Steez A vs Shimano Bantam

[down4ttown]

Looking for a heavier reel to balance with a flipping stick. Of the two options, which one and why? I prefer Daiwa braking but the new Shimanos are good too. Have the new aldebaran and Curado. Just looking for ideas.

[goldrod]

Looking for a heavier reel to balance with a flipping stick. Of the two options, which one and why? I prefer Daiwa braking but the new Shimanos are good too. Have the new aldebaran and Curado. Just looking for ideas.

I’ve not used a SA for flipping but a Bantam with *Shallow Spool is great
I have one on my Valkyrie Flippin sticks and another on another flipping stick.
I don’t recall at the moment which stick

[Heddonfrog]

I have both a Steez A and a Bantam. If you had asked me last Saturday which of the two to chose, based on your technique mentioned, I would have said “hands down the Bantam” due to its incredible rigidity and power, which I’m sure would be of interest to you if you frequently haul big fish from heavy cover (I do not flip) I did not realize the full power of the Steez A until Sunday when I hooked into a 24lb flathead on a swim jig. Having caught a half dozen large drum along the same area and thinking this was just another, I tightened the drag and landed this beast in less than a minute...in heavy current. I had no idea the Steez had that kind of power lurking in it. The Steez is also my first choice when pitching. I’ve been practicing my pitching all winter and the Steez is a more fluid and accurate caster in my hands. There’s still no question that the Bantam handles high resistant, hard pulling baits better but you probably don’t encounter that while flipping. So, I think it’s about which balances better on your rod.

[Kurt L]

I had both, but used them for smaller Salmon species up to 12-13lbs using higher resistance lures, both were high speed ratio. to make a long story shorter I ordered both and fished them on the same rod with everything else identical, I still have the Steez A and returned the Bantam, the Steez was better in every respect, buttery smooth, cast better, more comfortable, much more refined, I was not impressed with the Bantam but was very surprised with the Steez A, I was a shimano only guy for twenty + years now I have not bought another since.

Kurt

[bwjay]

I had both, but used them for smaller Salmon species up to 12-13lbs using higher resistance lures, both were high speed ratio. to make a long story shorter I ordered both and fished them on the same rod with everything else identical, I still have the Steez A and returned the Bantam, the Steez was better in every respect, buttery smooth, cast better, more comfortable, much more refined, I was not impressed with the Bantam but was very surprised with the Steez A, I was a shimano only guy for twenty + years now I have not bought another since.

Kurt

What was more refined about the Steez to you? Your statement is pretty hyperbolic so it's hard to believe it. I have no doubt the Steez A is a great reel, but anyone who says a Daiwa reel looks much more refined than one of Shimano's most understated, classy, well-designed baitcasters is kidding themselves.

[hoohoorjoo]

I had both, but used them for smaller Salmon species up to 12-13lbs using higher resistance lures, both were high speed ratio. to make a long story shorter I ordered both and fished them on the same rod with everything else identical, I still have the Steez A and returned the Bantam, the Steez was better in every respect, buttery smooth, cast better, more comfortable, much more refined, I was not impressed with the Bantam but was very surprised with the Steez A, I was a shimano only guy for twenty + years now I have not bought another since.

Kurt

What was more refined about the Steez to you? Your statement is pretty hyperbolic so it's hard to believe it. I have no doubt the Steez A is a great reel, but anyone who says a Daiwa reel looks much more refined than one of Shimano's most understated, classy, well-designed baitcasters is kidding themselves.

I may be wrong, but I'm fairly certain he said nothing about the Steez looking more refined. He stated the ways he thinks the Steez is superior. In short, all mechanical comparisons and no statements about aesthetics. I do prefer Daiwa, but this isn't picking sides for me, merely pointing out the obvious flaw in your statement.

[bwjay]

I had both, but used them for smaller Salmon species up to 12-13lbs using higher resistance lures, both were high speed ratio. to make a long story shorter I ordered both and fished them on the same rod with everything else identical, I still have the Steez A and returned the Bantam, the Steez was better in every respect, buttery smooth, cast better, more comfortable, much more refined, I was not impressed with the Bantam but was very surprised with the Steez A, I was a shimano only guy for twenty + years now I have not bought another since.

Kurt

What was more refined about the Steez to you? Your statement is pretty hyperbolic so it's hard to believe it. I have no doubt the Steez A is a great reel, but anyone who says a Daiwa reel looks much more refined than one of Shimano's most understated, classy, well-designed baitcasters is kidding themselves.

