Advice Penn v Shimano

[meirion658]

In the past I've always tended to use Shimano FS reels I don't tend to spend more than £200 on a reel for beach casting.

In that price bracket who are now producing the better products Penn or Shimano?

 

[Thrasher]

A very good question to which I don't know the answer.
When I restarted recently I bought an Aerlex, then a speedcast 1400 xsb, then another for a matching pair. For some reason I then bought a apir of okuma 8k surfs and just recently bought a couple of Penn spinfisher LC's, not fished with them yet though.

 

[wingnut55]

Not a mangle user myself, but I would think Shimano would make the better quality reels IMO..

Ian.

 

[meirion658]

Mangle??? AM I missing something here don't take much these days !!

 

[Trampster]

I think it all comes down to money and the amount of use you want out of either rods or reels. If you're out fishing twice a week, then it's worth spending a decent amount of money on gear.
Shimano are good, and I like Penn reels for surfcasting.
I've got a Shimano 3000 & 2x 4000 reels for my lure rods, but prefer Penn for beach work.

I wouldn't spend over about £80 on a reel - I couldn't justify it for the amount of fishing I do.
My Mitchell Blue water RZ 9000 is a good reel (all part of Pure fishing, like Penn) which was just over £30 new, my Surfblaster 2 came from Gumtree, used once only for £30, and I've got a spare Surfblaster 1 kindly donated to me by @Tatunka joe.
Just can't justify spending £100's on gear.

If a rod & reel will reliably get a bait out to where I want it, that will do me. The Fish don't know what you chucked it out there with!

 

[Trampster]

Mangle??? AM I missing something here don't take much these days !!

Some of the Multiplier users among us like to refer to F/S reels as 'Mangles' or 'Coffee grinders'!
A sign of misunderstanding!

 

[meirion658]

I think it all comes down to money and the amount of use you want out of either rods or reels. If you're out fishing twice a week, then it's worth spending a decent amount of money on gear.
Shimano are good, and I like Penn reels for surfcasting.
I've got a Shimano 3000 & 2x 4000 reels for my lure rods, but prefer Penn for beach work.

I wouldn't spend over about £80 on a reel - I couldn't justify it for the amount of fishing I do.
My Mitchell Blue water RZ 9000 is a good reel (all part of Pure fishing, like Penn) which was just over £30 new, my Surfblaster 2 came from Gumtree, used once only for £30, and I've got a spare Surfblaster 1 kindly donated to me by @Tatunka joe.
Just can't justify spending £100's on gear.

If a rod & reel will reliably get a bait out to where I want it, that will do me. The Fish don't know what you chucked it out there with!

Like you all my lure fishing reels are all Shimano. I was just wondering has the gap closed between the market leaders such as Shimano and are you now mainly paying for the brand name as such

 

[FishAmaniac]

Daiwas fixed spools are also decent, but expensive.
My ultegras have served me well. But if you need to winch a 4lb cod up a cliff side you'll need one of their higher up reels.

 

[Trampster]

Like you all my lure fishing reels are all Shimano. I was just wondering has the gap closed between the market leaders such as Shimano and are you now mainly paying for the brand name as such

Similar story with a lots of things, like phones for example. I don't like Apple stuff, and prefer Android. I think Samsung have pretty much got the Android market sewn up, but their pricing suggests you're paying for the name, not the quality or value for money.

 

[Tomthewelshie]

Shimano for smoothness, refinement and line lay.

Penn for robustness and sealing from elements.

That’s always been my view.

 

[Beach]

Similar story with a lots of things, like phones for example. I don't like Apple stuff, and prefer Android. I think Samsung have pretty much got the Android market sewn up, but their pricing suggests you're paying for the name, not the quality or value for money.

Apple stuff as you call it is like the old Nokia mobiles but better imo. Samsung stuff can stay in the stores.

 

[Kine262]

I always used to say Shimano were best for features, smoothness and quality, but the last five or six years have seen some of the components they use reduce in quality so I tried a couple of Penn reels. Can't say I was impressed. Had endless problems with the line getting caught under the spool and the drag adjustment was not the smoothest, with the smallest of turns causing snatch. I was surprised as the Penn multiplier reels are such good quality. Might be just my experiences as others speak highly of Penn FS reels.

 

[Tomthewelshie]

I always used to say Shimano were best for features, smoothness and quality, but the last five or six years have seen some of the components they use reduce in quality so I tried a couple of Penn reels. Can't say I was impressed. Had endless problems with the line getting caught under the spool and the drag adjustment was not the smoothest, with the smallest of turns causing snatch. I was surprised as the Penn multiplier reels are such good quality. Might be just my experiences as others speak highly of Penn FS reels.

Got to be honest I’ve never had any issues like that with the higher end penn reels. I don’t have much experience with the cheaper models though.

 

[meirion658]

Got to be honest I’ve never had any issues like that with the higher end penn reels. I don’t have much experience with the cheaper models though.

Define higher end reels?

 

[Kine262]

Got to be honest I’ve never had any issues like that with the higher end penn reels. I don’t have much experience with the cheaper models though.

I think that just about sums this issue up with many brands. I understand that all brands will produce a range of reels but surely they can only be judged on the cheapest in their range rather than the most expensive. If the cheapest reels are rubbish, why produce them? If a company produces a reel for 50 quid then anyone that buys it should be able to expect it to work perfectly well but perhaps not last as long or has as many features as a more expensive one.

Personally I have always gone for mid to upper level in tackle I buy, but can neither afford nor justify top end models when companies charge several hundred or even thousands for a reel that won't do much more than one I buy for £200 to £300.

 

[meirion658]

I think that just about sums this issue up with many brands. I understand that all brands will produce a range of reels but surely they can only be judged on the cheapest in their range rather than the most expensive. If the cheapest reels are rubbish, why produce them? If a company produces a reel for 50 quid then anyone that buys it should be able to expect it to work perfectly well but perhaps not last as long or has as many features as a more expensive one.

Personally I have always gone for mid to upper level in tackle I buy, but can neither afford nor justify top end models when companies charge several hundred or even thousands for a reel that won't do much more than one I buy for £200 to £300.

I agree with you on this one do those £1000 reels give you £800 more value than a £200 reel. If so what does that £800 offer ??

 

[Tomthewelshie]

Define higher end reels?

Their authority Reels etc and I have used a slammer DX too. Both were excellent for their intended use.

 

[Thrasher]

In the past I've always tended to use Shimano FS reels I don't tend to spend more than £200 on a reel for beach casting.

In that price bracket who are now producing the better products Penn or Shimano?

Are you going to be on braid or nylon?

 

[meirion658]

I prefer nylon on the bigger spools and braid for lure fishing reels

 

[Beach]

I use mono (nylon) on all my reels, even for coffee grinders for river/fresh water. Multies on the beach again with mono line and a shock leader.