New Steez A II vs High End Shimano’s

[hoohoorjoo]

For the Steez A 2, whay spool options are out there for a little less line capacity. Something that holds around 110 yds of 12 lb line.

If you can find one, the rcs 1012 spool would fit the bill. The slp works 1012SV is another great option.

[_diggy_]

I'm not a brand loyalist, but I've learned to keep Shimano pinion bearings on deck for my baitcasting reels.

[a1712]

I'm not a brand loyalist, but I've learned to keep Shimano pinion bearings on deck for my baitcasting reels.

Amen. Brian.

[DirtyD64]

What is a sure sign of pinion bearings having issues? I know both my higher end Shimano's have a very smooth feel but it is a precision connected feel. The new Zillion to me has a feel nothing at all rotational feel. Wondering if pinion bearing difference or early sign of issues causes that difference in feeling...

[78Staff]

Is there a real difference between the old and new Steez A ?
Something about the new Steez makes me want like it more than the previous version but I can’t say what it is exactly

Something Tim mentioned about Shimano vs Daiwa breaking that I can’t remember verbatim but experience recently when casting out jerkbaits was Shimano non dc was inconsistent and gave me backlashes but the daiwa was more consistent and allowed me to cast against the wind ( not too strong of a wind) and not BN.
Soon as it happened I was confronted with his words.

Pretty sure the old Steez A did not have the Hyper Gears (slightly different cut). This along with no handle bearings and maybe just less desired knobs make for a worse feel.

This was one of my complaints about the 16 Steez A, I would wind up spending another $150-200 per reel due to upgrading to ZPI Office bearings, adding bearings and OG Cork knobs (personal choice), and swapping out the handle for a CF and swapping the drag star for a PE star which was aluminum and not plastic. I also pulled the drag clicker pin also. Got expensive after 7 reels... actually it was 8 or 9 reels I sold a couple. Have bought quite a few '21 Zillions and like them in heavier applications like frogging or punching or Big/Deep CB. And of course still have half a doz or so TD-Z Type R's/PO's that I still get a lot of use out of.

Might pick up an A II to try one out, seems like the made some improvements, be interested in how it compares to my modified '16 A's.

Do we have the differences between the JMD and USDM models yet - I think I read spool capacity difference, and gear ratio options?

[KP Duty]

I'd shop the Rays long cast spools on aliexpress. I have a couple in my tat 100's and they are nice.

[Freddie]

I'm a shimano fanboy and I am a Daiwa fanboy. Between the upper echelons of both brands it really is splitting hairs in my opinion. I own the new '22 Bantam and a '20 Met and they are phenomenal reels. They are both solid as a tank and are casting machines. I enjoy using the Met in 6.2:1 on my crank bait rod because it will throw a 5/16 oz Rapala DT-4 better and farther than anything else I've found out there. It is truly a casting machine...

That said...a 34mm ZPI M(or PG) spool in any of the 34mm platform Daiwa reels will cast ALMOST as well and with a bit more control! Yup, a sub 8 gram fixed inductor mag braked spool is all it takes to very nearly equal the Metaniums casting performance. Let's be clear...these are 70-100 sized spools I'm referring too. No, I've never done a cast battle but in the field use has given me a slight preference for the Daiwa reels...the mag brakes are just more consistent and user friendly.

I also own the Daiwa '19 Morethan, '22 Zillion HD TW, '20 Zillion SV TW, and Gekkabijin Air. The availability of aftermarket spools for the Daiwa reels is probably what pushed me towards them. Like I said, with the uber light ZPI spools plugged into nearly any of the 34mm Daiwa reels the performance and versatility is simply astounding. I can throw the Roro RX27 with 6# FC into my Morethan, slap it onto a BFS rod, and fish a 2.5 gram tubeZ bait very effectively on the local Juniata River. I can also install the factory MAG-Z spool with about 90 meters of 14# FC and fish 5/8 oz jigs on the bottom for big bass. Or, I can load up with my ZPI M...get the picture yet? I just the love the versatility and customization that comes with the Daiwa platform. Maybe not everyone does

Again, for 90% of us bass fishermen out there it is really splitting hairs.

[montey]

I'm not brand loyal, except that I only use Daiwa and Shimano reels. Haha
I have four current Zillions, two 2017 Steez A, and one Steez A II. Three JDM Met MGL, two Bantam MGL reels on the Shimano side.
Of all these reels the only issues I've had has been rough gears in two Mets and one Bantam. Because of this I have been buying Daiwa over Shimano lately. I feel like over all Shimano reels cast a little bit farther (I'm talking 10' - 15' here), but I never need to cast any further than any of my Daiwa reels. All these Daiwa and Shimano high end reels kick ass.

[sbd3]

If there was one company that you'd think would have gearing dialed in you'd think it'd be Shimano. I ditched my curados a few years back after some gearing issues to go all in on daiwa.