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Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Thu May 14, 2020 12:06 pm
by Polkfish1
I've gone down a new rabbit hole with these. Figured I'd start a new thread since that one on the steez racing design went off topic a bit.
Once these were shipped, they came really fast; maybe I got lucky. The hunt for these and wait time until shipping took longer than average.
Fit and finish is really impressive and cannot be fully appreciated in pictures I think. I didn't think much of the looks of these rods when browsing online, but it's jarring when you start to molest them. Every little detail is there for a reason. Really attractive in their simplicity. Someone mentioned that they liked the feel of the grip and it's really noticeable. The access to the blank is exceptional and the manner in which the handle allows you place your thumb and forefinger around the blank while getting a solid grip feels really different from the fuji, daiwa, or shimanos I'm used to. I have not looked at the guides closely, but the rod components seem to be unique in house builds for the most part without much if anything from a fuji or OEM factory on them. Hope they fish as good as they feel in hand. Will report back later.
Re: Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Thu May 14, 2020 1:31 pm
by Tigerbass
Wow....Congrats! Those are gorgeous. I've been looking into the Designos a little bit, but have trouble figuring out the different line of rods they have: Leben, Stealth, Vantage, etc. I know the Lebens are what have been mentioned on here in several threads.
Re: Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Thu May 14, 2020 1:40 pm
by domthewon
Very nice pair you got there. You have some other great rods in your arsenal. I think you will enjoy them once you get to wet some line. Congrats!
Re: Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Thu May 14, 2020 2:51 pm
by Polkfish1
Tigerbass wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 1:31 pm
Wow....Congrats! Those are gorgeous. I've been looking into the Designos a little bit, but have trouble figuring out the different line of rods they have: Leben, Stealth, Vantage, etc. I know the Lebens are what have been mentioned on here in several threads.
I’m a newcomer to these rods myself. I’ve only recently got onto and began poking around on IG. I’m a gen x’er, so I’m sometimes not up to speed. Anyway, I’ve found that Yuki Kamiya has and will post information there, which can then be translated with google.
Re: Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Thu May 14, 2020 11:33 pm
by hungry_cow
I got the Leben Torque Tune DLT-C71H + R2 and the DL-C71MH + RST2S rods. Will have to post pictures later. Yes by far the most comfortable gripping rods ive ever held. And with a TDZ it feels like it was all perfectly fitted to my hands! They are understated as you said but the attention to detail is unmatched, in hand they look spectacular. And you will soon find they fish even better than they look! The sensitivity, way they load to cast, load under a fish, everything about them fishing amazingly well. The heavy rod is really nuts, its perfectly balanced and feels light and nimble in hand like a high end medium powered rod but can handle up to 2 or 3 oz without breaking a sweat. I am probably not the best to evaluate as I haven't fished other true top end rods like Steez Racing Designs, Ultimas, Luxxe, or very many Evergreen Kaleidos. But across the board they seem to be clear grade above my lineup of mostly Megabass Destroyers from various lines.
Does anyone know about the Leben Slang line of rods? Some of the longer rods in that series are tempting to me if they are similar to the Torque Tune rods.
Re: Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Fri May 15, 2020 4:44 am
by Polkfish1
hungry_cow wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 11:33 pm
I got the Leben Torque Tune DLT-C71H + R2 and the DL-C71MH + RST2S rods. Will have to post pictures later. Yes by far the most comfortable gripping rods ive ever held. And with a TDZ it feels like it was all perfectly fitted to my hands! They are understated as you said but the attention to detail is unmatched, in hand they look spectacular. And you will soon find they fish even better than they look! The sensitivity, way they load to cast, load under a fish, everything about them fishing amazingly well. The heavy rod is really nuts, its perfectly balanced and feels light and nimble in hand like a high end medium powered rod but can handle up to 2 or 3 oz without breaking a sweat. I am probably not the best to evaluate as I haven't fished other true top end rods like Steez Racing Designs, Ultimas, Luxxe, or very many Evergreen Kaleidos. But across the board they seem to be clear grade above my lineup of mostly Megabass Destroyers from various lines.
Does anyone know about the Leben Slang line of rods? Some of the longer rods in that series are tempting to me if they are similar to the Torque Tune rods.
I’ll have something to report in the future. I didn’t quite stop with these two. I have the slang “Hood” arriving next week.
Re: Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Fri May 15, 2020 4:14 pm
by Aquaftm45
Polkfish1 wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 4:44 am
hungry_cow wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 11:33 pm
I got the Leben Torque Tune DLT-C71H + R2 and the DL-C71MH + RST2S rods. Will have to post pictures later. Yes by far the most comfortable gripping rods ive ever held. And with a TDZ it feels like it was all perfectly fitted to my hands! They are understated as you said but the attention to detail is unmatched, in hand they look spectacular. And you will soon find they fish even better than they look! The sensitivity, way they load to cast, load under a fish, everything about them fishing amazingly well. The heavy rod is really nuts, its perfectly balanced and feels light and nimble in hand like a high end medium powered rod but can handle up to 2 or 3 oz without breaking a sweat. I am probably not the best to evaluate as I haven't fished other true top end rods like Steez Racing Designs, Ultimas, Luxxe, or very many Evergreen Kaleidos. But across the board they seem to be clear grade above my lineup of mostly Megabass Destroyers from various lines.
