Reels from China?

[Tile]

I am not excluding that they may be the the OEM for some of the well known fishing tackle makers (on my Abu Revo XW-L there is a sticker saying  Made in Korea which cold mean that Banax may be the ones manufacturing some reels for Abu).

[Cor]

As far as I know Banax is a south korean company with decent products. My first multiplier is a Banax OW7300 which so far served me well and not excluding that they may have some lemons as all the other makers fishing tackle.

I've heard good things about Banax. I believe they made the older Millionaires for Daiwa (or was it vice-versa?).
[/quote]

When I posted this, I was wondering if someone was going to take me on at this as I remember I bought it because it had a "fairly good" reputation.   Did not know it was from south korea, but then I don't always care too much about where it is made.

But my experience was not good, which may not always be the result of manufacture either.

[Tiddlerbasher]

I have several Kastking Katmai fly reels - Very well made (machined). All the bearings are a standard metric size. Smooth, sealed, powerful mutidisc drag (replaced original with greased cf). For the money they can't be touched. The 9/10 weight is an excellent saltwater reel. They are superior to many 'Western' reels in terms of build quality. They won some awards when they first came on the scene. Just because it's says PRC doesn't mean it's crap.
Having said that for more complcated reels (where various spares will be needed) I would still go for one of the big boys.

[kiwiretzev]

Have been let down too many times by poor quality Chinese reels.

If I didn't buy the reels for me, then they were bought for my two kids.
Perhaps higher quality Chinese reels would have been  a better option for me at the time, but what exactly is a 'higher quality Chinese reel?'

Until I know, I'll stick to my tried and tested Dam Quick's and Alvey's.
I love simplicity in engineering, plus they can handle big fish.

[Tile]

There are some good quality ones but there are also a lot of them which I would consider junk. Whenever I see a spinning reel with a pot metal main gear, irrespective of its maker I steer clear from it, just not worth it.

[Gobi King]

Here what I found in the interweb (yeah so it must be true),

Metallurgy

Chinese reels may look and function like their $$$$ counterparts, but a few reels a guy on amazon tested over time  showed signed of inferior metallurgy.

[Newell Nut]

Learned a hard lesson when we bought pressure parts for power plants from China. Horrible metallurgy and horrible reliability due to leaks.

Dwight

[nelz]

There are many good mid-sized spinners with alloy main gear, even aluminum. My Okuma Helios just keeps going and going - smoothly - with its aluminum main. My Pflueger Supreme MG with alloy "pot metal" main, has taken many big snook, never an issue. IMHO, unless you're using your reel like a winch, gear metallurgy isn't that critical... pump & reel, pump & reel!  

But pinion gears, however, must be steel!

Edit: Big game is another story of course.

[foakes]

Have been let down too many times by poor quality Chinese reels.

If I didn't buy the reels for me, then they were bought for my two kids.
Perhaps higher quality Chinese reels would have been  a better option for me at the time, but what exactly is a 'higher quality Chinese reel?'

Until I know, I'll stick to my tried and tested Dam Quick's and Alvey's.
I love simplicity in engineering, plus they can handle big fish.

Paul asked a good question -- how do we know exactly what a higher quality Chinese reel is?

IMO, a poor quality Chinese reel is inexpensive, is built with a lot of anodized and plastic parts, and you cannot get replacement parts -- EVER -- (even if you buy an identical replacement reel for parts -- many times the parts will not interchange anymore because the reels are somehow different.)

A high quality Chinese reel is (3) times as expensive, is built with a lot of anodized and plastic parts, and you still cannot get replacement parts for it.

There are exceptions -- Penn China reels are of a very decent quality.  And parts are available. 

Best, Fred

[Lingwendil]

I own several "flame" series spinning reels made by Piscifun, and after two years of rough use with kids, getting dunked in saltwater, and rinsing and oil they have held up just as well as the name brand "usual" types do. They are just as well made as comparable price point items from the other guys, and better than the usual name brand reels that you see on the cheap combos at many retailers.

I gave a way a Penn battle recently because it was nowhere near as smooth at twice the price, even with proper care.

[Midway Tommy]

Have been let down too many times by poor quality Chinese reels.

If I didn't buy the reels for me, then they were bought for my two kids.
Perhaps higher quality Chinese reels would have been  a better option for me at the time, but what exactly is a 'higher quality Chinese reel?'

Until I know, I'll stick to my tried and tested Dam Quick's and Alvey's.
I love simplicity in engineering, plus they can handle big fish.

Paul asked a good question -- how do we know exactly what a higher quality Chinese reel is?

IMO, a poor quality Chinese reel is inexpensive, is built with a lot of anodized and plastic parts, and you cannot get replacement parts -- EVER -- (even if you buy an identical replacement reel for parts -- many times the parts will not interchange anymore because the reels are somehow different.)

A high quality Chinese reel is (3) times as expensive, is built with a lot of anodized and plastic parts, and you still cannot get replacement parts for it.

There are exceptions -- Penn China reels are of a very decent quality.  And parts are available. 

Best, Fred

That explanation, and advice, IMHO, is one of various reasons not to buy China made stuff. 

[oc1]

For those of you who think that bringing new participants into the sport of fishing is a good thing, disposable Chinese reels, spincast reels and Mickey Mouse combos have their place.  If the entry point is too pricy then nobody will give the sport a try.  Personally, I think the sport should be more expensive and elitist and all reels should be machined by hand.
-steve

[philaroman]

yeah, and do a training course akin to Basic, before you get a license... 
and pay annual dues to The Piscatorial Bar... 
and after 10 yrs. in good standing...
They let you LOOK at Steve's Private Ocean

[Midway Tommy]

For those of you who think that bringing new participants into the sport of fishing is a good thing, disposable Chinese reels, spincast reels and Mickey Mouse combos have their place.  If the entry point is too pricy then nobody will give the sport a try.  Personally, I think the sport should be more expensive and elitist and all reels should be machined by hand.
-steve

Oh, I duno, it seems like Zebco did a pretty darn good job over the years getting people interested in fishing reasonably with USA made stuff.   

[oc1]

I agree Tommy.  Zebco did an excellent job.  Follow the money.
-steve