VIXYN Rod & Reel Case Review (Hands-on & Tested)

When you buy a new fly rod, odds are you’ll receive a rod tube with your purchase. These rod tubes are often fairly standard and don’t always do a great job of protecting your brand new toy. Most companies are more concerned with the rod rather than the storage they provide.

Purchasing a third party rod tube is often a smart idea. Companies that specialize in fly fishing storage know what it takes to keep your equipment protected.

I’ve had several rods damaged throughout my years in fly fishing due to poorly made fly rod tubes. The tubes were from the companies that I purchased the fly rod from. Since I’ve had those rods damaged, I’ve made a conscious effort to purchase tubes from different companies who understand the importance of storage.

One of these purchases was the VIXYN Rod and Reel Case. Since then, I’ve given it a thorough testing on several occasions, as I’ll explain in this review. Based on that use, combined with my years of fly fishing experience, I’ll tell you the features of this product, where it shines, and where it may fall short.

Why Trust My VIXYN Fly Fishing Rod & Reel Case Review?

I’ve carried around my most expensive rod and reel in this rod tube over my past three trips to the water. I’m by no means kind to my gear, so I was a bit nervous about how this rod case would perform. I made it a point to not give it any special treatment, and I dropped it into the river onto some rocks at some point.

Plus, at Into Fly Fishing, we only review gear that has been personally used by our writers. We’re hardcore anglers, and we know what we like and what we don’t like. Of course, my main point of comparison for this case was the other cases and tubes I’ve owned over the years, many of which were pretty poor quality. I wanted to like it, but I also had high expectations.

I grew more and more fond of VIXYN’s design when I gave this tube a shot, and on my subsequent fishing trips, I found that I liked it even more.

Watch the VIXYN Rod & Reel Case Review

What’s in the Box?

When you receive the VIXYN Fly Rod and Reel Case, you’ll notice a few different items that are useful. VIXYN goes out of its way to make sure you receive items that will make your time on the water that much easier.

Waterproof Bag

The rod tube comes in a black waterproof cinch bag. This is something you won’t see other companies do. This bag is fairly large, and I used it to store several of my other rods that I wanted to bring along on the trip.

You can keep the VIXYN rod tube in the bag if you want, but it can serve other purposes.

Fly Box

Vixyn sends along a double sided fly box when you purchase the rod tube. This fly box can store enough flies for a few days on the water. I keep mine stored in the zippered pocket on the side of the reel storage portion of the tube. It’s no surprise that it fits perfectly.

Rod Tube

At first glance, you’ll notice the sleek design and ease of access you have with the VIXYN rod tube. The zipper is easy to maneuver, and there’s plenty of room for your reel as well as your fly rod.

VIXYN Fly Fishing Rod and Reel Case Features & Specs

Third party fly rod tubes aren’t always durable and their designs don’t always make sense. The VIXYN fly rod tube was designed by someone who spends quite a bit of time on the water, so you don’t have to worry about any frustrating features.

Build Quality

The Vixyn Fly Fishing Rod and Reel Case is made of a durable nylon wrapped around the hard plastic tubing. The nylon is tearproof and able to withstand being tossed and dropped without showing any signs of wear or tear. As mentioned,  I dropped it on rocks in the river, and I also tossed it into the bed of my truck. You’d barely know it looking at the case today.

The zippers are fully sealed and can easily be opened and closed without any extra string getting in the way. This is another feature of cases that I don’t treat well, but the zipper is still holding up great.

The straps are also quality. The shoulder strap is adjustable in case you want to hoist it over your shoulder or carry it around in your hand during your travels.

Reel Pouch Padding

Whenever anglers purchase rod tubes with a reel pouch, the main concern is how much padding surrounds the reel. If the tube is dropped or stepped on, or slammed in a door, how will it protect your reel? VIXYN has a nice amount of padding around the reel. There’s not just a thin piece of nylon separating the reel from the outside world.

It’s not overly thick, so if you know you’ll be doing some intense traveling or that the tube is going to take a beating, keep this in mind. VIXYN could have added a bit more padding here. Reels are an extremely costly thing, and if a reel breaks, an entire fishing excursion takes the brunt of it.

