Hardy Ultralite DD Fly Reel Review

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Everybody who picks up the Hardy Ultralite DD fly reel says, “Wow that’s really nice.”

Offered in a range of sizes from the 3000 (for 3, 4, and 5 wt lines) up through 10,000 (for 10, 11, and 12 wt lines), this fly reel features an easy spool release and a simple left to right conversion. The ultra large arbor holds the line in big coils and makes for quick line retrieval. Available in silver and in black, this value fly reel is good looking and quite pleasant to use. With many of the details of more spendy reels, but with a comparatively modest price tag, the Ultralite DD by Hardy is quickly gaining fans.

A High Quality Value Fly Reel
One of the fly fishing guides at Jans started using the Ultralite DD and reported something along the lines of, ‘woah this is great for the price,’ so then other guides began using and enjoying these fly reels too. Now, Jans customers have started with one and then come back and bought more of these reels for their other rods.

They’re perfect if you want something dependable without spending $500-800 like you might with other options. If you’re looking at modestly priced reels, the Hardy Ultralite DD is worth stepping up to. It’s nice as a first decent fly reel, and it’s even appreciated by anglers who’ve been at it for a long time and just want an everyday, do-it-all trout reel that’s really well priced for having a lot of the features of the more expensive models.

What does the name ‘Hardy Ultralite DD’ mean? Lets break it down.

Hardy
Following the popular old school Hardy tradition, but with new school engineering and production, the Hardy Ultralite DD is an improvement on a great classic, continuing the legacy of Hardy’s strong fly reel design.

Ultralite
Made with anodized bar stock 6061 aluminum alloy, this fly reel is heavily machined with a lot of the metal cut away in order to save weight. The very lightweight yet sturdy design is quite practical and also quite aesthetically pleasing.

DD (Disc Drag)
This Hardy fly reel has a strong, semi-sealed bearing disc drag (DD). A multi stack of fiber composite parts is made of synthetic material rather than cork, for consistent dependability. Beyond being smooth working, it requires no maintenance because it won’t get sand and grit in it. And there is a wide range of disc mechanisms from very light to a powerful tension that’s more than enough for any fresh water fish.

Lightweight and easy to use, with an ultra large arbor and a fiber disc drag system, the handsome Hardy Ultralite DD fly reel is a solid option for affordable lightweight performance.

Kendall Fischer, Content Writer