When Lamson first introduced its Litespeed reel back in 1998, it was the lightest fly reel on the market and quickly changed the way that the industry designs and builds fly reels. The Litespeed G5 is the fifth generation of Litespeed, and boasts improvements over the previous models including a narrower profile, an integrated drag cassette for improved stiffness, and an ergonomic drag knob. In order to enhance the performance of the original Litespeed, Lamson gave the G5 a narrower spool as well as a narrower drag system that work together to reduce the overall weight of the reel. The arbor size has been increased to give the reel's retrieval rates a boost, giving you the advantage when battling fish that want to run up and down river on you. In order to increase the life of the reel, Lamson finished the G5 with a new version of their Hard Alox finish which protects it from corrosion whether you're in fresh or saltwater conditions.