New china reels

[anthman]

Hi all, as you may know, im an avid fishing gear collector and always excited to see what comes out from the big players as well as the china market.

I've received two reels recently that i wanted to share some info on. Have yet to put them through their paces, so that will need to wait for another time.

The two reels are the Seaknight Treant II (not the first, but the second) for USD$25  and the Piscifun Storm for  $USD35. Both in "3000" size (more like 2500 in shimano reel  and spool sizing)

PM me if you want to know where i bought them from.

The thing that caught my eye was that both shared almost exactly the same feature set and specs, except for drag power (which is in itself always questionable).

Notable features:

1. Sealed carbon fibre drag stack. Not only is there a flanged rubber/plastic gasket, but there is also a metal ring with o-ring rubber looped around it
2. 6.2:1 gear ratio
3. 6kg (storm) / 11kg (treant II) of max drag (on what is a shimano 2500-equivalent sized reel) - take this with many grains of salt
4. 10 + 1 shielded stainless steel ball bearings (bearing galore, more doesnt always mean better)
5. braid-ready spool (i.e. flat rubber ring around the middle of the spool for the braid to bite into - no need for backing).
6. direct drive screw in handle (as opposed to the square insert-style handle) 

Build quality:

The physical dimensions are exactly the same between the two reels, though with different detailing in some areas and the same in others. Given the same feature set and very similar physical appearance, this suggests these are rebranded off the same mass-produced design - which is not a bad thing if the execution is done well!

The finish on the Storm is matte, which I think gives it a much more premium feel. The Treant II has a shiny finish, with the "galaxy" sparkle paint that the Shimano's of 2016/2017 have (think of the Sienna FE series and Nasci). The Storm looks and feels much better.

There is no play in the handle, nor is there when triggering the anti-reverse (i.e. suddenly turning the other way). Both feel equally smooth (though nowhere near as nice as the Daiwa BG). I've read of some poor quality control issues for the Treant II (not a surprise given their price), im fortunate to not have QC issues, that i know of.

There is no flex in the body when squeezing the roller bearing and the bail arm - though will need to put this through its paces in high-drag situations.

The spool and spool lip is nice and clean of scratches - anything that may damage braid coming on/off it. No line capacity rings, which would've been a nice and easy touch to add.

Performance:

TBD - need to put some hours into using these reels. My intended use, given the size, is to put some 10-15LB braid matched up to a 7' 5-8kg rod and flick for snapper (kingie would be nice).

Updates below.

Price:

As stated, these are fairly cheap reels - buying overseas means wearing the 10% GST import tax so dont forget that, though coupons and cashreward schemes can cover off the difference. I liken this price to the trusty Shimano Sienna - reliable and smooth, though without the water-sealing and other features described above.

Overall:

TBD if i would recommend buying these reels until i can actually test them on the water. For now, i'm impressed with the build quality and (advertised) feature set. Time will tell. The impressive drag number needs to be considered in the context of the size of the reel - would i really  be putting on that much weight on a 2500/3000 sized reel with  15LB line on a 5-8kg rod? Probably not... 3-4kg is probably max in a practical situation (and that would only be if you knew you had a solid hookset which is not always the case).

Storm or Treant II? TBD, but i think the extra USD$10 is worth it for the better "feel" and so far, lack of known QC issues. The storm comes with two spacers to adjust the line lay, the treant ii does not.

Watch this space.

Update 7/08/2018 - Storm:

Have used the Storm on two outings on 5-8kg and 3-6kg setups (15lb braid).

Biggest fish was a 58cm flattie - handled it just fine but was more like lifting a dead weight rather than a proper "fight" ><

Observations:

1. Rotation: Bit stiff on the turn - noticeable startup resistance turning into a smooth rotation. Potentially fixable with a reapplication of grease.

2. Gears and shaft: no grinding whilst spinning under load, no indications of an imbalanced rotor.

3. Retrieval speed: great retrieval speed - I believe the 6.2 ratio - will need to measure it with a ruler to confirm but certainly works well for working hard bodied, particularly bobbed lures and stick baits.

4. Casting: casting is straightforward - no catching on the spool lip, line lay is good, bail arm unlocks and locks securely.

Outstanding tests:

1. Water resistance: Still need to open up the body, drag stack and roller to check level of water intrusion. 

2. Drag and flex: Need to check performance against a "drag peeler" fish - both drag performance and body flex.

3. Conclusion: TBD

 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2018 by anthman
Spelling, update on storm

[big Neil]

You must enjoy reviewing fishing stuff Anthman. You certainly know what to look for in reel features. Are you a tackle critic? Anyway, I enjoyed reading your in-depth, unbiased assessments. Cheers, bn

[anthman]

Thanks Big Neil. I'm no tackle critic yet, just lots of YouTube videos. I couldn't find any reviews on these reels so thought it would be useful to share my experience with them.

[mrsswordfisherman]

3 hours ago, anthman said:

Thanks Big Neil. I'm no tackle critic yet, just lots of YouTube videos. I couldn't find any reviews on these reels so thought it would be useful to share my experience with them.

That is very helpful anthman

[New Signing]

Im keen to see some reviews on the cheaper micro jigging overheads. For the amount i would use it i really cant justify the $300-$700 price tag for the reels alone

[anthman]

On 7/23/2018 at 1:21 PM, New Signing said:

Im keen to see some reviews on the cheaper micro jigging overheads. For the amount i would use it i really cant justify the $300-$700 price tag for the reels alone

Sorry mate, haven't gotten into the OH game yet! A quick browse of the OH reels in the China market (not the Japanese market, which I would expect to be very different) does not show anything promising - lots of plain generic reels, around the 80USD mark, low order numbers - doesn't leave me with much confidence!

[anthman]

Update on Storm reel added.

[horsleyboy]

Fantastic review Anthman. Very detailed. I've been considering buying a reel direct from China. Might give one of these a go.