adh-world
Nám - An old Norwegian word for 'learning' that is still used in Iceland today. And the brains behind the young Scandinavian brand have already 'learned' a lot. In a very short time! Like hardly any other manufacturer, Nám has managed to establish a good reputation in the world of Salmon fishing (and beyond) so quickly. With state-of-the-art materials and a fresh spirit, the rod-building experts from Sweden and Norway have developed practical equipment that is 100% convincing.
For Blanklax season in May, we met Nám founder Marcus Bohlin on the banks of the Mörrum in southern Sweden and talked to him about his philosophy on building single- and double-handed rods. And of course we also took a look at the latest products from the young Scandinavian brand.
For the development of the NAM PRODUCTS, Marcus Bohlin has gathered valuable expertise from all over Scandinavia and put together a team of very experienced, well-known fly fishers - including, for example, 'Mr. Banana Fly' Mikael Andersson. This priceless practical knowledge from Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland flows into every Nám product. True to the motto: "One opinion is good, many opinions are better". Because only what really convinces and stands the test under all conditions on the river and coast ends up in Nám's well thought-out product range. This applies to both the lines and the rods. Unlike other manufacturers, Nám's clearly structured product range does not contain different rod series in different price categories with various models for different areas of application. At Nám, ONE typical area of application comes first and ONE rod is developed based on this. A rod that does the job better than all the others. The same applies to the Nám fly lines and shooting heads.
Scandinavian minimalism - NAM Delgado two-handed rod
This very unique philosophy and approach is also reflected in the construction of the rods, where the principle of "form follows function" is paramount. In order to save weight and not change the taper of the blank, all Nám rods are unpainted and present themselves in a matt black finish with minimalist details. The same goes for the black anodised reel seats, which blend seamlessly into the timeless finish of the rods. Scandinavian minimalism and a touch of understatement define the design of Nám. And at first glance, all the rods present an almost uniform look. But the trained eye recognises the differences in the details! For example, in the ringing and the choice of different types of single-leg guides, double-leg guides or snake rings. Because these components have a direct effect on the bending behaviour of the blank, on its recovering speed and the sensitivity of the tip. At Nám, each rod is equipped with the best components available and best suited to achieve a specific goal. That makes sense!
NAM two-handed rods on the Mörrum
It is therefore not surprising that the first one-handed and two-handed rods from the Swedes were already able to cause enthusiasm among demanding fly fishers. And at the latest with the introduction of the travel-suitable 6-piece Salmon rods and the use of fine cork in Delgado quality, Nám has achieved a breakthrough throughout Europe.
About Delgado Cork:
Literally translated, "Delgado" means thin/slim. The name is not only programmatic for the new rod handles, but also refers to the way the bark of the cork trees grows. The thin and very dense bark of the Delgado trees grows very slowly and is therefore much rarer than that of other cork trees with thicker bark. The advantages:
1. Smallest pores, so there is hardly any need for additional filling materials.
2. So stable that no rubber ends are needed on the handles and weight can be saved.
3. The slow growth of the trees results in a very high cork density, so the vibration of the blank is transferred through the cork directly into your hand and you become one with the rod blank.
The bark of the Delgado trees regenerates every 9 years and is therefore 100% sustainable. But it is not only renewable, harvesting cork also has a positive side effect for the tree. The harvesting promotes CO2-O2 exchange and has been proven to extend the life of the trees. A win-win for us and the environment! The processed adhesive is free of solvents or aggressive chemicals and is 100% environmentally friendly.
After the resounding success of the first and second generation of fly rods, it was only a matter of time before the matching fly lines and shooting heads were added to the Nám family. However, they are not manufactured in Europe, but at RIO PRODUCTS in the USA. Marcus Bohlin makes no secret of this. On the contrary! The team deliberately chose the American manufacturer of premium lines, drawing on years of experience with successful shooting heads for Salmon, Sea Trout and Steelhead, as well as the expertise behind some of the most successful lines for Trout and larger Predatory fish. Think, for example, of the popular RIO Gold, RIO Pike or even the popular RIO Versitip System for Salmon and Sea Trout.
Dream rod for Pike - NAM Delgado single-handed rod #8
When designing these lines, Marcus Bohlin and his team naturally remain true to their philosophy. It has to be simple and the fly fisherman has to be able to find the right line for him quickly and intuitively. So there are "only" three different single-hand lines in total. Or rather: three different types. A taper for little back space (No Space or N-Type), an all-round taper for more space when casting (Allround or A-Type) and a line for long casts and maximum distance (Max Distance or M-Type). In short: N-A-M. Simple, isn't it? By the way, the same applies to the tapers of the new Nám shooting heads, where Marcus Bohlin and his team orientated themselves on the basic ideas of casting legend Göran Andersson, who shaped spey casting in Scandinavia like hardly anyone else. A special feature, apart from the practice-oriented tapers and sink rates, is the core of the Nám Shooting Heads, which for the first time has a load capacity of 60lbs and is extremely low-stretch. As a result, the head sinks faster and significantly less tungsten is needed, which is immediately noticeable in the cast and in the loop pattern.
We are very excited about what we can expect from Nám in the near future and what new, well thought-out products Marcus Bohlin and his team will surprise us with. A fly reel is already being planned and we are sure that its development will also show the typical Nám handwriting.
