Out of his box of tricks he produced no less than ........ a big pit ........
(i'll refrain from using the word 'baitrunner')
FREESPOOL Reel ! but we all know what a 'freespool' is . . .
So back to the reel in question...
On the face of it, it's got to be said, it looks tidy. very tidy.
The spool shaft has that slow oscilation that lays the line very closely and very evenly, in short it was as flat as a pancake - looked perfect.
It has a chunky feel that i like, it actually feels like they've put summat inside it instead of that hollow feel you get with some reels...... no soul some of them.
It doesn't look particularly 'flash', yet it just screams quality at you, and it's got some rather tasty features let me tell ya . . . . .
Shall we start with, ahem - no fewer than 16 BALL BEARINGS ! 16 for gods sake! where oh where do they put them eh? Oh sorry, i forgot the extra roller bearing, so thats 17 all in all!
Then there's the bail that locks in the 'down' position. Think on, it's only a small thing but most bails lock to stop them snapping shut during the cast in the 'up' position...... personally, i'm not a fan of this anyway, gets in my way - i like this downward thinking, very clever.
The spool is push-button, but, the drags on the front too........ hmmmm tricky, how did they do that you ask? Now think again, how many reels can you think of with a front disc drag, that have a push button spool too? Yep, same as me, none!
Aren't all push button spooled reels rear drag you ask? Erm, no, not this one.....
Very clever Mr.Fox.......leaves the back of the reel the space to stick, what should be stuck there, the FREESPOOL adjuster.(which is just as finely adjustable as the front clutch)
Also, the FREESPOOL lever folds FLAT when the lever kicks back into the gears, remember Daiwa doing that on their Freespools? Then they changed it to be 'in with the in crowd' Why oh why did they change it . . . . . . Well, Mr.Fox in his infinite wisdom, has gone back to the common sense way, and good on him. Why would you need the lever to be stuck out the back of the reel anyway? Surely it's better tucked away when not in use...... but i digress . . . . . .
So what else has it got? MASSIVE line capacity, bigger than that other well known one,(10,000xt) A very clever spool arbour for 'shallowing up' the massive capacity spools.
Did i mention a free spare spool? Or that to buy a spare spool (alloy) will only cost you £14.99 ! Cheap as chips i tells ya ...... Compared with......well, you know ;-)
Now then...... does it have any 'bad' points????? untill Darren said it, in his words not mine, its heavy...... i thought..... compared with what? a Shimano big pit baitrunner? nah........... not when you consider it's stuffed with 17 bearings!
I think it feels 'chunky' in a good way, solid even, all the usuall features and more..... plenty more, i've forgotten a load since seeing it, so i'll leave you with this pic' to have a look at........ enjoy, 'cos i will when i get my hands on one....
