Best Fly Tying Vises of 2026: Our Picks from Montrose
Ed's Fly Shop started in 2010 selling fly tying vises out of a linen closet in Windsor, Colorado. We have been putting vises in tyers' hands ever since, and it is still one of the things we know best.
A vise has one job: hold the hook so it does not move. After that, the differences come down to how you tie. Do you want true rotary so you can spin the fly to wrap hackle and bodies? Do you tie size 24 midges or 4/0 saltwater streamers? Are you tying at a bench at home, at a show or in a motel room? This guide sorts that out.
Here are the vises we stock and sell the most of, what each one is actually built to do, and who we would hand it to. We sell every vise on this list, nobody here is paid to push one brand over another, and two of these brands are built right here in Montrose.
Quick picks
- Best overall: Renzetti Traveler
- Best for serious tyers: Dyna-King
- Best first vise: Renzetti Apprentice
- Best value rotary: Peak Rotary
- Best hook holding with no adjusting: Regal Medallion
- Best Regal rotary: Regal Revolution
- Best travel vise: Regal Travel Vise
The lineup at a glance
| Vise | Type | Built in | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renzetti Traveler | True rotary | Montrose, Colorado | Nearly every tyer |
| Dyna-King | Stationary and rotary models | Montrose, Colorado | Serious tyers who want a vise for life |
| Renzetti Apprentice | True rotary | Montrose, Colorado | A first vise that can grow with you |
| Peak Rotary | True rotary | Fredericksburg, Texas | A full rotary vise for less |
| Regal Medallion | Stationary | Orange, Massachusetts | Changing hook sizes without adjusting |
| Regal Revolution | True rotary | Orange, Massachusetts | Regal jaws with rotary function |
| Regal Travel Vise | Stationary | Orange, Massachusetts | Tying on the road |
1. Renzetti Traveler: best overall
The Traveler is the best selling vise in our shop by a wide margin, and Renzetti calls it the most popular tying vise in the world. Renzetti introduced it in 1988 and it earned that spot by combining true rotary, real portability, strong hook holding and a fair price.
Its cam jaws hold hooks from size 28 to 4/0, so one vise covers midges, nymphs, streamers and most saltwater flies. True rotary keeps the hook shank on the axis of rotation, so the fly spins in place when you wrap hackle or a body. We stock several versions: the 2303 is our pick for most tyers, with anodized aluminum for a longer lasting finish, a 7 inch stem and a larger base. The 6 by 6 inch base models in green, blue and purple add weight and stability on the bench.
Renzetti makes the Traveler in right and left hand versions, so make sure you order the one that fits how you tie.
Built: In Montrose, Colorado. Renzetti moved its manufacturing here from Florida after Mayfly Outdoors bought the company in 2024.
Shop the Renzetti Traveler 2303 →
2. Dyna-King: best for serious tyers
Dyna-King vises are built by hand in Montrose, in the same facility as Ross Reels and Abel. Dyna-King is known for one thing above everything else: hook holding. Their own description of a vise's job is that it has "one damn job," and they build every model around it.
We stock several models, and they cover very different tyers:
- Kingfisher: the introductory Dyna-King. A compact stainless steel and aluminum vise with 360 degree rotation to see the far side of the fly. Great for smaller flies and travel.
- Professional: a top end stationary vise and the choice of many professional tyers. Four locking angle adjustments and jaws with graduated grooves that hold everything from small trout hooks to heavy saltwater hooks. Pedestal or C-clamp.
- Trekker: a compact true rotary vise built for travel and home use.
- Ultimate Indexer: a rotary vise that locks into 8 positions around the full circle, so you can pause and let epoxy cure in stages. Built for saltwater and epoxy flies.
Built: By hand in Montrose, Colorado, with Dyna-King's warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.
Shop the Dyna-King Professional →
3. Renzetti Apprentice: best first vise
Most beginner vises are something you outgrow in a year. The Apprentice is a real Renzetti true rotary vise at an entry level price, with the same size 28 to 4/0 hook range as the Traveler and the same bent shaft. It is the vise we recommend when someone is just starting and wants to buy something they will not have to replace.
Built: By Renzetti in Montrose, Colorado.
