NETrekk Introduces the Flex System – Product Spotlight

Tenkara Angler was first introduced to NETrekk, the Las Cruces, New Mexico-based net and wading staff maker last year. Anthony Naples purchased one of their nets, which he highlighted on our “Don’t Fish Without This Gear!” podcast. Since then, we’ve been following along as owner Jerry Hicks has been evolving the product line, recently announing something we think is pretty cool.

A Fully Modular Net, Handle, and Wading Staff

Anyone who fishes more than one type of water knows how gear can accumulate: a shorter handle net for backpacking into small streams, a longer handle net for floating or larger rivers, and a sepearate collapsible or telescopic wading staff, none of them quite covering every situation on their own. NETrekk thinks it has a fix for that problem, and it’s called the Flex System.

Billed by the company as the world’s first fully modular combination of net handle, wading staff, and folding net, the Flex System is built around a simple idea: instead of buying a different net for every kind of trip, anglers pick and swap interchangeable components to build the net that fits the water in front of them. NETrekk has filed for patent protection on the design, and the system is now shipping in two pre-configured kits as well as an à la carte build option.

How the System Breaks Down

The Flex System is organized around three categories of parts that all share a common connection standard, called the FlexAdapter, so any handle or staff can be paired with any net head.

Handles and Staffs. There are three ways to hold the net:

• FlexGrip is a fixed handle aimed at backpackers and hike-in anglers who want a compact net that won’t snag brush or catch on a pack.
• FlexReach is a telescopic handle for kayak, float, and drift boat anglers who need extra reach to scoop a fish over a gunwale.
• FlexStaff does double duty as both a telescopic wading staff and a net handle, a nice bit of efficiency for wade anglers who’d rather not carry two separate poles for stability and netting.

All three share an anodized 7075 aircraft aluminum shaft, a faux-cork or EVA foam ergonomic grip, an adjustable aluminum cam lock, and an adjustable wrist strap. The telescopic versions (FlexReach and FlexStaff) pull apart into sections for packing. NETrekk says the FlexStaff collapses to a 36-inch package with over 65 inches of extended reach, small enough to fit into a duffel or checked bag for a travel trip. Each pole also terminates in a tungsten carbide tip for secure footing on rock and gravel, and the FlexStaff’s “Goat Grip” cap adds a third function as a stealthy wading tip and lure retriever.

Nets:

The FlexNet heads are triangular folding frames with rubber netting, offered in four depths: Small (12″), Medium (14″), Large (20″), and Extra-Large (26″), and in black or clear mesh. Rubber net material has become the standard for catch-and-release anglers over the last decade because it’s gentler on a fish’s slime coat than knotted nylon, and NETrekk is leaning into that with their “Safe Fish Handling for Soft Release” Partnership program with Fly Fishers International. The net heads fold flat and snap on and off the handle in seconds via the FlexAdapter, and a belt clip lets anglers carry a net hands-free between fish.

Two Ways to Buy It, or Build Your Own

For anglers who’d rather not assemble a kit piece by piece, NETrekk is offering two pre-built Flex Santiago packages.

The Flex Santiago Deluxe System ($489.99) is the top-of-the-line option, and it’s a genuinely comprehensive kit: one FlexStaff wading staff, one FlexReach telescopic handle, and all four FlexNet sizes (S, M, L, and XL), which together give an angler up to eight different handle-and-net combinations depending on the outing. The Deluxe kit also throws in a stack of accessories: a Mag-Net carabiner release, two shoulder bags, three multi-terrain staff tips, a pair of hemostats, a Goat Grip and tip, four S-carabiners, a mud skirt, and personalized “lost and found” ID decals in case the net wanders off without you.

The Flex Santiago Core System ($359.99) trims that down to a more streamlined setup: one FlexStaff, one FlexReach, and the Medium and Large FlexNet heads, along with a smaller accessory bundle. It’s positioned as the option for anglers who want the modularity of the Flex System without committing to every net size NETrekk offers.

For anglers who already know exactly what they want, or who are looking to add on to gear they already own, NETrekk’s Build Your Own tool walks through the process in three steps: choose a handle or staff (FlexGrip $59.95, FlexReach $94.95, or FlexStaff $124.95), add a net (FlexNet sizes range from $59.95 for Small to $89.95 for XL), and round it out with accessories.

Why This Might Interest Tenkara Anglers

NETrekk focuses on multi-species, cross-discipline use, and the Flex System’s largest net heads and telescopic handle options are clearly built with that broader audience in mind. But there’s a reasonable case for tenkara anglers to pay attention here too. A lot of us already gravitate toward smaller nets for their simplicity on tight brushy streams, and the FlexGrip option covers that use case directly. The appeal of the Flex System is that the same core setup could, in theory, flex (no pun intended) into something larger for a different kind of trip: a lake, a bigger freestone river, or a guided day where a deeper net basket is welcome, without having to own and pack a second, unrelated net. Genryu to Honryu and back!

Whether the swap mechanism holds up to repeated field use over a season, and whether the modularity is worth the added cost of the pre-built kits versus a simple fixed net, are questions best answered by anglers who put the system through its paces on the water. We haven’t had time with this product yet, but NETrekk’s history with previous net and wading staff models is sound, and the engineering behind the FlexAdapter connection point looks thoughtfully executed.

Anglers interested in the Flex System can find the full lineup, including individual components and the two pre-built Santiago kits, at netrekk.com.

NETrekk has kindly provided a coupon code for all Tenkara Angler readers!
Save 10% off your purchase at their website using code TENKARA10

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