What Reel?

[AidanS]

What do people think of the MGE Ratchet Reel as they seem a nice reel but have not tried one in the water yet. Going to buy a few for our university club so may have a go with one but i quite like the piston type release these have. The main reason is when firing a DSMB it makes it a lot easier if the ratchet is open so the second the DSMB is released it should go straight up, the side ratchet ones like on the Beaver Puffin Reel of death or the Narked at 60 reel take that extra second to release and if the diver is not experienced that could result in the DSMB disappearing.

Lumb Brothers Ratchet Reel - Reels - 46.00 GBP - Free P & P to UK & Ireland, Cheap International Rates. Next day delivery.

[Dick Barwell]

Vote for Kent Tooling .....ratchet lovely build quality and a joy to deploy !
Service second to none from John Perrin !
Bit heavy for travelling by air so have a Custom Divers 50m ratchet ......which is okay but did have a problem when the line is almost all out in that the line isn't connected to the spool? Slight current and it just turns without reeling in as the line is just looped around the spool.....weird ?
UK DIVING = KENT TOOLING

db

[ardhill]

What do people think of the MGE Ratchet Reel as they seem a nice reel but have not tried one in the water yet.

If you want one, then this model is less complicated - i.e. less chance of getting it wrong.
Lumb Brothers MGE Standard Reel - Reels - 42.00 GBP - Free P & P to UK & Ireland, Cheap International Rates. Next day delivery.

I used one for a while, and found it simple enough to use. I took it apart and lubricated the bit where the spool meets the body now and again. I also found the little bars that you pull with your fingers could be a little awkward at times. This was mostly if I had thick gloves or cold hands.

I now use a Kent Tooling Ratchet reel. More expensive, and heavier, but a better overall reel IMO.

[Blu DL]

I started with a mcmahon large reel and a buddy self sealing dsmb with valve. The bigger reel is easier to reel in (more purchase) and the mcmahon is built to last (my first cheap plastic reel broken when it got a whack on a dive boat - false economy)

Learn to send up a dsmb using octo / self sealer first - buy a self inflating on once you can do this mid water quickly and easily (is my advice)

I was taught to send dsmb and sent hundreds of them until I could do it really well - once when I became separated midwater on a 1m viz sea dive in heavy current / wave action I was glad to be able to confidently send one up mid water. its not nice drifting on your own wondering if the boat knows where you are..... surface id is paramount to me!!!

M

[sonic123]

KT still getting the vote as will be used predominently in UK. Using the Scubapro reel at moment for DSMB, not bad but was def an impulse buy. I am left handed and thought with this being a left handed reel that it would fit the bill. Wrong, once underwater although left handed to reel in line realised, I needed my right hand free to dump air. Primary inflator comes over right shoulder on twinset, which was holding the darn thing DOH. Have tried using this as a wreck reel as well, not so good.

[Dyson Diver]

if it dosnt say kent , then it isnt a kent.
but keep a knife handy ,,, idea here , could the kent boys , or diy , file a v into the frame to act as a line cutter ,, i certainly would be reluctant to let go of one , rather cut the string and risk loosing a dsmb than risk loosing both reel and float.

[Tony B]

I have a KT ratchet reel and it is a bloody great piece of kit , anything under 20m in reasonable conditions I tend to use a spool but its reasuring to know that I have a big shiney when I need it.


Tony

[David Tombs]

Have to agree re KT reel,fantastic kit. You will never want another reel once you have had one.They are robust and do the job. Great service as well,real pro's. They take you through what you want,and you get what you need. Not for poseurs.