Abel Pliers are Pricey but Exude Quality (continued)

Price & Applications: Abel Pliers are available direct from Abel but I purchased both of my pairs from local fly shops. It was just one of those things (just like fly reels) that I wanted to hold in my hand before making the final purchase. These are not your standard pair of 20 dollar pliers, this is a precision instrument, at least that is what I told myself to justify the cost. In the case of my trout patterned pair I really do feel like these are a functional work art. The detail in the fish pattern finish is impressive and still durable enough to be used in harsh environments. 

The lanyard helps prevent accidental loss of a very expensive pair of pliers

Throughout our tests I found that Abel #4 pliers are good for both bass angling and fly fishing and are ideal for those anglers that enjoy both pursuits. The pliers do an exceptional job grabbing small objects including tiny flies as well as possess the ability to clamp down weights and cut through wire. Though I didn’t experience catastrophic damage to the jaws or cutter on either pair of my pliers should they become damaged or the cutters become to dull for use all you need to do is send them to Abel and for 20 dollars they will replace the steel jaws and properly align them.

The very fine tipped jaws is great for removing hooks without damaging flies and fish

So let’s get to the worst part of these pliers, the cost. If you are looking for a pair of pliers just to get the job done this is NOT it. These pliers are for enthusiast anglers looking for a premium “tool” that transcends just what a pair of pliers should be. Much like many fly fishermen are willing to pay for a one of a kind collector’s reel the Abel Pliers are just as much of a work of art as they are a functional tool, especially if you opt for a special finish. I feel like the pliers should bear numbering just like Abel’s fly reels.

The larger #4 pliers have an integrated bottle cap opener

Keep in mind the real competition with Abel are pliers comes not from traditional offerings but from brands including Van Staal, FishPond and Accurate. The Van Staal Big Game Pliers come complete with a leather sheath and lanyard for $359 dollars, the Fishpond Barracuda Pliers with a cloth sheath retail for $139 dollars, and Accurate Piranha pliers without a sheath or lanyard retail for $134 dollars. In standard form the black Abel pliers retail for 150 dollars with a lanyard and the leather sheath is 40 dollars additional. For 190 dollars the Abel #4 pliers is relatively inline with the premium competition and the #2 Abel Pliers are 20 dollars cheaper. All Abel products carry a lifetime warranty that covers the repair or replacement of parts due to defect in material or workmanship.

Even though the jaws are great for delicate flies they are also good for treble hooks

Though the customization options are admittedly very cool I only recommend the selection for anglers looking for that truly exclusive gift or personal tool. These finishes are not cheap! A solid finish color change is 50 dollars additional and an artistic or fish patterned finish is 125 dollars addition, basically your almost paying for another pair of pliers to get that special finish. While it certainly adds a lot of character to these pliers it is a lot of extra money that is hard to justify. The nice thing is that anglers have plenty of choices to choose from should they wish to splurge.

Whether you are fishing for trout or stripers and using fly or conventional gear the Abel pliers are an excellent tool

Ratings: (We've re-calibrated our ratings standard for 2008 and have included a key at the bottom of the following matrix as a guide):

Pluses and Minuses: