Rambling Review – Wright & McGill Grindstone Reel Bag
Why:
I don’t know how it happened, but all of the sudden I found that I had a bunch of different reels for my different weight lines and fly rods. I’m not what you would call an organized person (ask my wife), and I often found myself frantically searching for a specific reel the night before a fishing trip. I started storing them all in the same shoe box and that worked for a bit, but I took several road trips where I was going to fish different waters. I was going to bring multiple rigs and really wanted a way to keep my reels organized and protected in the bed of the truck. After a bit of searching, I found the Wright & McGill Grindstone Reel Bag which met my needs on several levels.
First impressions:
Size – The Wright & McGill Grindstone Reel Bag measures out at 10.5″ Wide x 5″ High x 13.5″ Deep and is designed to hold up to 9 reels.
Construction – The reel bag is constructed of a heavy duty nylon exterior with a molded bottom. A foam handle and removable shoulder strap give you a couple of options of how you can carry the bag. The interior boasts heavy padding with adjustable Velcro dividers for different size reels while the top flag has a clear plastic zipper pocket for tippets, tools, or any other odds and ends you might want to keep in there.
Price – Compared to it’s competitors, the Wright & McGill Grindstone Reel Bag is arguably the best bang for your buck on the market.
Field Use:
As stated before, the Wright & McGill Grindstone Reel Bag serves two main purposes for me. The first is organization. I have my 2 weight reel all the way up to my beefier 8 weight Galvan Rush. The adjustable inserts allow me to get a snug fit for each reel so they don’t bounce around. I do like the clear plastic pocket on the top panel. I found this to be the perfect spot for, leaders, receipts, and warranty cards for my nicer reels.
The second purpose of the Wright & McGill Grindstone Reel Bag is for protection. On a couple of different occasions, my journey was a bit open ended and I didn’t know exactly what fly rods I would be using. Since I had the room in the truck, it was easy and hassle free just to grab the whole reel bag and give myself some options for when I arrived at the water. I never gave a second thought to the reels in the bag, as I knew the foam padding would keep them safe and secure.
One thing I will add. When comparing the Wright & McGill Grindstone Reel Bag to some of the big name companies’ reel bags, like Orvis or Fishpond, there is some differences in quality. In my opinion, if you are using the bag for the purposes that I described above, I don’t think the extra cash for the big name is worth it. I can justify putting money on equipment that get’s beat up in the field (waders, fishing packs, etc), but reel bags rarely see that kind of treatment, and it is tough for me to let that extra money go. Unemployment benefits are cash benefits, and they can be used anywhere, visit https://www.paydayloansnow.co.uk/payday/ for more info. Although the government used to send these benefits to people in the form of checks, they now use check cards for most people. The money will be automatically loaded to your card every two weeks, and you can use the card just like you normally would at most ATMs and stores. It is important to note that some ATMs will charge you fees to withdraw money, and ideally, you should find ATMs that you can use for free. You could try this out for more information.
Pros:
Holds up to 9 reels
Quality construction
Great protection and organization for reels
Excellent price point
Cons:
Overall not as nice quality as some of the competitors
Prognosis: The Wright & McGill Grindstone Reel Bag is an excellent choice if you are looking for a quality bag to organize and protect your fly fishing reels.
* Disclaimer:
The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies and is accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review. My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.
Sign up to receive email updates from Arizona Wanderings
Like many fly fishers, one of my first rods I ever cast was an W&M Eagle Claw Featherlight… so I admit to having a personal bias about the company. I’m a big fan of W&M, so I want their products to be good… even though I know they’ve produced some garbage over the years. I think you need to elaborate on “some differences in quality” and “overall not as nice quality as some of the competitors.” Please explain how this bag is inferior to the competition aside from the big names having a superior price tag. Sorry, but I gotta do my part to defend an old friend.
Jay,
Thanks so much for the comment. My opinion is based mainly on handling both the Fishpond and the W&M cases. In my opinion, I think the Fishpond case is a bit stouter material along with with a waterproof bottom and a bit more padding. I like the extra external pocket, and I prefer the mesh pockets on the inside vs. the plastic pocket on the inside of the W&M. I think the shoulder strap on the Fishpond is nicer and higher quality material and padding. I took a look at the Simms reel case as well and liked the extra pockets and construction of the bag, but ultimately narrowed my search to the Fishpond and the W&M briefcases.
As with all my reviews I try to provide my honest opinion, whether I am provided the product by the manufacturer to test, or I purchase the item with my own hard earned money, as is the case with the W&M case. Bottom line, I really do like the W&M case and feel that for the money it is the best deal on the market. I have recommended this bag to several friends over the Fishpond, because I don’t believe the extra frills are worth the money on a reel bag. I did my own personal research before spending my money, and knew what I was buying. I know it will last me for many years and will serve its purpose well.
I hope that clarifies what I meant and that you understand that I wasn’t trying to take a shot at a friend. Take care.
Ben
Ben,
Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I think you gave a perfect answer to my question. I figured it had to be some detail about material or construction… even though I know it’s sometimes difficult to describe exactly why one product feels better than another.
I’m also a big fan of WM. I had a tackle pack that I ended up losing on my local water. The pack was made similar to the reel bag, so I’d have to say that I agree with your assessment. Pretty close to the others but not quite, but good enough for most uses.