Loon Tying Kit

I just had the opportunity to get my hands on Loon's Fly Tying Tool Kit. Over the years I have had the privilege of spending hours tying flies with a variety of tools. Some of the tools I have used range from the tools I was given when I originally started tying flies as a kid to tools that I would be afraid to look at the wrong way and damage them somehow. I'll admit, I find that there is a strange sense of glee and happiness that comes over me when I start using a brand new pair of scissors or a new bobbin. I am not going to get into a discussion revolving around all the tying tools on the market, but I would like to hit on a few of the pro's and con's of the Loon Fly Tying Tool Kit. Pros: Tool Selection: This fly tying tool kit has a good selection of tools. It includes the Gator Grip Dubbing Spinner, Ergo All Purpose Scissors, Ergo Arrow Point Scissors, Ergo Whip Finisher, Ergo Bodkin, Ergo Bobbin, and Ergo Dubbing Brush. This is quite the selection of tools. From someone who is just starting or as someone who has been tying flies for a while these tools do as good as a beginner's tool kit or as a refresher/renewal of some more tired and used tools. At first I thought it was interesting to have both the All Purpose Scissors and Arrow Point Scissors, but after playing with both it was great to have the different scissor tips to be able to get into different areas and still be able to cut properly. Guarantee: I love Loon's wording on the back of the packing: "No matter how hard you use our gear, we will guarantee it. If for any reason, you are not 100% satisfied, please contact us so we can make it right." That is a commitment to satisfaction right there. With anything that I am going to use time and time again I want it to work properly. Travel Case: The box that the tools comes in easily doubles as a storage bin or a travel case. I don't often tie flies when I am on the road, but I can say that I have done it a few times and having something to keep my tools organized would have been a huge blessing. Trying to find tools in a box of fly tying stuff that had been jostled around after driving a couple hundred miles was not my favorite. Organization is a massive helper for success. Cons: Foam Insert: I mentioned that I love that the packing is built as an organizer or travel case. My only criticism is that I do not like trying to get the tools in or out of the foam. Fortunately, I won't be taking tools in and out and in and out of the box on a per use basis. If I were that would be a nuisance and a major thumbs down. I know for my own use they will usually stay in a safe place with my tying materials. When I do travel I will load them back in the box, take them out when I get to my tying location, use the tools, and then put them back to travel back home again. If I were traveling regularly to tie with these tools I would probably look for a different tool carrying case. (Side comment - maybe with extended use the foam becomes more user friendly) I would say that for the majority of the recreational fly tying crowd, and likely many of the not so recreational crowd, this Loon Fly Tying Kit is a solid tool kit to have. Loon has long been known for making quality tools and products. I really enjoy this tool kit and would have to say that if you are looking to revamp your current tool selection or looking to get started as a fly tyer that this is a great set of tools to pick up. Thanks for reading and don't forget to follow me @kaizenflyfisher on Instagram