After getting our hands on the new Orvis Helios 3 (both the 3D - "D for Distance" and 3F - "F for Finesse") in July at IFTD, we've been chomping at the bit to get the Helios 3 in the shop. While in Florida, we were lucky enough to fish the 8 and 10 weight (3D) for bass and gar. It performed flawlessly. Fast forward to August and we've been nothing but impressed with the accuracy, power, and feel of the 5 weight H3, as we've put the 3D and 3F through their paces in Wyoming and Colorado. While a full, in-depth review of the H3 will make it's way to our blog in the coming days, we wanted to give you the opportunity to pre-order this impressive rod. The 5 and 8 weights in both the 3D and 3F varieties are available for pre-order with expected delivery this September.

Anybody who has thrown a fly rod knows that an accurate cast puts you in the best position to catch fish. Combined with good presentation, accuracy is paramount to fooling fish on a fly rod. When Orvis set out to design and build the new Helios, accuracy was design priority number 1. Several of us in the shop had Helios 2s as our primary fly rod and without exception, we all agreed that the H3 is more accurate fly rod than it's impressive predecessor. Not only is it a more accurate fly rod, but it generates remarkable line speed and allows for crisp, accurate casts at your desired distance with minimal effort or strain. How was this achieved? Increased hoop strength. What is that? Well, we'll leave that to the engineers and rod designers, but what it translates to is less vibration when the rod unloads. This allows the line to fly with a truer path to the target than other rods. Translation: The H3 is an incredibly accurate fly rod and should be in your quiver in September.

Pre-order your Helios 3D and Helios 3F today!