redington sells at $279.99. Hatch Magazine was hard-pressed to find fault with it after using the 9-weight on Louisiana redfish, reporting tight loops, accurate casts at 30 to 60 feet and performance that held up even with a poorly matched line. The reviewer's one quibble is its weight.

Strengths

— Threw tight loops when pushed and softer open loops at short range, per Hatch Magazine
— Accurate at 30 feet and in, with 50 feet reachable on one false cast in the reviewer's practice
— Shot spoon flies and heavy shrimp patterns into gusts with little problem

Watch-outs

— Not as light as more expensive fast-action rods; Hatch Magazine describes a beefy feel
— Hatch Magazine's review covers the 9-weight only, so its findings may not carry over to the trout weights

$279.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Redington Classic Trout

At $199.99 it is priced level with the Echo Carbon XL ($199.99) and below the Orvis Clearwater ($298) and Redington Vice ($279.99) on this page. Its medium action is slower than the fast-action Vice and the medium-fast Clearwater.

Redington Vice

The Vice is the fast-action choice on this page; the Redington Classic Trout is a medium-action rod and the Orvis Clearwater medium-fast. At $279.99 it costs more than the Classic Trout and Echo Carbon XL (both $199.99) and less than the Orvis Clearwater ($298).

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Redington Classic Trout	Redington Vice
Length	9 ft (590-4)	9 ft (990-4, the size Hatch Magazine reviewed)
Line Weight	5	9
Action	Medium (Outdoor Life); Redington describes the 590 as medium-fast	Fast
Grip	Reversed half wells	—
Guides	Titanium-oxide stripping guides	Black anodized snake guides
Sections	4-piece	4-piece
Weight	2.9 oz (5-weight, per Hatch Magazine)	—
Warranty	Limited lifetime to original owner	—
Material	—	Multi-modulus carbon fiber

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