Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Does anyone here use this reel as a 100# reel?  I know several guys who do, plenty who sneer at the idea  

Sneer away... I use it as a 100# reel. It's my go to reel for jigging with 100# Izor metered line. It's my 100# reel on my current 10 day trip... I've been trolling with it. If I was cow hunting I'd use my Mak 20... but I'm not!

What is a HXW?

Quote from: Gfish on October 03, 2026, 11:18:23 PMWhat is a HXW?

Sorry.

Avet HXW Raptor reel.

Avet HXW Raptor! They make a 3-speed version too!

Just to clairfy, there is a difference between a standard HXW and HXW Raptor
From the Avet website:

Standard HXW
HXW5/2   30-60 Lb. Two speed   H - 5.4:1 L - 2.4:1  100 Lb. - 620 Yards Strike: 22 Full: 28 H - 47  L - 17
27 oz


Raptor HXW
HXW5/2 RAP  50 -100 Lb.   Twospeed H - 5.4:1 L - 1.9:1  100 Lb. - 620 Yards Strike: 40 Full: 50 H - 47 L - 17   32 oz

The standard model has high line capacity, but a lower drag at strike and max. The Raptor has the same capacity and much higher drag in both strike and max settings.

With a drag setting of 22lb at strike and a max of 28 at full, I don't think a standard HXW will work as a 100lb reel.

And no, you cannot convert a non-raptor into a raptor, I already looked into it

The HX reels have small spool bearings and the HXW has long thin spool shaft that makes the Avet HXW Raptor a marginal 100# reel.  It will work but it's like redlining a motor all of the time, eventually something will fail.... and most likely on a large fish.  I would consider the HXW RAPTOR to be a good 80# reel, the HXJ (HX narrow) and HX  Raptor are solid 80# reels, the HXJ and HX (Raptor and non Raptor), have the same small diameter spool bearings and thin spool shaft but the shafts are not as long as on the HXW.  I fish my non Raptor HX as a 50/60 pound reel (spooled with 60# JB Line 1) and my HXJ Raptor (spooled with 80# JB Line 1) as a 60# and back up 80#. For 80# and up a heavier framed reel is a better choice, my go to 80# reel is a Penn VISX 12, it is heavier than a HXW though.   Another consideration is the heavier framed reels usually have a lower low gear ratio, except the AVET 3 speed reels.

Avet needs to come out with a EX12, EX16 and EX20, the EX 30 is a bit heavy.

Quote from: rogan on October 04, 2026, 01:12:37 AMAnd no, you cannot convert a non-raptor into a raptor, I already looked into it

I did the same thing with my MXL, no go, the same results with trying to put a 2 speed sideplate on a single speed MXJ. This morning I pulled off the 50# and spooled my MXL with 600 yards of 30# JB Line 1 and a 15' 20# topshot,  I will use it on the November 10 day as a 20# reel if the bait situation still sucks.

When they have the fred hall show they go on sale,,,?
This is the only reel I would like to have because you can do everything just change out the leader and one friend said it cast nice,,,,

Quote from: Gfish on October 03, 2026, 11:18:23 PMWhat is a HXW?

For anyone not Avet-speak familiar, HXJ (narrow), HX (standard), HXW (wide).  Same methodology exists with the J Series, L Series, M Series, and S Series (this is descending order of size).
Raptor is "Xtra Drag", and MC is "magnetic cast".  And any Raptor automatically comes MC. This pretty much applies to any of the above mentioned series.  And yes they make other reels as well (T-Rex 3 Speed anyone?)
To throw my $.02 on Jim's question, I have an HX Raptor on a UC Predator rod and use that as an 80#.  It was also the last big reel I bought, as over years of Long Range each year I added to the arsenal, with one of the first I bought being a International 20 on a UC Viper as a dedicated 100#.  I bought it to fill in a gap between my JX, Fathom, and International.  Can it be fished as 100#?  Yes, but as others have noted you are at the low range (if you are fond of Avet I would grab an EX). - john

I still fish my discontinued Avet EX 4/0 reels.

Quote from: rogan on October 04, 2026, 01:12:37 AMJust to clairfy, there is a difference between a standard HXW and HXW Raptor
From the Avet website:

Standard HXW
HXW5/2   30-60 Lb. Two speed   H - 5.4:1 L - 2.4:1  100 Lb. - 620 Yards Strike: 22 Full: 28 H - 47  L - 17
27 oz


Raptor HXW
HXW5/2 RAP  50 -100 Lb.   Twospeed H - 5.4:1 L - 1.9:1  100 Lb. - 620 Yards Strike: 40 Full: 50 H - 47 L - 17   32 oz

The standard model has high line capacity, but a lower drag at strike and max. The Raptor has the same capacity and much higher drag in both strike and max settings.

With a drag setting of 22lb at strike and a max of 28 at full, I don't think a standard HXW will work as a 100lb reel.

And no, you cannot convert a non-raptor into a raptor, I already looked into it

Raptor

Avet specs the HX Raptor series at 40# at strike and 50# at full (HX, HXJ and HXW).... they are stretching the truth.  At 40# the sideload on the tiny pinion bearing makes the handle hard to turn.  They will do 30# at strike without too much side load on the pinion bearing so in theory they are a 100# class reel.  However the thin spool shaft, spool and pinion bearings are a week point made worse in the wide reel.

I fish my HXJ Raptor as a 60# reel and have fished it at 80# but in my opinion one is better off jumping up to a heavier frame reel for 80# and up.  The Penn VISX 12 and Avet HXJ Raptor both weigh 32oz so weight is not a consideration.    However the heavier VISX16 (36 oz) or Okuma MAK16SEa (40 oz) are better choices for 100#.

Quote from: Keta on October 05, 2026, 12:07:43 AMAvet specs the HX Raptor series at 40# at strike and 50# at full (HX, HXJ and HXW).... they are stretching the truth.  At 40# the sideload on the tiny pinion bearing makes the handle hard to turn.  They will do 30# at strike without too much side load on the pinion bearing so in theory they are a 100# class reel.  However the thin spool shaft, spool and pinion bearings are a week point made worse in the wide reel.

I fish my HXJ Raptor as a 60# reel and have fished it at 80# but in my opinion one is better off jumping up to a heavier frame reel for 80# and up.  The Penn VISX 12 and Avet HXJ Raptor both weigh 32oz so weight is not a consideration.    However the heavier VISX16 (36 oz) or Okuma MAK16SEa (40 oz) are better choices for 100#.

I fish 50# on my HXJ for yo-yo, 60# on my HX for yoyo and bait, 100# on my HXW for trolling and jigging... but I'm so over jigging for BFT!

Jim O, no insult or malice intended. I recently made a miscalculation with my first avet purchase. I bought a few rods from a retired long range angler and he offered me the chance to purchase a couple of his avet reels. I thought I was buying an HX, but it turned out to be an HXW. Since I dont know the product line, I missed on the width, and the drag specs. It is too large a reel with too little drag for what I wanted. What I wanted was standard width reel that could comfortably hit 30lb of drag so I could use it as a 60lb trolling reel. The non raptor version I got wont quite get there. Still a nice reel and think I might have another use for it.

Since you didnt mention "raptor" in your first post, I wanted to make sure which reel you were talking about so you didnt have the same issue I had, too big a reel with too little drag...

And I appreciate Lee's explanation about the bearing and spool shaft sizing, I learned a bunch

Quote from: MarkT on October 05, 2026, 01:24:45 AMI'm so over jigging for BFT!

Me too!  See you in a month.