Daiwa Exceler 4000 thoughts pls

[net_surfer]

Hi folks,
I am thinking of getting the above reel....just wondering out of Exceler and Symetre which are most suitable for light surf fishing as well as pier, and off shore???

Cheers

[Roo]

I've got the Symetre in a few sizes now so you could guess where i'd put your money......but the penn affinity is a top reel in this price range. I'm planning on one of those next....if the symetre ever wears out.

I don't have anything nice to say about cheap Diawa's BUT....I've never owned a good one the good ones, I'm told, are somewhat more expensive than this price range. I have a Diawa Samaurai 7i 4500 that has been used about three times......the body flexes terribly and the drag is really sticky. but it was cheap... I think I'll give it to my neighbour.

cheers roo.

[nabs12]

Hey

I dont own any of these reels but I have seent he daiwa exceler in the 1500 size and its extremely smooth.. very nice for the price, havent heared anything bad about them.

The symeter is also a nice reel, I know a few people who use em and they love em.

Out of the two I would go the Exceler

Cheers

[rick_k]

I've been looking at them too.

Interested to hear from anyone who has fished them hard with 30lb braid

[budge]

Im also looking at getting the symetre 4000 as a spin outfit to use for jacks and snapper etc. but would also like it to be functional as a back up mac spin stick if i take somone else out with me. If anyone whos using this reel that could give me an estimation of the length of 16lb backing you could get on this reel after a small spool of 16lb fireline it would be appreciated.
As for your Q net surfer, i normally tend to use diawa reels though for you application i think i would go for the symetre as it has a slightly higher gear ratio and retrieve per crank than the exceler. This will help you out if you decide to throw some slugs of poppers.

[davo]

Go the Exceler. The mate has a Symetre and after two years of snapper on plastics it shot, I have a Laguna the same age and its' fine. the Daiwa's are much better. The comment about the Sammari's is true but they are a far cheaper class of reel. the only thing is check the drag washers on it and lub them well in oil. I had some dry one's which caused a few tempary problems. Actually I have the 2500 and love it. The most recent fishing has been a 46cm grunter on a prawnstar and lost a nice salty barra as well as broadbar macks and others

[rick_k]

the new Daiwa Cy might be worth a look? on the way in cost to a Tierra

[PlasticFantastic]

I own both a Sol 2500 and a Certate 3500HD which are both great reels and supposingly the excelor shares similar features to both of these. A mate tested the drag on an excelor and was holding up to 6 kg on it plently to stop most fish. I would go for the excelor but shop around for prices as they seem to vary a bit.

[rick_k]

PlasticFantastic, did you have the chance to play with the Exceller after it produced 6kg on the scales?

If so, was it as smooth as before?

I find it hard to cut through the marketing er, er, er, adjectives, when looking at these reels. Is the Exceller 4000 of 2006 the equivalent of the same size Saltiga, first model? From the advertising copy it seems so, and indeed it may be true................ I #$#@# hope so, because at $130+ depending on vendor it is a lot cheaper

Rick K

[PlasticFantastic]

I must admit I didn't get to play with it after the drag was tested. Would also mention that you can pick them up off the net for about $100 dollars or so and I can't think of a reel for that price that would be as good. Wouldn't pay close to $200 though which is what some stores are charging for them here locally.

PlasticFantastic

[rick_k]

thanks PlasticFantastic.

About $140 at the local and I can fondle it, and a Sol and a Tierra and the shimano equivalent. Mind you, $100 is still $40cheaper....

But I'm an old fashioned old f@rt, and the local gives me their second best jack spot, so......

[rick_k]

had a look at a 4000 Tierra today, as well as the 4000 exceller.

On the basis of that quick look, decided the 4000 exceller suited me better, don't really need airbail, don't really understand 'washable', don't understand what the extra bearing does. And 1 yr warranty -v- 5

So, bought the 4000 exceller, but not having put line on it yet, don't know what it can do.

But, now I look at it, the drag is different to the Tierra and the more upmarket daiwas. While the dogalog says they both have hypertournament water resistant drag, the Tierra has a little lip seal under the drag knob, which the Exceller lacks. And there are other differences.

And while I did not remove the handle on the Tierra (yet), the Exceller's ball bearings on the handle axis aren't super well protected. Maybe that is the 'washable' that one pays another $100 for with the Tierra. Or the Shimano twin power..............

Both the Tierra and the Exceller appear to be made in China.

If only I fished enough to go the next three steps up from the Tierra....

[rick_k]

to clarify, the tierra has a 5 yr w;ty