External Pocket

More fly fishing companies need to start adding external pockets to their rod tubes. By adding this small pocket, VIXYN allows anglers to have quite a bit more organization. It’s large enough for me to fit an extra spool or any fishing accessories I may need.

I’ve also been able to shove a fly box in that pocket, when it was needed. This feature has made my life as an angler that much more organized.

Fly Box

VIXYN is also kind enough to send along a fly box with the purchase of the rod tube. This fly box is double sided, clear and waterproof. While it’s on the smaller side, it has plenty of room for me to store an entire day’s worth of flies in it.

It’s a nice added feature that many companies don’t offer. I filled the box up with flies and now I keep it stored in the pocket so I know that those are the flies to be handled by that specific rod.

Dimensions

This rod and reel case is 30.5 inches long, and the reel pouch drops about 5 inches below the tube. When I’ve been carrying around a heavy 9′ 8 weight with an 8 weight reel, I’ve had plenty of room to store the reel. VIXYN made sure that you can keep your reel attached to whatever rod you’re using.

The tube can fit up to a four piece 9′ rod. Obviously, if you want to store anything smaller, it’s possible. Most rods on the market aren’t longer than 9′, and if they are, they’re usually for a special purpose. You must hope that the company you purchased the rod from will provide a quality rod tube.

Inner Pockets

It’s important for rod tubes to have dividers. If they don’t, the different parts of your rod will bang around against each other and potentially cause some damage. This isn’t what you want when you’re ready to head out to the water. VIXYN provides four different sleeves for your rod.

This way, you can have peace of mind that no matter how bouncy or rough things get, the pieces of your rod are going to stay where they need to be. The inside of this tube is quite large, so you could even store two rods in it if you needed to.

While you can’t keep both reels attached, you can keep two rods that you can use with the same reel. The added size can easily be used. Fly anglers know how precious any bit of space can be when packing for a trip.

VIXYN Fly Fishing Rod and Reel Case Review: My Personal Thoughts

The VIXYN Fly Fishing Rod and Reel Case is a quality option that will do the job you require of it. Whether I was carrying it to the car or the river, I’ve always felt confident that it would protect my gear and the extras I’d packed into it.

VIXYN is making a name for themselves in the fly fishing storage world, and their work is nothing to doubt.

Pros

VIXYN takes pride in this product. They offer a 100 percent money back guarantee if you don’t like it, and they also send along a free fly box with the purchase of the tube.

A company that’s willing to put their reputation on the line and send along an added bonus is one that deserves respect. I still use the VIXYN waist pack, and I’m planning on continuing to use the rod sleeves that came with the case.

This is an affordable rod and reel case for anglers. For around $45, you won’t be disappointed. Some companies charge nearly $100 for a rod tube. Most anglers don’t have that type of money floating around, but they want to keep their equipment safe. This rod tube will do that for an affordable price.

The VIXYN tube and case is roomy and easy to travel with. I carried it on a 6 mile hike into some backcountry and I wasn’t frustrated at any time with the rod. The strap stayed secure. It took scrapings from bushes and bumps from rocks quite well and kept my rod and reel safe the entire time. It proved its durability well.

Cons

My biggest issue with the VIXYN rod and reel case is that there isn’t as much padding around the reel as I’d like. Again, it’s not as if there’s nothing there, but I’m not fully confident that it can keep my reel safe after a high drop or serious impact.

Obviously, I don’t want to risk breaking any of my equipment, so I’ll definitely second guess where I place this tube and how I carry it.

I also wish there were more colors! While the gray looks nice, I’d like to have the option of a couple of different colors. This isn’t a knock against the quality or makeup of the tube, but I like to keep my rods in as subtle of tubes as possible. I don’t want to bring attention to them when I store them in my vehicle.

Conclusion

At first sight, l instantly realized that I’d received a quality rod tube when I purchased this one from VIXYN. I appreciate its makeup, size and durability. Although it’s not perfect, it’s miles ahead of the sometimes cheap tubes and cases you often get with a new rod or reel.

For fly anglers, our rods and reels are our lifeblood. If anything happens to them, we’re in trouble. Based on my experience using this rod and reel case, I know that I can trust VIXYN with my equipment.

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