I may be wrong, but I'm fairly certain he said nothing about the Steez looking more refined. He stated the ways he thinks the Steez is superior. In short, all mechanical comparisons and no statements about aesthetics. I do prefer Daiwa, but this isn't picking sides for me, merely pointing out the obvious flaw in your statement.

Yeah, you're right. I didn't mean to limit it to looks but that is what my fingers typed.

Kurt L, would love to know what about the Steez is much more refined than in the Bantam to you.

[Kurt L]

I had both, but used them for smaller Salmon species up to 12-13lbs using higher resistance lures, both were high speed ratio. to make a long story shorter I ordered both and fished them on the same rod with everything else identical, I still have the Steez A and returned the Bantam, the Steez was better in every respect, buttery smooth, cast better, more comfortable, much more refined, I was not impressed with the Bantam but was very surprised with the Steez A, I was a shimano only guy for twenty + years now I have not bought another since.

Kurt

What was more refined about the Steez to you? Your statement is pretty hyperbolic so it's hard to believe it. I have no doubt the Steez A is a great reel, but anyone who says a Daiwa reel looks much more refined than one of Shimano's most understated, classy, well-designed baitcasters is kidding themselves.

I may be wrong, but I'm fairly certain he said nothing about the Steez looking more refined. He stated the ways he thinks the Steez is superior. In short, all mechanical comparisons and no statements about aesthetics. I do prefer Daiwa, but this isn't picking sides for me, merely pointing out the obvious flaw in your statement.

Yeah, you're right. I didn't mean to limit it to looks but that is what my fingers typed.

Kurt L, would love to know what about the Steez is much more refined than in the Bantam to you.

My Steez A is liquid smooth whereas my Bantam was exactly like my Curado K you can feel every tooth mesh and worst under load, Casting... the Steez is very controlled yet flat launches a lure, the Bantam was very picky between decent distance and blowups, the Steez palms better and is very precise and tight, you can feel the quality. I'm a huge fan of Metaniums so I would spend the extra cash on it with a brass gear conversion over a Bantam but so far the Steez A ticks all the boxes with no mods.

Kurt

[goldrod]

I had both, but used them for smaller Salmon species up to 12-13lbs using higher resistance lures, both were high speed ratio. to make a long story shorter I ordered both and fished them on the same rod with everything else identical, I still have the Steez A and returned the Bantam, the Steez was better in every respect, buttery smooth, cast better, more comfortable, much more refined, I was not impressed with the Bantam but was very surprised with the Steez A, I was a shimano only guy for twenty + years now I have not bought another since.

Kurt

What was more refined about the Steez to you? Your statement is pretty hyperbolic so it's hard to believe it. I have no doubt the Steez A is a great reel, but anyone who says a Daiwa reel looks much more refined than one of Shimano's most understated, classy, well-designed baitcasters is kidding themselves.

I may be wrong, but I'm fairly certain he said nothing about the Steez looking more refined. He stated the ways he thinks the Steez is superior. In short, all mechanical comparisons and no statements about aesthetics. I do prefer Daiwa, but this isn't picking sides for me, merely pointing out the obvious flaw in your statement.

Yeah, you're right. I didn't mean to limit it to looks but that is what my fingers typed.

Kurt L, would love to know what about the Steez is much more refined than in the Bantam to you.

My Steez A is liquid smooth whereas my Bantam was exactly like my Curado K you can feel every tooth mesh and worst under load, Casting... the Steez is very controlled yet flat launches a lure, the Bantam was very picky between decent distance and blowups, the Steez palms better and is very precise and tight, you can feel the quality. I'm a huge fan of Metaniums so I would spend the extra cash on it with a brass gear conversion over a Bantam but so far the Steez A ticks all the boxes with no mods.

Kurt

I have three bantams and I don’t have a “Geary” feeling
Not to negate your experience at all. But reading your post made me walk through the pages of my mind and the last outting even so much as grabbing one off the rack and the experience was as I originally stated, no Geary feel it’s most smooth yet not as smooth as the Antares A.

[bwjay]

My Steez A is liquid smooth whereas my Bantam was exactly like my Curado K you can feel every tooth mesh and worst under load, Casting... the Steez is very controlled yet flat launches a lure, the Bantam was very picky between decent distance and blowups, the Steez palms better and is very precise and tight, you can feel the quality. I'm a huge fan of Metaniums so I would spend the extra cash on it with a brass gear conversion over a Bantam but so far the Steez A ticks all the boxes with no mods.

