Torpedo TPS-1/3 Bobbers Review
Our verdict
The Torpedo TPS-1/3 is a three-pack of clear 1/8oz bobbers priced at $4.19, built specifically for fly fishing rigs. At 0.04 pounds each, it's the lightest option in this comparison, and its 4.6-star rating across 128 reviews shows steady satisfaction at a price that barely registers as an investment.
Check price on AmazonBest for
Fly anglers who want a dedicated lightweight strike indicator without spending real money on it. The 1/8oz clear design suits delicate fly presentations, and buying three at once means backup floats are already on hand.
Skip if
Skip this if you fish heavier bait rigs or need a slip float for bass and panfish, since the Torpedo is sized and marketed strictly for fly work. Anglers wanting bulk quantities beyond three pieces should look elsewhere too.
- Material Plastic
- Weight 0.04 Pounds
- Target Species Fly
- Size 1/8oz
- Color Clear
- Pieces 3
- Priced 64% below the category median ($11.49 across 56 tracked models)
Our scorecard
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Owner rating4.6/5
4.6 average across 128 owner ratings
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Popularity1.2/5
128 owner reviews, fewer than most models here
The overall score is owner satisfaction weighted by how many reviews back it, so a high rating from few reviews counts for less. The bars below show where this model stands against the other fishing gear and tackle we track in this category on price, popularity and size. Context, not marks against it, and our read of the data, not a lab test.
Overview
Picture a fly angler stripping line on a small stream, watching for the faintest twitch in a strike indicator. That's the job the Torpedo TPS-1/3 is built for. At $4.19 for three clear 1/8oz bobbers, it's priced like a stocking stuffer rather than a serious tackle purchase, yet it holds a 4.6-star average across 128 reviews.
The specs point to a narrow, focused product. Plastic construction keeps each float at just 0.04 pounds, light enough that it won't distort a delicate fly cast the way a bulkier float would. The clear color is meant to stay unobtrusive on the water, which matters more in fly fishing than in bait fishing where a bright, visible bobber is the point. Getting three pieces per pack for under five dollars means losing one to a snag doesn't end the trip.
Compared against the other bobbers here, the Torpedo sits at the entry-level end of price but not of demand. It's outsold most of the alternatives, with 100+ bought last month, trailing only the Thill AF-SLIP's 500+. Against the $61.26 Saddle FR520 or the $6.99 Thill TSB00, which carries a lower 4.1-star rating despite 391 reviews, the TPS-1/3 reads as the practical, no-frills pick for anyone specifically fly fishing rather than needing a general-purpose float.
Pros
- Costs just $4.19 for three bobbers, one of the cheapest per-unit prices in this comparison
- At 0.04 pounds, it's light enough to avoid weighing down a fly line
- Clear color keeps the float low-profile for spooky fish
- 4.6-star average across 128 reviews signals consistent satisfaction
- 100+ bought last month shows steady ongoing demand
- Purpose-built 1/8oz sizing matches fly rigs rather than being a generic bobber
Cons
- Only useful for fly fishing setups, not bait or slip-float rigs
- Three pieces per pack means a lost float noticeably shrinks your supply
- Plastic construction won't match the durability of the wood Thill floats
- Review count of 128 is modest next to the Thill AF-SLIP's 433
Specifications
| Material | Plastic |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.04 Pounds |
| Target Species | Fly |
| Size | 1/8oz |
| Color | Clear |
| Pieces | 3 |
Performance notes
The numbers describe a float meant to disappear rather than announce itself. Plastic at 0.04 pounds is barely there on the line, which matters for fly rigs where any added weight can drag a fly's presentation out of the strike zone a trout would expect. The 1/8oz sizing is proportioned for small flies and light tippet rather than the heavier terminal tackle used in bass or panfish rigs. Clear coloring is a deliberate choice too: unlike the brightly colored slip floats made for visibility at distance, a clear body is meant to stay nearly invisible under the water's surface, which fly anglers generally prefer since the fish they're targeting tend to be leader-shy. Selling as a three-pack for $4.19 also reads as an acknowledgment that fly bobbers get lost in brush and current more often than bait rigs anchored near a dock.
What buyers say
A 4.6-star average holding steady across 128 reviews suggests the product does what it claims without generating much complaint, though the review count is on the smaller side compared to the Thill AF-SLIP's 433 or the Thill TSB00's 391. The 100+ bought last month figure puts it in the middle of the pack among these five bobbers, ahead of the Saddle FR520's 50+ but behind the AF-SLIP's 500+. That combination, a high rating with moderate volume, reads like a product that satisfies the specific niche it's built for, fly anglers, rather than one aiming for mass-market bobber sales the way a bass-oriented slip float would.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Torpedo TPS-1/3 suitable for bass fishing?
Not really. It's sized at 1/8oz and marketed for fly fishing, so it's too light and low-profile for the heavier bait rigs typical in bass fishing. The Thill AF-SLIP, built for bass at $8.64, is a better match for that use.
How many bobbers come in the pack?
Three clear plastic bobbers ship in each $4.19 pack. That's fewer pieces than the Thill AF-SLIP's 5-pack, so anglers who lose gear often may want to budget for a second pack sooner.
Does the rating hold up compared to other bobbers?
Its 4.6-star average across 128 reviews is close to the top of this group, tied with nothing exactly but just under the Saddle FR520 and Thill AF-SLIP's 4.7 stars. It's well above the Thill TSB00's 4.1-star score.