Megabass Vibration X Jr. Lipless Crank Product Review

Lure Review

Is the Smaller Vibration X Worthy of Its "Jr." Title? (continued)

Position at Rest: Here's where it gets interesting. The rattling version of the Vibration X Jr falls over when it hits the bottom, but the silent version will sit on its belly. We've seen this with other silent versus rattling versions of the same bait too and find it quite an interesting occurrence.

Performance Ratings for Megabass Vibration X Jr
Castability (1-3)	Slow Speed (1-3)	High Speed (1-3)	Yo Yo (1-3)	Position at Rest (1-3)	Total	Possible	Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
3	2	2	2	2	11	15	7.33

The silent version of this bait sits up on its belly when on the bottom.

Features: The Vibration X Jr is available in both a silent and rattling version. It comes equipped with very sharp, though very thin, factory hooks - the Katsuage Outbarbs. It is available two finish options either solid or foil/chrome and retails for just over $20.

Features Ratings for Megabass Vibration X Jr
Hooks (1-3)	Finishes			Sound Options (1-3)	Misc (1-3)	Total	Possible	Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
	Solid (1-2)	"Ghost" (1-2)	Foil (1-2)
2	2	1	2	2	1	10	15	6.67

Time for a closer look inside...

Design/Ergonomics: I only had three of these baits to run through our tests, so not a wide variety of which to choose from but bait to bait consistency was good with these three baits. The Vibration X line is available in two sizes, the previously reviewed three inch, three quarter ounce size (3", 3/4oz) and this new Jr size. Realism, as with all Megabass baits is incredible. This bait has a really intriguing mouth design, and hook spacing is very good - the stock hooks cannot touch.

Design & Ergonomics Ratings for Megabass Vibration X Jr
Bait to Bait Consistency (1-5)	Weight (1-5)	Realism (1-5)	Hook Spacing (1-3)	Total	Possible	Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
5	4	5	3	17	18	9.44

Weight placement of the silent Vibration X Jr.

Application: Taken as a whole, the Vibration X line of baits from Megabass, with its two sizes and rattling and silent versions in both, is a very versatile bait. The fact the silent version stands up on the bottom is an added bonus. Like most lipless cranks though, I liked it best on a steady retrieve - but that's just how I fish them in general.

Ratings:

Megabass Vibration X Jr Ratings (?/10)
Construction/Quality	Megabass continues to inspire	9.5
Performance	Reminiscent of the standard sized Vibration X	7.33
Price	Compared to the slew of lipless cranks in our review queue, the cost to acquire Jr is just tough to get over	5
Features	The lineup could benefit from some ghost finishes	6.67
Design (Ergonomics)	The hooks are sharp, and effective, but very thin wire and prone to getting mangled during a hot bite	9.44
Application	The bonus of a standing silent version is a nice to have	8
Total Score		7.66
Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable! For More Details of the updated rating system visit our explanation here

Pluses and Minuses:

Plus	Minus
+ Megabass finishes are collectible worthy	- With Megabass, cost to acquire will always be a minus
+ Silent version stands up on bottom

Conclusion: I'm not really fond of "Jr." sized baits in general, but understand the need for a downsized bait of something that works. My very modest collection of Vibration X Jrs held up well during our tests - including their finishes, which was the downfall of the standard size. That is, until we hit the lab with them and cut them in half! There's no getting around the TackleTour autopsy.

By coincidence or fate? The Jr. scored exactly the same (7.66), despite our modified scales, as its larger sibling did back in 2006.

Upon completion of this write up, for kicks, I looked up our 2006 review testing the standard version of this bait and while some observations were different, despite one or two changes in the way we score products, Jr came out with the exact same score as the original - 7.66. Coincidence, yes, but interesting nonetheless.

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