KINGPIN CENTREPIN REELS
The Imperial 425

After the outrageous performance of the Kingpin Regency 378, the arrival of the latest offering from this historic reel building dynasty was highly anticipated to say the least. So after what seemed a lifetime (more like 5 weeks) the Imperial 425 finally arrived in the UKMA office for us to put it through its paces and see just what all the fuss had been about and why so many anglers were queuing up to get their hands on one of these precious pieces of British angling engineering.

Vital Statistics

The Imperial 425 is a 4 ¼ inches (107.95mm) reel that weighs in at only 7.44ozs (211g unloaded). Originally designed with the North American and Canadian angler’s requirements in mind when fishing on small rivers and estuaries, this reel through testing has evolved into a machine with a much bigger pedigree. During testing UKMA have found it to be a bit more of a work horse in fact it is a bit of a beast.

This pleasurably engineered line receptacle has twin, P5 (ABEC5) German Marine grade bearings that give the Imperial 425, a performance and strength to handle even the hardest fighting carp, with fish to  just under twenty pounds already on its CV. The pleasure and performance the reel offers is well above its price range, performing to a standard of any of the higher priced hand built reels I have had the fortune to play around with over the past few years.
Another very nice feature of the Kingpin Imperial 425 is the ultra smooth finish which is achieved by using Def Stan type 3 hard anodising. This anti-glare super tough satin finish is described by the manufacturers as being scratch resistant and according to the developers of this particular form of anodising, they claim it is 10 time tougher than steel, which in layman’s terms means your Kingpin Imperial 425 should  never loose its classic sleek looks, which to a tackle tart like me is essential.

Imperial 425 First Impressions

The Imperial 425 is the second Centrepin Reel I have had the fortune to review over the past 14 months from the Kingpin stable, I can truly say they produce nothing but quality. I was taught a very important rule whilst completing an apprenticeships many, many years ago from a master craftsman and that was; “The definition of perfection is attention to the finest detail” The design, quality of build and general craftsmanship that has gone into the production of the Imperial 425 epitomises this statement to the letter.

Absolutely every function of the Imperial 425 Centrepin has a noticeable elegance that makes every movement of the spool and its accompanying components a totally pleasurable experience. From the exquisitely engineered and balanced spool which allow line to flow perfectly when trotting down a powerful glide towards your quarry. To the assured strength and reliability you experience when dealing with a very angry carp at close quarters, the team at UKMA simply can’t find fault the Imperial 425, it is that good.

For £250 you get a perfectly engineered machine that will have your name engraved on the back panel, making it totally unique to you. The Imperial 425 is available in both Grey and Black finishes and you can even choose what style or colour of handles you would prefer from the more than ample selection available. Not cheap!! I agree but top quality products never have been and these are as good as it gets.

For more information about the Kingpin range of centrepin reels, please visit the company's website by clicking the image below.