Lamson Releases New Lightspeed Micra 5 Fly Reels

The New Lamson Litespeed Micra 5 Edition for 2017 is now showing up on our doorstep. At time of writing this we have size #2's ready to ship. Other sizes will start filtering in throughout October. 

What's new and different with the Micra 5 generation of Litespeed? And what does the term "Micra 5" refer to?

"Micra" refers to a brand-new finish, never before used on any fly fishing reel except by us on the 20th Anniversary Force reel. This new finish is 20 times more impervious to corrosion than standard anodize, and is as hard as Type III Hard Alox. The "5" in "Micra 5" refers to the fifth generation of Litespeed.

Lamson Litespeed Micra 5

The drag housing is made from the same solid bar stock as the frame -- no separate threaded cassette. This allows the reel to be narrower, reduces mass and strengthens the frame.

Though larger in each line weight vs. the prior generation, it's actually lighter in mass through integrated drag housing and more frame porting.

More aggressive ratios (larger diameter/narrower spool) means faster retrieve and easier line management.

New and improved drag knob with zero snag points features full diameter with aggressive serrated knurling.

Altogether, the best Litespeed we've ever made!

Check out how Lamson Reels are made in this Vimeo

The Making of a Waterworks-Lamson Reel from Waterworks-Lamson on Vimeo.

Since Litespeed’s inception in 1998 the relationship between it and Force reels has been a constant one. Inventive ideas that first take shape in the Force have been put to work in Litespeed’s more conventional structure, which has over time resulted in one of the most successful and influential fly reels of the last two decades.

We’ve learned from history, and we’re repeating it with the Generation 5 Litespeed. In 2016 we introduced design changes to the Force SL that resulted in engineering alchemy: A fly reel structure that is larger in diameter, stronger and yet lighter.

1. By integrating the drag housing into the frame, the housing itself becomes a structural member, increasing stiffness and strength.
2. Eliminating the cassette and the threaded overlaps reduces material and thus weight.
3. The integrated housing is much narrower and the frame /drag unit much lighter.
4. A narrower drag can support a narrower spool, which results in additional weight reduction.

But what if the reel we’re talking about is already the lightest full drag reel in the world? Perhaps then, as a designer, you think about weight savings as money in the bank, and maybe you decide to spend it elsewhere – by increasing the overall diameter of the reel and trading weight savings into improved retrieve rate.

Hence the new Litespeed: Higher retrieve rate, narrower spool for improved line handling, stiffer frame. Specific to Litespeed you’ll find enhanced 3D milling for better material distribution and an improved ergonomic drag knob for better grip.

Lastly, the Gen 5 Litespeed comes wrapped in a spectacular new finish process first used on the Force SL 20th Anniversary edition, called Micralox. Far more environmentally protective than Type III anodize and even more scratch resistant, Micralox is a proprietary process found only on specific Waterworks and Lamson reels.

We invite you to meet Litespeed Micra 5. As something Yogi Berra might have said, it’s like history repeating itself all over again.

Gorge Fly Shop Team"Fly Fish The World With Us"