Wheatley Slit Foam Box with Swing Leaf

[Charlie]

I have been looking for a single box to host all my "smaller" flies ie buzzers, nymphs, damsels, wet daddies etc. These have been living in three separate boxes - buzzers, leaded nymphs and unleaded.

Following the Scierra, C&F "copy" thread, I picked up on the fact that Wheatley started a new range with the same slit foam concept which Royvs specifically recommended. Knowing Roy as a discerning angler and tackle tart I ordered the version with four sides of foam, directly from Wheatley's website.

It arrived today and has swallowed up all my flies with about two sides left over. Flies are comparatively easy to get in and out and the swing leaves are a sensible distance from the facing side to leave enough room for all but some of my larger "damsels" and sugar cubes (aka small boobies) which are a bit tight.

It's good quality, easy to open and seems to hold the flies well. Not waterproof but I don't wade that often anyway. Expensive, but not as expensive as C&F.

Worth a look

Charlie

[tweed]

Charly, is it actually slit foam or just strips of foam running down the leaf that you hook your flies into by the point? Do have a link to wheatleys site?

Cheers

Tweed

[mesajoe]

I think Wheatley need to make the foam a bit denser - I have 3 Wheatley Slit Foam boxes, they are about 6 months old and the slits are showing some wear, unlike the C&F boxes which have a harder foam that makes removing and inserting the flies a bit easier and resists wear better.

That said, the Wheatleys have more soul that C&F, if fly boxes can have soul, that is...

[highlander]

www.richardwheatley.com/acatalog/index.html
Good service dealing direct I might add.
Tight Lines
Have a look at "Build Your Own" & the Malvern range, first class boxes & won't break the bank.

[tweed]

Thanks guys, had a look on the link but only saw slotted foam not slit foam to slide the hook in backwards like the c&f ones. Am i just not looking hard enough?

[highlander]

;D
www.richardwheatley.com/acatalog/Easy_Grip.html
Tight Lines

[halcyon]

I purchased some of the slit foam inserts to replace flat foam in a pair of Wheatley swing leaf boxes and have found the slit foam to work perfectly for me. By the way if you ever decide to remove an insert from a Wheatley box, cooking oil is the best thing I have found to remove the old adhesive.

I also purchased several of the 4605 tube fly boxes and find them to be the answer for me as far as storing tube flies. Easy to insert and remove and holds the flies in good order with plenty of room. Interestingly, on this side of the pond you can't just purchase the 4605 box, instead you must purchase the empty box shell and a pair of inserts and install them yourself. Go figure.

I agree that if a "fly box can have soul - wheatley boxes have it"

Regards,

[tweed]

Cheers alan I see now.

[Rutlander]

Are these the same boxes that Todays Fly fisher were using as a subscription gift?

[mesajoe]

It looks like it, but in the biggest size..