Last spring Hammerhead Industries sent me a selection of retractors called
Gear Keepers for a review. Normally, I could test a similar product and
form an opinion in a week or maybe two, but not this time. This time I was
testing products with some lofty claims from the manufacturer. I didn't
quite believe they could live up to the promises on the package.
Let's look at the claims and how the tools performed.
Corrosion proof - OK, this isn't a bold claim, but I've used products
that didn't meet this standard. Hammerhead's products surpassed the
standard with stainless hardware, stainless springs and nylon coated
stainless steel cables. Obviously designed for saltwater use.
60lb break strength - This was a fun test. Buford, my basset hound,
weighs about 60 pounds, but he wouldn't have anything to do with my plans,
so I had to settle for a harness and 60 pounds of lead shot. (Hey, some of
us reloaders have resources that come in handy for other things too.) Yup,
it held sixty pounds and more, but the hook I used to test it didn't fare
so well.
Secure mounting - I've lost a few tools from my vest in the past. For
some reason, the little pins usually found on retractors like to bend and
come loose. Not so with these tools. The attachment devices used on
Hammerhead retractors are secure enough to rip the front off your fly vest
before they fail. The handy fly patch on some of the keepers is nice too.
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Buying a Hammerhead retractor isn't cheap, (they cost about $20 apiece),
but you'll never have to replace one because it broke or fell off your
vest. I call that a good investment.