Van Staal VR series review- Are the spinning reels worth the money?

The Van Staal VR reel series are engineered and tested to be lightweight and long-lasting saltwater spinning reels. They are based on the same foundation that made Van Staal reels legendary for power and durability. These saltwater spinning reels are completely sealed and waterproof reel.

Van Staal VR Reels are the latest evolution of Van Staal spinning reels. They are fully sealed, with a lightweight 6061 aluminum construction and a powerful waterproof drag system. They come from the factory with a bail and a bail-less conversion kit, so you can fish them, however, you like (excludes VR50).

Technical Specifications Chart

Specification Van Staal VR Spinning Reels
Model Range VR50, VR75, VR125, VR150, VR175, VR200
Bearings 13+1 stainless steel ball bearings
Gear Ratio VR50: 4.8:1 / VR75: 4.8:1 / VR125: 4.8:1 / VR150: 4.4:1 / VR175: 4.4:1 / VR200: 4.4:1
Retrieve Rate (in) Varies by model, please refer to the manufacturer’s website for specific retrieve rates
Max Drag (lbs) Varies by model, please refer to the manufacturer’s website for specific max drag values
Line Capacity (Mono) (yds/lb) Varies by model, please refer to the manufacturer’s website for specific line capacities
Line Capacity (Braid) (yds/lb) Varies by model, please refer to the manufacturer’s website for specific line capacities
Line Retrieve per Crank (in) Varies by model, please refer to the manufacturer’s website for specific line retrieve per crank values
Weight (oz) Varies by model, please refer to the manufacturer’s website for specific reel weights
Drag Material Sealed, waterproof drag system
Gear Material Spiral bevel drive gear
Body Material Fully-machined 6061-T6 aluminum
Rotor Material Fully-machined 6061-T6 aluminum
Spool Material Fully-machined 6061-T6 aluminum with line capacity rings
Handle Machined aluminum handle with EVA knob
Reel Handle Position Interchangeable (left or right)
Anti-Reverse Sealed stainless steel anti-reverse bearing
Saltwater Rated Yes, fully sealed and submersible
Price

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Quick Features Overview on Van Staal VR Reel:

– Fully machined 6061 aluminum body
– Fully sealed body and spool design
– Solid titanium spool shaft
– Stainless steel spiral-bevel gear system
– Includes bail-less kit (not on 50 sizes)

Note: The Van Staal VR50 will not come with a kit to convert to bail-less.

Van Staal VR Specs:

– Color: Black or silver
– Gear Ratio: 4.8:1 or 6.3:1
– Reel Handle Position: Right
– Anti-reverse Feature: Instant Anti-Reverse
– Drag Material: Carbon Fiber
– Drag Type: Front Drag
– Reel Spool Material: Aluminum

 Fully sealed Van Staal VR spinning reel review 2024

Sealed Van Staal VR Spinning reels ReviewCheck The Review

The Van Staal VR Series is fully sealed and fully submersible, like its proven predecessor, the X-Series. They are forged and machined from 6061-T6 aluminum, with a solid stainless steel center shaft and titanium nitride coating. Here are other unique features-

Waterproof Sealed Drag 

These reels have a powerful, waterproof drag system with Micro Click tuning accuracy and a lightweight design due to the cutouts in the body, rotor, and spool. Another innovation with the VR-Series is the easy conversion from a bailed reel (packaged this way) to a bail-less reel, using the tool, parts, and instructions included.

Lightweight Design

The Van Staal VR is often chosen by fishermen who want all the features of the VSX, with the option to switch between a bailed reel and bail-less. They’ve also been popular with surf casters looking to save a few ounces and build the lightest rig possible, as most models are even lighter than the already light VSX bailed reels.

Versatile reel

This is the Van Staal VR saltwater spinning reel, and what’s so special about this reel? First of all, it’s super small, super lightweight, and with structured aluminum, this reel is really lightweight. And with all the modern rods out there and all the braids, the thinner braids, and guys fishing with 10, 15, 20-pound braid, you could just do so much with this reel, and I don’t care where you are in the country. It’s just a super versatile reel, and you can throw it on a bunch of different lightweight rods and just have a blast.Van Staal VR Reels Body

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I mean, you can do anything from fluking and porgy fishing all the way up to, you know, football tuna with this thing if you’re in the right spot in the right conditions, so it’s just a really versatile reel that’s super lightweight, and if you’re fishing all day, you won’t get tired.

Fastest gear ratio

It has 13 ball bearings in it, and unlike all other Van Staal’s, this reel actually got a faster gear ratio of six points three to one because, you know, the guys are advanced, so I knew that this was gonna be more of an inshore reel rather than a beach reel, but you can certainly use this from the beach.

Set this reel filled up with like nano filled and threw that down in Florida from the beaches down there something like that just a lot of things you can do with this reel and again it’s fully sealed, so there’s the manual bail you don’t have to worry about any sort of corrosion that kind of stuff let me just keep this thing clean it’s gonna treat you really well.

Just to let you know how thin the body is on this Van Staal VR50, you know, it’s like the width of your finger. But if you look at the bigger models, they are significantly thicker and heavier.

Saltwater Compatible

This reel’s really in a class of its own there’s not very much that can compete with it where that compares to it, and you can look at stuff like Shimano twin power and Shimano Stella and Daiwa Saltiga reels, and those types of saltwater reels but they’re not fully sealed like this thing, this thing you can actually dunk underwater you don’t worry about all that stuff.

And plenty of drag, so it’s just overbuilt, but light, it’s just a really cool reel from, you know, the same guy who created the original Van Staal. So it’s really well made, so I highly recommend the Van Staal VR.


Van Staal VR model specifications:

Model Number:
Bearings: Gear Ratio: Line Per Handle Turn: Weight oz: Mono Line Capacity: Braid Line Capacity: Max Drag:
13 4.8:1 34″ | 86cm 17 285/0.35 440/30 35lb | 15.8kg
13 4.8:1 38″ | 96cm 17.5 340/0.35 530/30 40lb | 18.1kg
13 4.8:1 40″ | 102cm 18 380/0.35 500/40 40lb | 18.1kg

Van Staal VR50

14 6.3:1 37″ | 94cm 9 200/0.30 360/20 25lb | 11.3kg

Van Staal VR50B

14 6.3:1 37″ | 94cm 9 200/0.30 360/20 25lb | 11.3kg
13 4.8:1 32″ | 80cm 16.6 200/0.30 400/20 35lb | 15.8kg

Van Staal VR Video:

Van Staal VR Series Spinning Reels at ICAST 2015
Watch this video

More Reviews On Van Staal Reels

My Personal Opinion About Van Staal VR Fishing Reel

A must-have for the surf

I love this reel!

Light as a feather

I caught a couple of schoolies with it, and it performed well. The drag was loud, unlike the bigger VR versions. Light as a feather, I could cast with it all day. I paired my Van Staal VR 50 with my Tsunami Airwave elite. The new versions come with a manual pickup kit conversion too.

Invincible!

Super Smooth!

Durable- Still new 4 years later!

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