shimano or okuma

[insider]

Everyone should note that Okuma outsource a lot of the making of their reels. Pflueger is only a brand name, they don't make reels. Shimano only assemble reels all parts are sub contracted out. Daiwa outsource as well. I have to back up Sleepygreg always compare apples with applles. Also note a massive marketing budget has to be paid by someone and if you are buying the big brands you are funding the advertising and maybe not the quality.

[bf90]

I have always used shimano tld 15 20 and 25 great reels bought 2 okuma reels on special for $199 each and within 12 months one of them packed it in so I pulled it apart and the internals were rusted to hell so last time I ever buy okuma for me it is only 2 players shimano and penn had both brands for 10 plus years and never a single problem. Cheers and tight lines guys.

[gpz1991]

Everyone should note that Okuma outsource a lot of the making of their reels. Pflueger is only a brand name, they don't make reels. Shimano only assemble reels all parts are sub contracted out. Daiwa outsource as well. I have to back up Sleepygreg always compare apples with applles. Also note a massive marketing budget has to be paid by someone and if you are buying the big brands you are funding the advertising and maybe not the quality.

After several years break I got back in to game fishing (new 6m boat) on a limited budget, bought a mixture of new and good second hand gear. I have owned and used pretty much all brands and levels of gear in 35 years of fishing.

As part of venture back in to game fishing I bought a T30 and T50 Okuma (the older model blue Titus) I have now had these for sereval years and have caught every thing from 10kg blue fin tuna to 140kg blue marlin and for the price that I paid for them can not complain, at this stage they get used for about 4-6 trips per year and do seem to take a bit more care as I do not think the finish is as good as Tld.

In a perfect world we would always buy the best of the best, if money was no object I would buy Penn inters and Diawa sea lines

[nathank]

Ive had a TLD 20 (the same one) since 95 and its still alive and very well..... These things for the money are just the best value out there..super smooth drags

[davo]

Shimano. Okuma is crap.

[benno_r]

Shimano. Okuma is crap.

Don't know about that. My last 2 Okuma reels were a V-System and a Makaira, both work great, are well built, and are holding up well. My last Shimano was a CI4 Stradic, and it wobbles all over the place because the mounts for the main bearings in the body are too big for the bearings. I also own other Shimano gear, and I especially love my Talica.

Have you owned a recent Okuma?

Cheers,
Ben

[cobiaman]

I also own 2 vsystems and would rate them over a stradic

[Lancair]

I suspect fishing reels are much like electric power tools out of china. I have a mate who is big in the game of power tools, he tells me these smae factories turn out drills etc for several different brands. Like was said in this thread a few years back, as long as you want container loads you can order a power tool to any price point you want. The quality of the components used varies with price. He can land power drills in Australia that cost less than $5 per unit and sell them to Bunnings for example for $9 each, they sell to you for $20 with a 2 or 3 yr replacement warranty. The same size and case drill could be made for $100's, cost you near a $1000, break your wrist with the torque and be near indestructible, but no one would buy them.