Cheap reel.

[Ken L]

This might help someone out.

https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/daiwa-ninja-reel-4234076

[chesters1]

Not worn out my diawa something's or other from the 80's yet but a good price compared to the rest . Just wondering how it justifies its name ,crawling about on slippery roofs ? Scaling cliffs with a katana in its teeth or most probably killing itself when the bailarm spring doesn't spring closed .

[Peter Waller]

In truth, have reels really come that far since the 1980's? Some tweaking, I don't doubt, but a good 80's reel is still a good reel. Mind you, I did buy a little Maver reel a couple of years ago, just for the sheer pleasure of owning and beholding it, not because it was 'better'. 

Edited November 12, 2023 by Peter Waller

[chesters1]

They just chuck in a few more bearings and thinner plastic for the body and a quick paint job to catch the eye .Modern reels are vastly better machined than old ones but the basic designs the same ,it's a device to store line and catch the eye of the gullible neophiliast nothing more (ok I googled) .

Bearing overkill is a moot point I have had many tangles where you set up a rod and put it on its rest with the handle 'just so ' and the damn thing is so loose its handle insists in moving by itself spoiling my day .I am the boss if I want my handle horizontal it's damn well going to stay where I bloody want it multi step anti reverses help (about the only good invention along with bait runners since the 50's) but that's not the point .

Luckily my pocket decides what's bought not the lust for the new fashion that rarely lasts 6 months before something with an 'X' or two or an agressive name like beast master or ripper on the label crops up to tempt the foolish .If it ain't broke it's fine imho

Thinking about it what HAS changed there's been a few fads like line going through the rod and closed face reels but technically all that's changed isn't design but materials that have. But graphite rods are just an refinement of fiber glass not some tech that's changed tackle since the 50's or before. You could even say an  intrepid elite was a bait runner it allows line to be taken with the spool closed but then if you loosened the clutch they all do .All inventors have done is turn a line holding drum 90 degrees with the means to put the line on it for storage and release ,basically my old turn spool spool alvey is it's dad .

Edited November 14, 2023 by chesters1

[Ken L]

I just loaded line onto one of these.

I ordered the 5000 size for predator fishing, and I'd say it was closer to a 6000 Shimano equivalent.

It's solid, with no stem wobble, silky smooth, has no play on the anti-backwind, and both the bail arm and the bait runner engage flawlessly.

I have to say that for £27, I'm impressed.

[chesters1]

For an baitrunner you can't beat the price.Trouble with AliExpress is you take a chance as the descriptions can be vague or sparing with the truth and the delivery times.

Weird system where buyers do or do not charge for delivery or insist on a minimum cost before it's free .Also half the order despite from different shops end up in one package but are individually addressed so there could be a bit of drop shipping going on ? I have noticed different  sellers with almost identical shop stock.Biut then that's similar to eBay or Amazon and some of their strangely named sellers usually (on eBay) some 3 bed house in London which I doubt is paying tax

I just ordered a load of surface mount components but nearly bought a single switch where the postage was 3 times the cost of it .been looking for a new tablet but you have to be wary and buy it from the official outlet on Ali or you could end up with trash using the same sales blurb .

I was talking to the neighbour when he brought round a temu parcel miss delivered .He said it's probably cheap rubbish but I countered it's probably where half the seller's you see buy it from at a big mark up so I take the chance and besides liberties taken in the pictures with child size feet on carpets to give the impression they are bigger it's not as bad as you think

Edited November 21, 2023 by chesters1

[Ken L]

I have a little KastKing baitrunner that I bought from Ali, and it's great. I ordered a big one of the same model, and it's garbage!

The whole reel wobbles as you wind in, because the stem flexes.

Generally, don't buy the cheapest, and you'll be okay.

[BoldBear]

I bought myself a Ninja reel off of the Web about a year ago because of the good write ups the Ninja gets; however I returned it when I saw it; as I didn’t realise how small the spool was compared to some other reels I’ve used; and I much prefer a reel with a much wider and shallower spool which makes casting a waggler a lot easier for me, plus a wider spool doesn’t cause as much line twist/coiling on the cast because of its wider spool.

I returned the Ninja and bit the bullet and went out and bought myself a Shimano-Aero-4000FA reel instead which has a much wider spool together with a Spare spool and two spool reducers for when I’m using finer lines plus a small reel body.

It was more expensive (at twice the price) but in my view was well worth me paying the extra cash; plus unlike the Ninja It comes with a spare spool.

I’m not saying that the Ninja is not a good reel; it obviously is a good reel; however it’s just a bit too small for me for the above reasons.

The Shimano-Aero-4000FA reel with one of the line reducers fitted.

Keith

 

Edited January 10 by BoldBear