Kurt

I don't know what happened to your Bantam but all three of mine are buttery smooth. I could not get them to be geary if I tried. The frame is quite small and my medium sized hands wrap around it effortlessly, all day, with no fatigue. It is also rigid as hell with zero flex in the handle or frame. "Quality" is also the word that comes to mine when I use my Bantam, which is why I bought 2 more. I will say it's not going to win casting awards, and it is slightly fussier than I'd like, but the other qualities of it completely cancel out anything negative (which IMO are only two things: price, and casting distance, and it earns the price).

It sounds like the Steez is better for you, but something was definitely wrong with your Bantam. It should never feel toothy or geary and if you do some quick searching you will find that "buttery smooth" and "rigid" are the most common descriptions of the Bantam among any owners or people who have tried it.

Also you are maybe the first Daiwa owner I've seen that suggests they can be happy with theirs without modding it.

[BRONZEBACK32]

I want to try a Steez A.

I do have two Bantams and they are probably the smoothest reels I have, no geary felling and they both cast amazing.

[iabass8]

Steez A feels better palming for me than the bantam.

[timinmo]

Not wanting to throw gas on the fire, but I have both a Steez and a Bantam. Like them both but they are different reels. For me I never mod a reel because of need but because I can and by and large I think Daiwas have more mods available, but in all honesty most of my reels, what ever the brand, are stock.

[Kurt L]

My Steez A is liquid smooth whereas my Bantam was exactly like my Curado K you can feel every tooth mesh and worst under load, Casting... the Steez is very controlled yet flat launches a lure, the Bantam was very picky between decent distance and blowups, the Steez palms better and is very precise and tight, you can feel the quality. I'm a huge fan of Metaniums so I would spend the extra cash on it with a brass gear conversion over a Bantam but so far the Steez A ticks all the boxes with no mods.

Kurt

I don't know what happened to your Bantam but all three of mine are buttery smooth. I could not get them to be geary if I tried. The frame is quite small and my medium sized hands wrap around it effortlessly, all day, with no fatigue. It is also rigid as hell with zero flex in the handle or frame. "Quality" is also the word that comes to mine when I use my Bantam, which is why I bought 2 more. I will say it's not going to win casting awards, and it is slightly fussier than I'd like, but the other qualities of it completely cancel out anything negative (which IMO are only two things: price, and casting distance, and it earns the price).

It sounds like the Steez is better for you, but something was definitely wrong with your Bantam. It should never feel toothy or geary and if you do some quick searching you will find that "buttery smooth" and "rigid" are the most common descriptions of the Bantam among any owners or people who have tried it.

Also you are maybe the first Daiwa owner I've seen that suggests they can be happy with theirs without modding it.

That's funny, I have modded all of my Shimano's but I havent touched either of my Steez yet... but I will. I have had a bad run with Shimano I got several turds in a row starting with a JDM Antares, and then a JDM Met. MGL both were rough as hell believe it or not... Shimano service in Irvine worked their magic and got the MGL smooth enough to be acceptable (it now Has Brass Gears) and is even better than it was. I had two Stradic 4000FK's that lasted one weekend before getting rough and A Stradic CI4+ FB that locked up in the first half hour. Again Irvine made it right. I have never had an issue prior to those models. So I have wandered over to Daiwa and found out what I was missing, I still have over twenty various Shimano's, But nothing in their line up turns my crank anymore except for the 2020 Met. I have had a few turds from Daiwa but my luck has been much better with them. I'm not brand loyal in the least just want bang for my buck.

Kurt

[lape0019]

I haven't used a Steez A so cannot comment on it.

But the Bantam is an amazing reel. I would love nothing more than to retire my metaniums, chornarchs and Curado's as well as my Core 100MGFV to replace them with more banatams I like them that much.

I am thinking Kurt L may have gotten a bad one because my Bantam is every bit as smooth as my Calcutta Conquests. The braking system on this reel is very good to. I can cast into the wind without a backlash with this reel better than I can with my Metanium DC.

My thought is you will not be disappointed in the Bantam. The Steez A should be a killer reel too, I just can't comment on if it is better or worse than the bantam. Now, There is a $150 difference in price so for that amount, I would hope the Steez A is that much better.