Shop the Renzetti Apprentice →
4. Peak Rotary: best value rotary
The Peak Rotary is a full featured rotary vise built from stainless steel, brass, tool steel and aircraft aluminum, at a fair price for a true rotary vise. The hardened tool steel jaws hold hooks from about 2/0 down to the smallest you can buy, and a rotation tension screw lets you set exactly how freely the head spins.
It comes with an adjustable bobbin cradle, and a single set screw lets you pull the vise off the base for travel. Peak also makes midge and saltwater jaws, so the vise can grow with what you tie. It is backed by Peak's limited lifetime warranty.
Built: Peak Fishing, Fredericksburg, Texas.
5. Regal Medallion: best hook holding with no adjusting
Regal has been building vises since 1954, and its jaw works differently from every other vise on this list. The jaws are held closed by a spring. You press a lever, drop in the hook and let go, and the spring clamps it. There is nothing to tighten and nothing to readjust when you go from a size 18 dry fly to a size 10 nymph.
The Medallion is Regal's stationary vise, and the bronze base version is heavy, stable and good looking on a bench. If you tie a lot of different sizes in one sitting and are tired of adjusting jaws, this is the vise. Regal backs its vises with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.
Built: Regal Engineering, Orange, Massachusetts.
6. Regal Revolution: best Regal rotary
The Revolution puts Regal's spring loaded jaw on a true in-line rotary head. It rotates a full 360 degrees and tilts 220 degrees up and down, so you can spin the fly to wrap materials or lock the barrel and tie the traditional way. If you want Regal hook holding and rotary function in one vise, this is it.
Built: Regal Engineering, Orange, Massachusetts, with Regal's lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.
7. Regal Travel Vise: best travel vise
The Regal Travel Vise is built to fit in a boat bag, backpack or carry-on. Regal redesigned the stem and base to be as compact and stable as possible while still letting the head turn all the way around so you can see the far side of the fly. The traditional head holds hooks from size 22 to 1/0.
Built: Regal Engineering, Orange, Massachusetts, with Regal's lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.
How to choose a fly tying vise
Stationary, rotating or true rotary. A stationary vise holds the hook in one place. Many vises also rotate so you can see the far side of the fly. A true rotary vise keeps the hook shank on the axis of rotation, so you can spin the fly to wrap hackle, bodies and ribbing evenly. Most tyers end up wanting true rotary. Plenty of excellent tyers never use it.
Jaws. Cam jaws, like the Renzetti, close with a lever and adjust for hook size. Spring jaws, like the Regal, clamp any hook in their range without adjusting. Look at the hook range too. If you tie midges, make sure the jaws hold size 24 to 28. If you tie saltwater or big streamers, make sure they hold 1/0 and up.
Pedestal or C-clamp. A pedestal base sits anywhere and moves easily. A C-clamp locks to the edge of a table and is often more solid, but you need a table edge it fits. Many vises come in both versions.
Right or left hand. Some rotary vises, including the Renzetti Traveler, are built for one hand. Make sure you order the version that fits how you tie.
Budget. Buy the best vise you can, once. A good vise lasts decades, and a bad one makes tying frustrating enough that people quit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best fly tying vise for a beginner?
The Renzetti Apprentice or the Renzetti Traveler. Both are true rotary, both hold hooks from 28 to 4/0, and neither is something you will outgrow.
Do I need a rotary vise?
No, but most tyers end up wanting one. Rotary makes wrapping hackle and bodies easier and lets you see the far side of the fly. If you mostly tie simple nymphs and dries, a good stationary vise is fine.
What is the most durable vise?
The machined vises on this list, including Dyna-King, Regal, Renzetti and Peak, are built to last a lifetime of tying. Regal has been making vises since 1954.
Which vise holds the smallest hooks?
The Renzetti Traveler and Apprentice hold down to size 28. Peak makes a midge jaw for its rotary vise, and Regal makes midge jaw heads.
Are any of these made in Colorado?
Yes. Renzetti and Dyna-King vises are both built in Montrose, the same town as our shop.
Come try them
A vise is easier to choose with your hands on it. Come by the shop at 432 E Main St in Montrose and try a few on the bench, or give us a call at 970-964-9991 and we will help you narrow it down.