The great folks at Riversmith recently reached out to us and asked if we would be opened to posting an article about their fly rod roof rack carrying system. We said sure, and when are you going to design them for boats and airplanes? We hope you enjoy the article.
Riversmith, a rooftop fly rod holder company based out of Boulder, Colorado defines themselves by two main principles: peak craftsmanship and impeccable performance. Approached in engineer fashion and from the hearts of avid fly fishermen, Riversmith wanted to create a one of a kind product. Armed with serious intent to construct the best of the best in the roof rack realm of the industry, their flagship product, the River Quiver, was born.
The Riversmith River Quiver comes in four different models; A 2-Banger, a 2-Banger Extended (11’4”,) a 4-Banger, and a 4-Banger Extended (11’4”.) The choices in models allow an angler to carry as many rods as he or she desires, arming them for varying fly-fishing conditions. With a sleek interior and exterior design, and a versatile mounting system, regardless of model selection, the River Quiver is aerodynamic and quiet at any speed. Lightweight and easy for one person to install, Riversmith is proud of their product’s ability to withstand anything an angler might come across.
The Four Fundamentals of the River Quiver
With manufacturing luxury items in the sport of fly-fishing, Riversmith’s goal was to stand out from the rest. At the drawing board, they decided their product would outperform in durability, user friendliness, rod size accommodation, and an interior liner design as impressive as the River Quiver’s outer single-anodized aluminum structure.
Durability
One of the greatest concerns for any sportsman on the market for any type of roof rack is durability. Tough off-road conditions aren’t the friendliest to vehicles, and this is even more true with vehicle accessories. In this sport, it’s not just catching the fish, but traversing the terrain that can be half the battle. Riversmith’s aluminum River Quiver harbors serious strength, providing more protection than single rod tubes provided by other rod holders.
To ensure the product could withstand any conditions it would come across, the manufacturer’s subjected the River Quiver to a military-grade shake test. Additionally, they literally threw the River Quiver across the company parking lot as if it were a javelin. While Riversmith doesn’t recommend doing this and would suggest you just take their word for it, they detected zero breakage of both the reel box and rod tubes.
User Friendliness
It’s quite common to interface with complicated accessories for your vehicle. This can be even more worrisome when that accessory protects a prized possession such as your fly rods. The team at Riversmith designed the River Quiver to stand out in its simplicity. Most fly rod holders open vertically, which is acceptable in zero wind or varying weather. However, an unexpected powerful gust can blow the cover down with extreme force. This can be dangerous, especially when it suddenly occurs, and also dangerous to the angler depending on where they are positioned during the windy situation.
River Quiver’s case cover opens horizontally and to the right from the rear of the vehicle. Not only that, but it comes with a locking mechanism to hold the cover open and in place. This protects both the River Quiver user and his or her fly rods from unexpected wind that could injure them or damage their rods.
Continuing to have user friendliness in mind, they tested the River Quiver on multiple brands and styles of roof racks to make sure they were compatible with just about every vehicle and rack system out there. Riversmith is confident in saying that the River Quiver is a great match for arguably every commercial roof rack system.
Rod Size Accommodation
If a fly rod roof rack manufacturer wants to accommodate all their industry comrades, they should consider all rod lengths and weights out there. With the extended models, River Quiver’s can accommodate rods up to 10ft in length. Additionally, 11wt reels are not a problem. Most competitor rod holders can accommodate up to 7wt reels, which is a common hindrance to a lot of anglers.
Fortunately, Riversmith detected that common occurrence in their early days and incorporated such accommodations into their design. The River Quiver’s singular extrusion allows for larger rods, rod butts, and reels. So when an angler is taking his buddy or two along with him on an excursion, and they set out to catch different varieties of fish, it’s not a head scratch how different rods will be transported.
Enhanced Protective Liner
It’s easy to make something look good from the outside, but for protecting a fly rod, it’s the holder’s interior that really counts. They line River Quivers with top grade polypropylene material, allowing for smooth insertion and removal of rods. The polypropylene is extra soft, temperature resistant, and extremely durable- everything you want from a roof rack that will succumb to extended and frequent use.
Super hot summer days and super cold winter mornings make no difference to the protective liner of a River Quiver. An angler shouldn’t worry about swelling or changing of shape after their rod has had contact with moisture; this was tested at length by Riversmith manufacturers, and it has been confidently concluded that the liner will hold up over time.
What River Quiver Owners Are Saying
With a five-star review rating on Riversmith.com and 4.5 star rating across the board from various suppliers on Amazon, the River Quiver’s design and performance has convinced all of its hopeful users. It was important to Riversmith to receive genuine feedback from their customers ranging from beginners and avid anglers, to sports shops and fly-fishing guides.
One fly-fishing guide rested their case with this honest and simple review: “As a guide here in Wisconsin and Minnesota driving the backroads, chasing browns and brookies, it really comes in handy to not have to break down rods and then put them back together again when we see risers off of a bridge. It actually extends the time on the water for my clients and, to be honest, saves me the headache. Plus, it puts a few extra bucks in my left pocket.”
If you’re the type of fisherman that is fishing with places like Deneki Outdoors 1) you’ve probably invested a lot into your fishing gear and 2) you’re out there fishing more often than most. A Riversmith River Quiver not only protects your highly valued equipment, but it’s convenience factor is simply top notch. Trekking nature with your equipment safely and securely allows you to relax and focus on what’s really important; fishing unforgettable waters with a giant smile smeared across your face.
Checkout the River Quiver here.
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I would like a price for the one that carries 4 rods. And can this be mounted without any rack on the roof?
Thank you
Frank