Let me start by saying that I have been using Van Staal reels since 2006, that’s easy math, it’s 20 years! And I don’t use these reels to look cool or to look like I know what I’m doing… I use them because they have never let me down and they have stood up to my “maintenance light” lifestyle. Ask any surf guy or offshore tuna chaser to give you one word to describe a Van Staal reel and they’ll likely use one of these: rugged, reliable, tough or durable. Those words are music to the ears of anyone that fishes obsessively and, if my experience is any kind of measure, they live up to the hype.
The one place where my lineup of VS reels has sometimes fallen short is retrieve speed. During those times when blitzing bass have shown a definite preference for a torpedoed Magic Swimmer, or when bluefin want that stickbait ripping along the surface, or when trying to keep a big pencil ‘doing the dance’ in a crosswind. Another time you want that faster pickup would be fighting a big fish in heavy current or when you’re cranking back 120-yards of line after a long jig drift in a place like the Cape Cod Canal or retrieving a deep jig offshore. As Earl Evans, Van Staal sales rep and hardcore fisherman said, “There’s a wide variety of angler types and we’re just trying to make tools that cover all those niche bases.”
The FX2 lives in the same body as the X2 we all know and love, but ups the retrieve speed by between 20 and nearly 27%. Earl mentioned numerous times that Van Staal, as much as they’re known for durability and reliability, are also known for superior cranking power, and the trick with the FX2 was finding a balance that offered both. “This reel series is going to be great for the topwater striper guys that want to maintain that perfect cadence. It’s also awesome for deep jigging applications, because that little bit of extra pickup, keeps you that much more connected to your jig working deep below the boat,” Earl added.
As a surfcaster, I’m excited about the FX2 for things like the added responsiveness I’ll get with big glidebaits and the increased ability to fast-crank ‘panic plugs’ like the Stick Shadd or Banana. I’m also expecting that extra pickup to be a game-changer when a big fish eats a pencil popper out at the end of a long cast, that ability to pick up the line belly more quickly will result in firmer hooksets and more fish hitting the beach.
So here are the raw details, the Van Staal FX2 comes standard with all of the rugged features of the original X2; in that it is fully-sealed, machined from 6061 aircraft aluminum, features a titanium main shaft and a new longer handle with power knob for greater cranking assistance. The breakdowns are as follows…
| Model | Ratio | Inches Per Turn | Max Drag |
| VSX2 150 | 4.75:1 | 30 | 30 pounds |
| VSFX2 150 | 5.4:1 | 38 | 30 pounds |
| VSX2 200 | 4.25:1 | 34.5 | 42 pounds |
| VSFX2 200 | 5.1:1 | 41.5 | 42 pounds |
| VSX2 250 | 4.25:1 | 36 | 42 pounds |
| VSFX 250 | 5.1:1 | 44 | 42 pounds |
So if you’re looking for a “diesel” reel with a little more speed, Van Staal has swooped in to give you what you need. A reel with a long and proven track record, one that can take a beating and dish it right back out, too. The VSFX2 series is sure to be winner whether you’re fishing from shore or way, way offshore. Check it out.
