raycan2
Active member
I am about to pull the trigger on a H3, Does any one have any opinions on it or have used it.
Orvis Helios 3
- Thread starter raycan2
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brownbass
Well-known member
Which one, What weight? I cast an F when shopping 5 wt rods and liked it. I didn't buy one as I didn't know what I wanted at the time. From the reviews the D is the better of the two as far as accuracy is concerned.
Bill
Bill
I cast the 5 weight D and thought it was wonderful. Very accurate and easy to get distance but still loaded up fairly well in tight. Very light and sensitive. I would think it would make a great rod all around trout rod.
sweetandsalt
Well-known member
I have yet to see much less cast an H3 and won't until a month from now at the Fly Fishing Show in NJ. Based on my experiences with H2 tip vs. mid, I would strongly suspect the D is the pick over the F. A friend I trust who is a great caster has tried them and was unimpressed. My only opinion at this time, graphics aside, is their advertising hyperbole about "accuracy" turns me off. Unless a rod is just awful, accuracy stems from the caster not the rod.
raycan2
Active member
So right now I have a two Orvis rods 3wt 7’6” carbon superfine and a 4wt 9’ Recon and now I want a 5 or 6 wt Helios. I am looking at the D version. Lol aside the white side wall tire look on it the he reviews look great. I have a chance to pick up the Helios 2 for a good price in a 5wt but was not sure if it’s worth paying a little more for the H3.
sweetandsalt
Well-known member
I have yet to read an independent review, only ones from commercially biased sources. My wife fishes an H2 tip #5 and it is a very good but not great rod, light and easy are its pluses. I suspect the new H3 may be better but, where I you, I'd make an effort to cast them side by side. Unless you are a dedicated Orvis man, I would strive to include some of the other newer 9'/#5's in my comparison too.
sweetandsalt
Well-known member
Avante, NRX/LP, SKY, X, Air...
I had the opportunity to cast an H3 6D (with fighting butt) for about 5 minutes recently - so certainly, not a great deal of time. The only line I had in the car was a Rio Perception 6wt so my impressions are based only on that line. I cast the rod with roughly 10, 20, 30, and 40 feet of line out of the tip. Until I got more to about 40 feet I felt I had no sense of either the line or the rod.
First impressions can sometimes be wrong, but I didn't come away thinking it was as good as an X or Radian of the same configuration.
First impressions can sometimes be wrong, but I didn't come away thinking it was as good as an X or Radian of the same configuration.
Yeah even the 'reviews' talk about rods being more accurate.
clouserguyky
Well-known member
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I like Orvis just fine, but I'd grab a 9' 5 or 6 weight Sage One from Cabela's on closeout myself.
brownbass
Well-known member
From the Orvis site, a came away with the idea that Orvis has come up with their own answer to the blank ovaling (is that a word). Something like the Asquith. As far as rods contributing to the accuracy, the makers are pushing the idea that they have diminished the tremor or wobble on the forward stroke, thereby contributing to the accuracy. Considering the new construction methods and resins it's possible. To me it sounds good, do you think that these claims have any validity?
Bill
Bill
raycan2
Active member
Well I am kind of an Orvis guy, I like the clothes and stuff, plus I can get one at a good price.
iracmiller
Well-known member
I had a chance to test cast the 9' 5wt D about 3 weeks ago at a local shop. Compared to my H2 tip flex, I found it had a bit more power, smoother transition from tip to mid, less tip oscillation and better accuracy, equally light in hand and I could could feel it load with 15' of line out. All in all, a terrific casting rod - better than the H2, but not quite as good as my Asquith. Your results may differ.
raycan2
Active member
I was just goi g to ask the question how it would compare with the H2. I mean I think at the end of the day I am buying one anyways, the H3D with a Hydros reel. I just have to convince myself I need it.
You don't have to NEED it and you don't have to convince yourself. If you want it, and you've got the scratch, order it. When it shows up, you'll know at some point if you should return it or not.
I think for the price of the Hydros reel, I would look at other options.
I have a Loop Opti Dry Fly and a Ross Evo R on my 5 weights, and I often wish I had just put a click/pawl like a Sage Click or Ross Colorado LT on them. Although the Loop with its silent in/out is pretty sweet.
If you want a sealed drag reel at the $200 price point, I would get an Allen Kraken using their 20% code. If you've got an Orvis hookup, then I understand that move too.
sweetandsalt
Well-known member
All hollow, tapered rod blanks become somewhat oval in cross section under load. Asquith less so due to their unique Spiral X construction method. Is it in my mind or real but I "feel" like I sense the resistance to ovalization (is this a word) as I reach down into Asquith's mid to lower taper during the cast. I do not know what Orvis has achieved in this area but plan on talking to them about it at next month's Fly Fishing Show and casting a few examples of H3D too.
Smoothing taper transitions, particularly in the upper third of the blank has been a graphite rod design mantra for decades. Steve Rajeff made great strides with GLX in the 1990's, Redington took it a big step forward with Nti "Nano" in the 2000's and 10 years later, Sage hit a bull's eye with ONE, a tip that recovered straight and fast with virtually no oscillations. Clean and precise tip recovery is very important and contributes to straighter tighter loop legs and enhanced control during line manipulation. It sure can't hurt you accuracy either. Clean, quick tip recovery has never been an Orvis strong suite. They briefly had a talented designer in the 90's who designed rods with sharply responsive tips, but the rod shop hated them fearing excessive breakage. He quit over his needing to "share" design decisions with the bean counters. I have a 4-weight of his which is one of Orvis's best rods ever, it never saw full production and...I have never broken its tip. Orvis seems to vacillate between tip heaviness, going all the way back to their cane rod era, and tip bounciness so a clean tip recovery would be something of a milestone for them.
Since I am resistant to marketing jargon, I will need to cast a few H3 examples myself and then with friends, so I can watch their loop formations and how the tip behaves. The other claim I will strive to detect is Orvis's claimed increase in lower taper reserves, something sorely needed in both Helios and H2.
Personal note: If it sounds like I am being a little judgmental about Orvis rods, I own about 20 of them dating from the end of the 1970's Far&Fine to H2. In 1984 I considered the 8'9"/#5 Orvis Western to be the best trout rod in the world...better than its contemporary Winston WT, even Scott G counterparts.
jspfishing
Well-known member
You a Redington fan? I was looking at the Crux rod but can never find them to try. I was also just looking at the trout classic.
jspfishing
Well-known member
I stumbled upon a holiday promotion for the H3 today at Orvis. I casted the H3 in the 8wt and 5wt and it felt great. Although, I am a beginner, have a cheap rod, and never casted anything else besides my rod. Right away I was able to tell a big difference. Easily get 50+ft effortless. I can feel the rod load perfectly. Just overall smooth. Never felt anything like that before. It's just something I can't afford. I was actually looking at upgrading to the Redington Crux