In your review of 2004 vises in Fly Fisherman Magazine you didn’t recommend the Peak over the Renzetti Traveler (or the other way around). What changed your mind? I studied your review carefully before buying the Traveler.
P.S. Either you or Bruce said “For the majority of tiers who want a true rotary, the Traveler Cam is all you will ever need. The design is simple and functional, and at $160 with pedestal base, or $155 with C-clamp, this vice is a great choice.”
[This message has been edited by bluehackle (edited 19 February 2005).]
Don’t want to make a big issue of this but should I conclude that you did not agree with the review even though it had your name on it as a co- reviewer?
Bruce’s review is sound one, but the Renzetti Traveler review was part of round one, conclusion relative to the crop reviewed in the $100-200 price range.
The next year the Peak vise was introduced, and reviewed (by me). I find it a better product.
The Renzetti Traveler has many fans. I just do not count myself among them as the best buy in the marketplace today.
I found some very interesting comments here concerning the two vises. I have a Renzetti Traveler and have tyed on it for about 8 years. In general it is a good vise, but like others, I have found it does not hold larger hooks (size 10 and larger) well. To tye on these larger hooks, I bought a Regal vise which works very well. I asked the Renzetti people if perhaps there was something wrong with my vise jaws as it is suppose to hold hooks larger than 10’s. Basically they wanted to sell me a new set of jaws rather than look at the ones I have. The assumed they needed to be replaced. Thus, I feel for the price you pay for this vise, the customer service and attention to service is lacking. I have never tyed on a Peak, but if it were me, I would give them a try as I don’t have much confidence in Renzetti should you have a problem.
The $165 Traveler has to small of a base,to short of a stem and the brass tension knobs with plastic washers for the rotory arm are BUTT!Which make the arm move up and down when tying.
The $129 Peak has a huge base and long stem with a rock solid and smooth rotory arm that has no up and down movement when tying(No BUTT tension knobs with plastic washers like the Traveler).
The Peaks tension screw for the rotory arm is located under the rotory shaft which keeps material on the material clip(spring) from catching up on the screw like it does on the Travler which is located on the side.
The Peak has a great cam lock for the jaw that really holds a hook with out the use of a rubber O ring like the Traveler.
The Travler was my first vice that I started tying on and I really thought it was the cats ass until I started using a Peak.
I broke out the Traveler last night just to see if the Peak was really that much better to tie on and I wanted to throw the Traveler in the trash but my kids tie on it.
The Traveler in NO way holds a candle to the Peak other than being small and portable.
That’s my 2 cents.
Brent.
[This message has been edited by wickedcarpenter (edited 19 February 2005).]
I don’t own a Traveler, but one of my friends does, and I have tied on it quite a bit. It’s fine with smaller hooks, but lacks strength, IMHO, with the larger sizes. Have never tied on or seen a Peak vise, but faced with a choice between the two, I’d choose the Peak, only from photos…
Wow, I didn’t expect this many replies. I’m actually probably gonna buy both of them now and end up reslling one of them on ebay later on. My friend that has the Renzetti traveller used to work at Cabellas when he bought it, so he didn’t invest a lot of money in it. He is willing to let me have it for $80 ( although he does owe me a lot of favors ). I have not been able to see the Peak vixe in person yet. I live in Kansas, we are not known for our large number of fly shops. I will have a better idea in a week or two, will let you all know what my opinion is then.
Depends what you tie of course. But living in the Rockies I tie small. (as Riverdancer says “elephants eat peanuts”.
The traveler is exactly what it name implies-“traveler” . If you want to tie large salt versions there is a vice for that. As for myself…They’ll have to pry my traveler out of my cold dead hands.
I drive a Ford, but I know those Chevys are better…sheesh.
[This message has been edited by chewydog (edited 20 February 2005).]
I own and tie on both. For small flies(24s-26s) I prefer the jaws on the peak. I fancy them the best midge jaws on a true rotary.
I am very picky, have even had a special set of midge jaws made for my renzetti. It is very nice to have a machinist for a fishing partner ;-).
Peak gives great customer service, had a slight problem with my peak and posted the problem on this site. Kurt from peak emailed me within 48 hrs. with the fix.
Don’t be critical of JC or FT for recommending a vice they don’t tie on. They are experts and quite capable of analyizing the good and bad points of any vice. I had a comerrcial tier tie on my peak (he ties on a dyna-king), he loved the concepts of the vice but hated tieing on it because he wasn’t used to it.
Anyway, two great vices, you can’t go wrong.
Peak for small flies, Renzetti for all around is my recommendation. A neck and neck horse race!
Oh boy what can of worms are open here. I could smell it over at another thread. Just kidding!!! I just bought the Peak and havent tyed on a Renzetti I guess some day I might have to but, for the mean time my Peak vise is all that I expected from a Rotary vise. I havent experienced any problems with function or stability at all. The originator of this post has a lot of homework to do I know I just did it. I basically made my decision on price and I feel Ive gotten more than what I paid for.
Ron