Are Shimano reels made by Okuma?

[peter mccue]

My local tackle shop sells Okuma reels & is constantly telling people that Okuma manufacture reels for Shimano.

 

Now considering Shimano's factories are renowned for quality engineering, I find it odd that they would have another company manufacture their reels.

 

Can anybody verify or disprove this?

[Cranfield]

I have also heard this rumour, the other way around........Shimano make Okuma reels.

 

I have read something, somewhere, where both companies deny any collaboration, in design, or manufacture.

I will try to find it.

 

Sounds like usual Tackle Shop bxllxxks to me.

[jeepster]

i just spoke to my local tackle shop, one of shimanos biggest dealers, and they said, as expected, shimano and okuma are totally separate. shimano make some of the best reels in the world, okuma make cheap low end reels (i'm not disrespecting okuma reels, for the money they're good, but they're not in shimanos class)

[andrew.thomas38]

Maybe it's a VW/Skoda type relationship?

[dogfish]

Hi

I have several Shimano reels.Some are made in japan,some in singapore and some in Malaysia.Who knows what these factories also produce.A lot of rods come from the Far east under different labels.I bet a lot are made in the same place and probably using the same materials.This has gone on for yearss

Examples could be Cameras or cars.Some Australian 'Holdens'(vauxhall to us) are made by Daihatsu. Some Fords are made in Japan.We are talking multinationals.Shimano started off making bicycle gears.The list is endless.

No need to worry.Buy what suits you.

The majority of tackle sold in England(or America) is now sourced in the far East despite what the hype may say.

[peter mccue]

Quite agree with dogfish that there is a lot of 'inter manufacture' between companies with any amount of goods, however Shimano & Okuma is a little bit like BMW building cars for a direct competitor such as Vauxhall or its like.

 

I can well imagine a component being manufactured by Okuma & used in various reels & vica versa, but entire reels? I must admit I have a sneaking suspicion for Cranfields 'tackle shop bo****ks'.

 

Would be nice to know the truth though, I know its out there!

[dogfish]

Peter

I take your point but you are assuming that these companies are direct competitors.I suspect in a lot of cases they are the same company.Do you know which car companies General motors own for example? They are Holden/Vauxhall/Opel/Pontiac etc.etc.Noticed how Daewoo cars are now often sold in the same showrooms as Vauxhall and look remarkably similar to older Vauxhall cars. How about Volkswagon/Seat/Skoda?Look which companies Ford own etc.

Most TV components come from the same place.How many different guises do fishing lines come in?There are not as many factories as lines.How many do Du Pont actually own?

There are only about 3 different camera film manufacturers so how do we explain different brand names/prices etc.The list is endless.

Why not fishing Tackle?

I agree we should have more information.

[Andy Macfarlane]

Okuma build fishing reels...that's all. They don't devote time to building machines and bike parts and do reels as a sideline.

The Okuma stuff we get is hardly top of the range but has anyone actually been able to prove that Okuma gear is somehow substandard? I think not.

I don't know how many folk have asked about this stuff in the past but I've yet to read of anyones misfortune with them.

I use Okuma reels and have done twice a week for 2 years and they are every bit as smooth as the day I bought them. Not bad for 35 quid I reckon.

What about Shimano? Well thier gear looks nice and it seems to please some folk but I've read enough to know that thier gear is bog standard and heavily overpriced to boot. I don't know anyone who has been able to convince me that Shimano gear is worth the cash.

This brings me to class. Explain to me what is so classy about Shimanos other than the price.

The same dull black graphite that ALL reels have been made of for the last 20+ years? The boring stainless steel fittings? The decor that could have done by children and a packet of crayons? The baitrunner function that is found in everyones range of reels these days? The non-existant infinite reverse feature that everyone else has managed to nail...What...exactly??

Classy my arse. Rolex watches are expensive but they aint class.

[Andy Thatcher]

Horses for courses Andy.

 

I have tried a few Okuma's and have used Shimano's for years and years.

 

I know which one I would rely on to land a needed fish and which Okuma's are left in the tackle room.

[peter mccue]

Very interesting Dogfish, I must admit I do view them as direct competitors, but as you imply it's not beyond the realms of possibility that there might be some sort of hazy link to a parent company for either reel.

 

Nothing the matter with Okumas Andy, but I much prefer Shimano's understated styling on the aero series. I suppose there's a tackle tart in us all at some level or other which costs us more money than it should!