Alan Hawke reviewed 2015 Saltiga yet? Yep he sure has!

[PE Pete]

Hi all, anyone if Alan Hawke has published a review on the 2015 Saltiga yet. Can't find anything myself.
Pete
Edit: have just read Alan Hawkes most recent 2015 reviews with much interest.
One of the many things that strikes me from reading his reviews & reflecting on my own recent experiences of Diawa is just how misleading/lazy Diawas service/marketing departments are.
They have produced a magnificent range of reels in their 2015 release, yet their intentional smoke & mirrors approach is nothing short of a complete turn off IMO.
I find it VERY off putting to be marketed to as in the case of the new innovative ATD function in the 2015 Saltiga range, only to find its little more than proprietary drag grease & marketing BS.
To give you the back story of my recent experience I had my credit card loaded & ready to swipe. My fav retail store organised two models the Saltiga 5000 & 6500 low ratios for me to checkout on my Synit spin jig rod. The 5000 felt perfect & I was really keen to get a handle on the ATD function which I had read all about cause I love new techo stuff in fishing gear. So imagine my disappointment to find that to all intents & purposes it's like Santa. I want to believe but know it doesn't exist!
If Diawa were as good at being upfront with their tech marketing as they are at producing reels I would own half a dozen!
With the above said I have no doubt the 2015 Saltiga range are great reels BUT the more I look into Diawas business phylosyphy the less I like it!
Diawa HQ if your listening drop the marketing hype, tell it as it really is & just allow your products to stand on their own merits because there some of the best in the business.
In conclusion I ended up buying a mint second hand Stella SW 08 model.
Pete

[Mac53]

Pete makes some fair comments but I would like to add one more. Understand that if you buy a 2015 Saltiga you will be tied to the Daiwa service facilities.  Their propriotory Mag Seal is not available to the masses and this reel is technically only serviceable by them.  You can't take it to the neighborhood tackle shop for routine service.  One person who did discovered that the technician simply squirted some grease in place of the mag seal fluid and ruined the reel.  Make sure that the Daiwa center in your area provides services, if not, consider walking away. Personally, I wanted the new reel and was ready to write the check until all this service stuff came up and now I am having second thoughts.  The Penn Torque is now being highly considered.  

I would highly recommend any one considering a spinning reel check out Alan Hawks website.  It is by far the best reference for spinners I have ever read and is equivalent to what this website is to conventional reels.

Mac

[PE Pete]

Very important point there Mac,that I didn't pay enough attention to.
However I have just week been very reassured on two fronts.
1: Diawa exchanged my Dogfight 7000h which had a very stiff rotation (whole other story) for a new 2015 Dogfight 8000h.
2: an old mate of mine who I haven't seen in ages turned up at the tackle store with my new DF & turns out Diawa have just recruited him to assist with their service work. So I feel a whole lot better about the prospect of getting a good service done when I do need to drop it in.
Cheers Pete

[Rivverrat]

This misleading information & out right dishonesty in the market place regarding fishing gear has led me down a path of frustration for many years. Diawa is no different. I dont know of one manufacture that makes a reel that will perform well at it's stated specks. Unless one wishes to spend the money for a reel of the level of a Alutecnos.  Then the manufactures are sometimes secretive about how they reach there numbers. I have learned but the path getting there was filled with a heapping helping  of frustration....Jeff

[Mac53]

Pete - you should be OK assuming the guy knows his stuff!  Alan still ranks the Expedition slightly ahead of the 2015 Saltiga and he points out that the normal service of the Expedition only needs normal grease and lube products.  I may take a second look at this reel but I am a little disappointed.  We'll see how it plays out.

Riverrat - I feel your pain!  The problem as I see it, is that there are no recognized national standards for the production of fishing tackle.  Additionally, there are no state or federal laws either and until there is an injury or death to an operator there probably will never be.  Fishing is seen as a hobby and not worth formulation of manufacturing laws.  You only need to look at the monofilament claims for line breakage to know that many claims are based on getting the edge in selling units and have very little to do with truth in advertising for the consumer.  I suppose since the law does not require them to be 100% truthful they can say whatever they want and let the market sort it all out!

Mac

[Reel 224]

In any case it rests solely on the shoulders of the consumer when purchasing a new product, once we experience that a product does not live up to it's claim of performance, then it is our responsibility to not purchase products from that manufacturer. My opinion about quality in manufacturing is simply this. We as consumers have created our own problem by putting price over quality and it has resulted in a market of low quality products competing over quality products that cannot survive the price war.

