Orvis Ratings and Reviews

Super—Smooth Bobbins

The feet that hold the thread spool are made with Delrin®, so the spool rotates more smoothly than any bobbin you've ever used. These bobbins give you smooth, consistent tension. The tube is flared at both ends, and lined with ultrahard black ceramic to minimize wax buildup and thread wear. Curved bobbin has slightly curved shape that is comfortable in the hand. Magnum bobbin will handle strong threads and large flies with ease—excellent for spinning deer hair or tying large steelhead, salmon, or saltwater flies. Supreme bobbin has straight tube for standard work.
Average Customer Rating:
3.727 out of 5
3.7
 out of 
5
Open Ratings Snapshot
Rating Snapshot (22 reviews)
5 stars
10
4 stars
5
3 stars
2
2 stars
1
1 star
4
14 of 22(64%)reviewers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Review 1 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
3 / 5
3 / 5
It's a great bobbin, but...,
May 15, 2013
By: Ts47
from MD suburbs of DC
"This is a very good bobbin that is very kind to your thread, and appears to have ceramic inserts at both ends of the thread tube! The problem is... Both ceramic inserts create a lip INSIDE the tube at BOTH ends. This makes it impossible to suck thread through the tube. To use a bobbin threader, you have to poke it into the tube, then spin it until it detaches itself from the lip at the other end and slips the rest of the way through the tube. Occasional tyers probably won't mind the extra work needed threading the tube. Those who switch thread often may have a problem with it. Where's the tradeoff - extra work threading versus ceramic at both ends of the tube for a gentle touch on your thread?? I'm not sure I would buy this again had I known there was a problem??"
Review 2 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
Does the job,
May 2, 2013
By: fether
"I needed a new bobbin that was smooth and allowed the thread to turn without too much resistance.
this did the job."
Review 3 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Smooth,
April 23, 2013
By: Lilrob9588
from Gonzales, La
"I've used many other cheap bobbins but I would away a get burrs on them and they woul cut the thread especially when spinning deer hair. These are so smoothe that I don't have to put much pressure on the thread at all. I would recommend these to anyone."
Review 4 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Smooth Bobbin,
April 8, 2013
By: KevinAZ
from Phoenix, AZ
"I'm very new to tying, but the bobbin is very smooth and it doesn't seem like the thread is being abraded when it travels through the cylinder."
Review 5 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Solid Product,
February 27, 2013
By: ParachuteMatt
from Essex, MD
"Really like this bobbin works great for my needs. I use a size D thread that fits fine. Never cuts or binds the line. A little pricy found other bobbins for as little as 3$ which work just fine but not displeased with this one at all. Would recommend it to anyone looking for a dependable bobbin that will last."
Review 6 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
1 / 5
1 / 5
Defective,
December 10, 2012
By: matt210
from Denver, CO
"I love Orvis but this item appears to be defective. Given that others have had the same complaint, I wonder why it hasn't been dealt with.
The lipped design is incompatible with a basic bobbin threader. It won't even allow thread to be sucked through. As far as I can see, the bobbin I received was impossible to thread.
On the phone, customer service were great and allowed me to return it without fees. Still, why is this still being sold if others have the same issue?"
Review 7 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
So far so good.,
September 10, 2012
By: cpl1775
"Have used for a couple months now and so far have had no problems. I can keep good tension on the thread without it breaking or cutting."
Review 8 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Just buy one,
April 23, 2012
By: Chris195
from Kent, United Kingdom
"If you want a bobbin that won't fray you thread this is the one to buy, when you put your thred needle in just give it a little twist as you go and it will go in easy"
Review 9 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
1 / 5
1 / 5
Nice product, one or two problems,
December 20, 2011
By: puckaluck
from Salt Lake City, UT
"This was the most expensive bobbin I could purchase at my local fly shop. I like to buy the best because it means that I am not disappointed when it comes to quality. The problem I had was what some of the other reviews mentioned. The ceramic insert on the top of the bobbin, where the thread comes out, has a flange inside that makes it almost imposable to thread. To make matters worse the ceramic insert on the particular bobbin I got was put in crooked, so that the thread slipped between the metal and the insert. I took it back to the fly shop and they looked at all the Super-Smooth Bobbins that they had and each one had this defect. I hope that Super Smooth fixes this problem."
