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What Reel?

47K views 123 replies 66 participants last post by  klangfilm 
#1 ·
Imported post

Hey,

Woo... my first YD post - Dave will be proud


Just looking for some advice on what smb reel to buy.

After a bit of web searching, and a read of the Divernet Reel Tests, I came up with the following shortlist:

Buddy Pocket Reel £40
McMahon Compact Reel £45
Custom Divers Rachet Reel £75

Just wondering whether anyone has used any of these, or perhaps there's a different one I should be looking at?

Also, is spending £75 on a nice reel, like the Custom Divers, worth it? Or am I just going to lose it off the side of a rib one day


Thanks,
Bryan
 
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#61 ·
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.
 
#63 ·
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.
 
#62 ·
Kent tooling .......dogs doo daas !

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
 
#64 ·
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:)
 
#65 ·
Scubapro reels

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.:embarassed:
 
#66 ·
simple

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.
 
#69 ·
OK, time to resurrect this thread. My trusty Beaver Osprey reel has bitten the dust and although I'm looking for a spare part to resurrect it, I'm looking at options for a replacement.

First of all, I'm NOT interested in a Kent Tooling reel unless John starts making them in aluminium or titanium. Likewise, Custom Divers reels are out as they are also heavy and, unlike the otherwise outstanding KT reel, they are shite.

It needs to have at least 80m of line and have a ratchet action - I've got a Halcyon Pathfinder but only an idiot would launch a DSMB with one of those ;)

I've tried a Manta Junior which I don't like as it requires the handle to be squeezed whilst winding. I had a Scubapro reel that had a similar action and I used to end-up with a bent hand! I assume the Manta Senior is the same, so this is also likely to be a no-goer.

So, what does this leave?
 
#76 ·
The Kent Tooling reel is stunning to use, alas its really heavy. its not too bad clipped off tho the butt d ring though.

Agreed on the custard diver reel. Thats a pile of crap, it lacks a proper trigger.

Why don't you ask John if he'll look into making titanium reels :D Probably be looking at £400+
 
#77 ·
I wonder why John doesn't offer a marine grade Ali KT reel. Same spec as the stainless ones.... I wouldnt expect it to last like a stainless one.... But the design is spot on... I loved the lock button that holds the ratchet off..... Alas I too sold mine on, due to the weight of it... Smashing reel though.
 
#86 ·
KT 50m ratchet weighs 1.33kg , 150m ratchet weighs 1.986kg
So even if you said it weighed that in salt water then I do not think I would be worried about 1.3kg of weight difference
 
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#94 ·
The buddy pocket reel was the biggest pile of poo I've ever tried to use. After having owned far to many reels I now use a large McMahon for main dsmb and a small McMahon for backup dsmb.

I don't use them for distance lines though, I prefer a friction model. But for DSMB deployment the large McMahon is truely wonderful.
 
#95 · (Edited)
I use a £10 50m spool off eBay and a CO2 blob. Blob firing doesn't get any easier than that. Even winding in is a piece of cake. I used to think spools were crap until I used them over and over again in the Red Sea.

I have a Buddy Pocket Reel somewhere. It was utterly gash.
 
#99 ·
You need really long arms to wind the large McMahon reel. Its like a bloody tractor wheel :D

I'm not convinced with the build quality either. I borrowed one once and it came apart in my hands. On the plus side, they do sell all the component parts on the website.

The Buddy pocket reel is one of the most s***ty pieces of dive gear ever made. Ada loves his though :D
 
#107 ·
I have one of those Big Yellow ones in the shed somewhere, do people still use them? How much will it sell for on ebay?
I'll have you know I used my Fisher Price "My First Dive Reel" last weekend and it took considerable effort and quite some time from my colleague to birdsnest it (but even then it was resolved in seconds, much to his disappointment)! :D
 
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