At the beginning of this year, one of my New Year’s resolutions, was to buy only the best angling kit (hardware) available, despite the cost. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with cheap or mediocre gear as everything has its place, but you won’t find a professional tradesman using cheap Chinese power tools. So, as angling is my profession, I’ve decided to only buy gear that will last for years to come and only gear that comes with the best of customer service.

Part of these purchases were my Costa Del Mar Sunnies, as you saw in my last review, and I’ve treated myself to a pile of Sage rods and luggage which I will review soon, but here’s one little purchase of mine that will make your mother’s hair stand on end… a pair of Van Staal pliers!

Long gone are the days where I carry a pair of rusty household pliers and a can of WD40 to go with them - and good riddance to them too!!

Once you get into a little angling travel around the globe, Van Staal pliers are something you will see a lot more of. In a nutshell, many worldwide angling guides regard Van Staal pliers as the best there are and this is for good reason…

They were built to withstand the abuse that Mother Nature and day-to-day use can throw at them. These pliers were built for the angler or guide who is looking for a pair of pliers that won’t break, blunt or seize and will last a lifetime even if they’re abused by there user too. No, I will actually rephrase that…. these are pliers that were designed to be abused by the user, that’s why many full time professional anglers and guides regard them as the best!

For those of you do not know, Van Staal are famous for making some of the world’s finest fishing reels, reels that can withstand a battering and still live up to expectations when needed and Van Staal’s pliers are no different to their reels.

Van Staal pliers come in several sizes from five to seven inches and they come constructed from two materials – titanium or stainless steel. Being a cheapskate, I went for the cheapest 6500 Stainless Steel set which included a lanyard and sheath. Here’s what I think…

The Van Staal website boats the statement: “No Rust. No Wear. Corrosion-free in the worst saltwater conditions”. Van Staal pliers are built to perform, and built to last!” and I can confirm its all true.

I used my Van Staal 6500s for at least 8 hours a day, everyday, for 18 weeks. They’ve pulled hooks and have not worn, they’ve cut wire continuously and their cutters are still nearly as sharp as the day they came out of the box, and they’ve been on my belt, soaked with saltwater and never washed, and they still operate as smoothly as new!

My view… definitely a pair of pliers designed to be abused and designed to last a lifetime. You can clearly see why the world’s top Fishing Guides regard them as “The word’s best Fishing Pliers”. They may sound expensive, but when I think back over the last 10 years and how many pairs of inferior pliers I’ve thrown away because they had seized up, it’s over half the cost of my Van Staal’s (!!!)

UK RRP £205
www.vanstaal.com
UK agent – Zebco Sports Europe Ltd
0808 2344519 info-uk@zebco-europe.com

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