Review 10 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
Super—Smooth Bobbin,
December 13, 2011
By: stcin
"Well in many ways these are "Super—Smooth Bobbins". However they are more difficult to thread than my non-ceramic bobbins. The ceramic inserts form a lip where they meet the metal bobbin tube. The bobbin threader hits these edges and many attempts have to be made to thread the bobbin."
Review 11 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
smooth, attractive,
September 15, 2011
By: brktrout
"Has just the right amount of tension, threads pretty easily, and fits nicely in the hand. No problems with breaking thread (well, i do break thread but it's not the bobbin's fault!). I can't address the problems others have mentioned threading with a threader, as i use the "suck it through" method, and it works fine that way. Good value for a workmanlike bobbin."
Review 12 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
2 / 5
2 / 5
Not the best bobbin,
August 7, 2011
By: Brookieboy
from Athens, GA
"I am a relative newcomer to the world of fly tying but have already discovered that a second bobbin is quite useful. I bought Orvis's Super Smooth Bobbin to use on big wooly buggers but after the second fly, the top ceramic bead broke apart, causing my wire and/or thread to cut prematurely. My advise is to use caution when wraping wire with this bobbin. Orvis usually has great products, but this time it let me down."
Review 13 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
great bobbin,
June 6, 2011
By: graggster
from Lenoir, NC
"the quality and workmanship is perfect. Great tool!"
Review 14 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
3 / 5
3 / 5
Bobbin,
April 20, 2011
By: Hellgie
Good Value: 
2 / 5
2 / 5
Meets Expectations: 
2 / 5
2 / 5
Features: 
3 / 5
3 / 5
Appearance: 
3 / 5
3 / 5
"I had to press the arms together to get it to fit a normal sized thread spool. They were spread apart over two inches and I was afraid I was going to break it. Also my bobbin threader would not fit through the barrel because of the tight ceramic guides. Though it was very smooth once I got it working."
Review 15 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
1 / 5
1 / 5
Cuts thread...not good!,
February 3, 2011
By: nwflyf
from Elma, WA
Good Value: 
1 / 5
1 / 5
Meets Expectations: 
1 / 5
1 / 5
Features: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
Appearance: 
3 / 5
3 / 5
Reviewer Images
(click to see full-size image)
User submitted photo
"This bobbin looks great, but upon use i noticed that the metal around the ceramic protrudes to far and comes in contact with the thread when tying. Sometimes cutting the thread twice on one fly. I can hear it come in contact with the thread every wrap around the hook. Not a good sound when you know the thread could be cut at any moment."
Review 16 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Superb!,
December 18, 2010
By: ddave07
Good Value: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Meets Expectations: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Features: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Appearance: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
"Excellent bit of kit, can't really say much more. For the price, its worth every penny!"
Review 17 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Great product,
May 6, 2010
By: ZoBass
from birmingham, AL
Good Value: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Meets Expectations: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Features: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Appearance: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
"very smooth. Have tied many flies with it and it has performed flawlessly."
Review 18 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Great Purchase,
January 31, 2010
By: Flyfishing
Good Value: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Meets Expectations: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Features: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Appearance: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
"super smooth. worth every penny. Anyone who needs a great bobbin get the orvis supreme"
Review 19 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
Good Tool,
January 26, 2010
By: SFish
Good Value: 
3 / 5
3 / 5
Meets Expectations: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
Features: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
Appearance: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
"I purchased the curved super-smooth bobbin. I like the way it feels in the palm of my hand. I feel like I have more control of the thread both on the fly and in my palm. The ceramic in the tube definately reduces thread wear and allows for smooth thread rotation. I haven't really noticed that the "Derlin" feet are any smoother than any other bobbin feet I have used. I found this tool to be a little expensive and I believe there are similar quality bobbins for less money, but, if you really like way it feels in your hand, go for it. I did."
Review 20 for Super—Smooth Bobbins
Overall Rating: 
1 / 5
1 / 5
Bad design,
November 19, 2009
By: redriverbum
Good Value: 
1 / 5
1 / 5
Meets Expectations: 
1 / 5
1 / 5
Features: 
1 / 5
1 / 5
Appearance: 
2 / 5
2 / 5
"I purchased the Supreme and when I tried to thread it I found a flaw in the design they use. It seems there is a bead at each end of the tube, which I guess is the ceramic part of the bobbin. The problem is, you cannot possibly thread this thing. The beads are smaller than the diameter of the tube, so when you put your threader in the tube it goes down to the other bead, and gets stuck on the end of the bead. I used three different threader and after 10 minutes it finally popped through."