Does anyone know about the Leben Slang line of rods? Some of the longer rods in that series are tempting to me if they are similar to the Torque Tune rods.
I’ll have something to report in the future. I didn’t quite stop with these two. I have the slang “Hood” arriving next week.
Well played Polk. Still on the hunt for an A+ Designo Racing DLR-C611ML/MHRST2S Tuned by KAMIYA or the Black Bespoke Edition, (which sold out all 16 models in less than a week!)
Anyone know how the Leggera stacks up on the Designo ladder?
Re: Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Sun May 17, 2020 10:13 am
by Teal101
Re: Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Sun May 17, 2020 10:55 am
by LowRange
I want one of those reels so bad but just don't think I could thumb the spool or palm the reel. Thumb goes on the thumb bar and thumb is rocked forward to apply thumb tip pressure to spinning spool. Palming the reel while casting and then just jamming the whole thumb sideways onto the spool seem so wrong but that is how that reel and all palming while casting is done.
Re: Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Sun May 17, 2020 6:45 pm
by Teal101
LowRange wrote: ↑Sun May 17, 2020 10:55 am
I want one of those reels so bad but just don't think I could thumb the spool or palm the reel. Thumb goes on the thumb bar and thumb is rocked forward to apply thumb tip pressure to spinning spool. Palming the reel while casting and then just jamming the whole thumb sideways onto the spool seem so wrong but that is how that reel and all palming while casting is done.
Not really. You just slide your thumb over and rest it on the back of the reel where the thumbar usually is and apply your pressure. For pitching it makes a regular thumb bar seem highly inefficient and uncomfortable due to having to always change hand positions. Its not really made for overhand casting and can be a tad awkward for that.
Re: Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Sun May 17, 2020 6:51 pm
by LowRange
Teal101 wrote: ↑Sun May 17, 2020 6:45 pm
LowRange wrote: ↑Sun May 17, 2020 10:55 am
I want one of those reels so bad but just don't think I could thumb the spool or palm the reel. Thumb goes on the thumb bar and thumb is rocked forward to apply thumb tip pressure to spinning spool. Palming the reel while casting and then just jamming the whole thumb sideways onto the spool seem so wrong but that is how that reel and all palming while casting is done.
Not really. You just slide your thumb over and rest it on the back of the reel where the thumbar usually is and apply your pressure. For pitching it makes a regular thumb bar seem highly inefficient and uncomfortable due to having to always change hand positions. Its not really made for overhand casting and can be a tad awkward for that.
What is awkward about overhead casting? I hold onto the rod and thumb the spool the same way when both pitching and casting. It it casts weird then it will pitch weird for me becuse they are the same thing from an ergonomic sense
Re: Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Sun May 17, 2020 8:22 pm
by Teal101
Do you cast while palming your reel or do you adjust your hand to palm after casting? With this style you are constantly palming it and just sliding your thumb. Its much more ergonomical and efficient imo. That fact you palm it the whole time makes it awkward to overhand cast.
Re: Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Mon May 18, 2020 4:31 am
by LowRange
Teal101 wrote: ↑Sun May 17, 2020 8:22 pm
Do you cast while palming your reel or do you adjust your hand to palm after casting? With this style you are constantly palming it and just sliding your thumb. Its much more ergonomical and efficient imo. That fact you palm it the whole time makes it awkward to overhand cast.
I cast and pitch "normally" on that I only palm the reel when fishing and not when casting. I've seen videos of casting while palming and looks really strange the way they thumb the spool. That's a no go for me. This is why I can't pull the trigger on one of these reels but at the same time I still want one.
Re: Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Mon May 18, 2020 12:53 pm
by Teal101
LowRange wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 4:31 am
Teal101 wrote: ↑Sun May 17, 2020 8:22 pm
Do you cast while palming your reel or do you adjust your hand to palm after casting? With this style you are constantly palming it and just sliding your thumb. Its much more ergonomical and efficient imo. That fact you palm it the whole time makes it awkward to overhand cast.
I cast and pitch "normally" on that I only palm the reel when fishing and not when casting. I've seen videos of casting while palming and looks really strange the way they thumb the spool. That's a no go for me. This is why I can't pull the trigger on one of these reels but at the same time I still want one.
Its really not that strange at all and is actually more ergonomic than "normal" pitching. But none for you means more for me.
Re: Designo leben and vantage
Posted: Mon May 18, 2020 1:15 pm
by LowRange
Teal101 wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 12:53 pm
LowRange wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 4:31 am
Teal101 wrote: ↑Sun May 17, 2020 8:22 pm
Do you cast while palming your reel or do you adjust your hand to palm after casting? With this style you are constantly palming it and just sliding your thumb. Its much more ergonomical and efficient imo. That fact you palm it the whole time makes it awkward to overhand cast.
I cast and pitch "normally" on that I only palm the reel when fishing and not when casting. I've seen videos of casting while palming and looks really strange the way they thumb the spool. That's a no go for me. This is why I can't pull the trigger on one of these reels but at the same time I still want one.
Its really not that strange at all and is actually more ergonomic than "normal" pitching. But none for you means more for me.
I know. Did you get that one from Ichiban? I almost pulled the trigger on that one years ago.
