June 08, 2012Fly Fishing News
Waterworks/Lamson drag system
People keep talking to us about the smooth drag system of the Waterworks/Lamson reels and wanting to know how it’s achieved. So we thought we’d share some information on this.
The secret is in the unique, patented conical drag system that features on all WW-L reels.
Here are the details from the manufacturer:
The drag system in all of the Lamson/Waterworks reels consists of a pair of precisely matched conical elements which are drawn together with spring tension to produce variable rates of smooth rotational braking.
By re-configuring the surface area of traditional disks into a pair of matching conical elements we were able to seal the drag completely from moisture, salt and grit. And since the mass of the drag elements is centralized, the spool's rotating mass is much lower which makes the reel more responsive to light drag settings.
Because the average radius of the contact surface is much smaller (being conical rather than disk-shaped), start-up torque is too low to measure. US Patent #5,915,639; other patents pending.
So to sum up:
· Light weight drag system that keeps the total reel weight to a minimum.
· A sealed system that keeps the drag consistent regardless of conditions.
· A large disc surface area for maximum stopping power when needed, but without the bulkiness of a traditional drag design.
· Extremely low start-up inertia due to the drag elements being at the very centre of the reel.
· Practically maintenance free.
Add to this the functional and contemporary design and the superior surface treatments (Hard Alox and Type II anodising) our claim is that these are the best AND coolest reels on the market today.
