Fly Tying Vises: Budget, Mid-Price, and Baller

As winter approaches, I'm sure many of you are eager to take advantage of the cold weather and fill up your fly boxes again. Some of you may have had a vise for years and are looking to upgrade, while others might be getting into fly tying for the very first time. Either way, purchasing a vise involves several factors that need to be considered to ensure you get the right one for your needs. In this post, I'll be diving into my favorite vises across three different price points: budget, mid-range, and high-end. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced tier, you should find some helpful suggestions for your next vise.

When it comes to budget vises, it's important to tread carefully and ensure you're still investing in a quality product. Many ultra-cheap vises have poor-quality jaws, which can cause your hook to slip every time you apply pressure with the thread. I personally experienced this with my first vise, which led me to stop tying for a couple of years until I upgraded.

That said, my pick for the best budget vice is the Peak Rotary Vise. The Peak meets all the essential criteria for a solid tying experience and even includes features typically found at higher price points. The jaws on this vise can accommodate hook sizes ranging from 2/0 all the way down to 26. Made from hardened and tempered steel, they are built to last. The rest of the vise is also made of steel, so you don’t have to worry about durability.

The Peak is a true rotary vise, which means the hook shank rotates around the same axis. While true rotary vises are generally found at higher price points, having this feature on a budget vise can help speed up your workflow and make some of the trickier aspects of tying easier to manage. Peak is based in Colorado, and the vise is made in the U.S., making it a no-brainer as the best budget vise for me.

For the mid-range price point, my pick is the Renzetti Traveler. The Traveler is the most popular vice in the world—and for good reason. It features top-notch jaws that can securely hold hooks of any size and offer excellent hook-holding power. Like the Peak, the Traveler is also a true rotary vise, so if you're coming from a vise like the Peak, you won’t miss out on this feature.

What I love most about the Traveler is how portable it is. As the name implies, the Traveler is designed for ease of mobility. It has a lightweight construction so you can easily toss it in the car for a local tying night with friends or bring it all the way out to Pyramid Lake to tie up your hot patterns. It also comes in a variety of colors, which is a nice touch if you want your vice to stand out. Renzetti is a family-owned company, and all their products are made in the U.S., which makes them a brand I highly recommend.

For those wondering why I’ve chosen two vises for the high-end category, it's because when you're looking to spend this much on a vise, you're likely an experienced tier with a workflow that benefits from a true rotary or in-line rotary system. So, I’ve picked my favorite in each category.

Regal Revolution: Regal makes the best vise jaws on the market—period. They’re self-adjusting and will hold any hook size without requiring a lot of fiddling. The Regal is an in-line rotary vise, which sets it apart from the true rotary models on this list. If you're coming from a true rotary system, this might not be the right choice for you. However, many commercial tiers use the Regal for good reason: it’s incredibly reliable, easy to use, and highly efficient.

Dyna-King Barracuda Deluxe: The Dyna-King is made with high-quality steel and versatile jaws, just what you’d expect from a vise at this price point. The main draw of the Barracuda Deluxe, however, is its versatility and the sheer number of adjustments you can make to tailor the vise to your exact needs. It's a true rotary vise, but unlike the Peak and Renzetti, the Barracuda has multiple joints that allow you to fine-tune the positioning, making it a favorite among commercial and signature tiers alike.

Tying season is upon us, and I hope all of you are able to level up your tying game and fill those boxes with new patterns. Keep an eye out for tying nights and classes this winter, and feel free to stop by the shop to check out the vises mentioned above—and many more.

I hope this post was helpful and maybe even inspired someone to buy their first vise.