I see very little value for the dollar spent today. When the consumer demands better quality there will be a better market of products. 

[johndtuttle]

In any case it rests solely on the shoulders of the consumer when purchasing a new product, once we experience that a product does not live up to it's claim of performance, then it is our responsibility to not purchase products from that manufacturer. My opinion about quality in manufacturing is simply this. We as consumers have created our own problem by putting price over quality and it has resulted in a market of low quality products competing over quality products that cannot survive the price war.

I see very little value for the dollar spent today. When the consumer demands better quality there will be a better market of products. 

I agree. I think part of what we do here however is education, in the sense that people need to have reasonable expectations and take care of their gear.

Guys think a spinning reel that makes "40lbs" of drag is what they need yet they have never done a dead lift of ten pounds with an 8' rod in their life and would be shocked at what it really feels like. Only 10lbs at the end of an 8' rod is like 40lbs felt to the angler and is something most guys can only hold for a few minutes....they mostly yet have not made the connection between the 2 numbers.

Foakes and I had some posts on this topic...The reason a Penn 704z or DAM Quick lasts forever is that they have amazing gear trains and stiff construction....and terrible drags that barely make a smooth 10lbs. They simply cannot make enough drag to break themselves. Now, many reels of every type make enough drag to blow up the first day if you lock them down.

Penn did reintroduce the 704z for old timer surf guys that love the incredible reliability...but your average young guy thinks its a joke.

"Why would I want some old busted looking old school reel "

It's tough sledding when a super sexy Shimano touts 30lbs of drag for the same money and looks like a million dollars to a young guy (who buys most of the new reels).

[MarkT]

I doubt it costs any more to make a good looking reel than a dumpy looking reel.

[johndtuttle]

I doubt it costs any more to make a good looking reel than a dumpy looking reel.

Don't underestimate the up front costs of molds and tooling to make these modern reels.

A Daiwa Sweepfire might only cost $30....but only because they probably sell something crazy like 100,000 units a year for 5 years out of the same molds. And for every success like that they have to pay for all the dogs that don't succeed.

[Reel 224]

John: That is the key here EDUCATION! that is offered here by experience, now we just have to listen and learn.....That's a tough one for a lot of people.

Alan Tani has given a lot of people the place to help others with there knowledge and experience,and also the same place for those of us that are interested in learning a place to learn. All we have to do is PAY ATTENTION! 

[ReelClean]

Pete makes some fair comments but I would like to add one more. Understand that if you buy a 2015 Saltiga you will be tied to the Daiwa service facilities.  Their propriotory Mag Seal is not available to the masses and this reel is technically only serviceable by them.  You can't take it to the neighborhood tackle shop for routine service.
Mac

Actually, (allegedly) you can now buy magseal oil from Daiwa Australia for $100 per 5ml, then you can install it yourself thusly:
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=11517.msg111636#msg111636
It's not rocket surgery 
I haven't had a chance to play with the new magsealed bearings yet, but from what I have seen online the principle for replenishing would seem to be the same.

I haven't approached Daiwa myself, but have heard from 2 sources who have.  I had found an alternative which seems to be just as robust, but the Daiwa price is actually not bad, just that 5ml will service about up to 60odd reels if you use it right.
cheers
Steve

[PE Pete]

Pete makes some fair comments but I would like to add one more. Understand that if you buy a 2015 Saltiga you will be tied to the Daiwa service facilities.  Their propriotory Mag Seal is not available to the masses and this reel is technically only serviceable by them.  You can't take it to the neighborhood tackle shop for routine service.
Mac

Actually, (allegedly) you can now buy magseal oil from Daiwa Australia for $100 per 5ml, then you can install it yourself thusly:
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=11517.msg111636#msg111636
It's not rocket surgery 
I haven't had a chance to play with the new magsealed bearings yet, but from what I have seen online the principle for replenishing would seem to be the same.

I haven't approached Daiwa myself, but have heard from 2 sources who have.  I had found an alternative which seems to be just as robust, but the Daiwa price is actually not bad, just that 5ml will service about up to 60odd reels if you use it right.
cheers
Steve

Steve your a legend mate that really good to know cause I've just got a new Dogfight & was a bit concerned how the mag seal servicing would go.
Cheers Pete