THE SILEX is a lot heavier than the Talisman or Kingfisher. I've owned all 3 and the Talisman is my choice for the Vedder/Chehalis. Main thing is the price and the fact that the Talisman and SILEX have a cage and the Kingfisher does not. Both have their pros and cons. (for example, casting...) The handles on THE SILEX are a little bit longer as well and the centerpin does not protrude as far as the Talisman's. Minor thing, but no biggie for me really. The Talisman is just simply beautiful and functional - the 4" only weighs like 10 ounces. THE SILEX is a timeless classic that can be used for more heavy duty species. I really didn't like the Kingfisher because I prefer caged reels. Don't get me wrong tho... the Kingfisher is IMO the best in it's class... among open-faced reels.. I would NEVER fish with an Islander steelheader unless someone gave it to me as a gift - the humming type feeling of the bearings really annoys me. But that's just me.. MANY guys use the Islander - it's VERY light, around 8.5 ounces or something like that. But for me, Talisman all the way.