Are the DC brakes overhyped in your opinion?

[SSS]

How do you feel about the Shimano's DC braking system?

As someone who has had a Conquest 100DC TE, couple of Met DC MG, Conquest 50DC and the 2015 Met DC, which is the only DC reel that i currently own, i think they're just alright. I like the sound quite a lot, but that's pretty much the only "advantage" i would give a DC reel over other shimano or daiwa offerings. I am not casting further (unless the other reel uses an SV spool), and i am certainly not casting better when throwing at head wind. I also dislike how DC reels are heavier on average and have much heavier spools as well.

[RMCatchNrelease]

Here is what I will say. My partner was a Shimano man with several DC models. He backlashed more with the DC than his non-DC Metaniums.

We were throwing spinnerbait on windy points. After borrowing my SV103 he now has 4 Zillions.

And I don't have to listen to that awful sound all day.

[SSS]

Here is what I will say. My partner was a Shimano man with several DC models. He backlashed more with the DC than his non-DC Metaniums.

We were throwing spinnerbait on windy points. After borrowing my SV103 he now has 4 Zillions.

And I don't have to listen to that awful sound all day.

You might be the first person i ever hear not liking the dc whine

[Dalleinf]

No. They are nice and there is not that much hype imo.

[a1712]

I have 2- 17 Scorpions, 2- 21 Scorpions and a Calcutta Conquest 100HG. I have a bunch of other reels, several Metaniums, Scorpion 70's, Chronarch's, Zillions, Millionaires, Tatula's etc.. I like fishing with ever single one of them and enjoy the different differences in every single one of them. I personally DO find the DC's more agreeable in the wind but I also find most of my Daiwa's to be the same and I will pick a DC or Daiwa if I know the conditions lead me that way. So I guess that's a long winded way of saying I like them and don't think they're overhyped more than any other reel that's came out supposedly going to be the end all. Brian.

[Gone Phishin]

When I am fishing at night, and have a few drinks in me, I prefer the DC braking system.

[jvelth74]

No they are. I have not found those hyped at all.

[Real]

No, Shimano DC reels are not overhyped. I like them for fishing in the wind and throwing large light lures ( jerkbaits/buzzbaits).
They are not the solution for all. If that was the case then Shimano would be making only DC reels.

[RMCatchNrelease]

Here is what I will say. My partner was a Shimano man with several DC models. He backlashed more with the DC than his non-DC Metaniums.

We were throwing spinnerbait on windy points. After borrowing my SV103 he now has 4 Zillions.

And I don't have to listen to that awful sound all day.

You might be the first person i ever hear not liking the dc whine

Beautiful lake, bird chirping, a real lovely day....last thing I want to hear is that whine ever 30 seconds for hours on end.

Nothing is more fool proof than an SV spool on max breaking.

I do veteran outings. Had a 20 year Air force man in the boat. Never used a baitcaster. Handed him an SV103 on max and said back it down as you get comfortable. He was tossing chatterbaits and calling his shot in 30 minutes.

All that said, Shimano makes a heck of a product and you'd be lucky to have one.

[John2204]

Love my DC reels, I have a Conquest DC200HG, 2 DC 100HG's, and an Exsense. They cast great, but its nice that they are more forgiving. On a calm day with no wind, I can cast my Bantam and Metaniums the same or further than a a DC reel, but when the wind gets up I am more consistent with a DC reel.

[SSS]

Love my DC reels, I have a Conquest DC200HG, 2 DC 100HG's, and an Exsense. They cast great, but its nice that they are more forgiving. On a calm day with no wind, I can cast my Bantam and Metaniums the same or further than a a DC reel, but when the wind gets up I am more consistent with a DC reel.

People say that they're forgiving and that they're great to cast at head winds. But the thing is, daiwa and their sv spools have been doing this noticeably better for almost a decade now, and no electronic brakes are needed for it.

[dragon1]

DC braking has its time and place and advantages over centrifugal braking. I did post many years here that it's rather ironic that Shimano's top tier braking system is essentially an electronically controlled mag brake...but I digress.

IMHO, 3D Mag Z and if it existed, 3D Mag V, would "incorporate" all other types of mag brakes into one platform.

While I really enjoyed my first DC Calcutta Conquest 100 from well over 12 years ago, the sound becomes annoying on quiet days where I would rather hear the natural surrounds. And no, I personally haven't experienced better control in wind or calm settings with DC braking versus properly set/well designed Mag braking.

The main reason I sold all my older Shimano DCs, even though I preferred the older DC settings and profiles better (i.e., OG Exsence DC and Calcutta Conquest 100), I didn't want to deal with replacing a very expensive DC module, or not being able to locate one as the model become older and no longer supported with parts.

YMMV

[Bbrotz]

I voted for overhyped, even though I do love the sound they make. I have only had experience with the metanium dc, but I greatly prefer the zillion sv tw over it overall.

[Hogsticker2]

DC braking has its time and place and advantages over centrifugal braking. I did post many years here that it's rather ironic that Shimano's top tier braking system is essentially an electronically controlled mag brake...but I digress.

IMHO, 3D Mag Z and if it existed, 3D Mag V, would "incorporate" all other types of mag brakes into one platform.

While I really enjoyed my first DC Calcutta Conquest 100 from well over 12 years ago, the sound becomes annoying on quiet days where I would rather hear the natural surrounds. And no, I personally haven't experienced better control in wind or calm settings with DC braking versus properly set/well designed Mag braking.

The main reason I sold all my older Shimano DCs, even though I preferred the older DC settings and profiles better (i.e., OG Exsence DC and Calcutta Conquest 100), I didn't want to deal with replacing a very expensive DC module, or not being able to locate one as the model become older and no longer supported with parts.

YMMV

Sounds about right

[SSS]

DC braking has its time and place and advantages over centrifugal braking. I did post many years here that it's rather ironic that Shimano's top tier braking system is essentially an electronically controlled mag brake...but I digress.

IMHO, 3D Mag Z and if it existed, 3D Mag V, would "incorporate" all other types of mag brakes into one platform.

While I really enjoyed my first DC Calcutta Conquest 100 from well over 12 years ago, the sound becomes annoying on quiet days where I would rather hear the natural surrounds. And no, I personally haven't experienced better control in wind or calm settings with DC braking versus properly set/well designed Mag braking.

The main reason I sold all my older Shimano DCs, even though I preferred the older DC settings and profiles better (i.e., OG Exsence DC and Calcutta Conquest 100), I didn't want to deal with replacing a very expensive DC module, or not being able to locate one as the model become older and no longer supported with parts.

YMMV

Yea, if DC brakes were actually breaking, i would never even consider buying a DC reel. What are they? Like $180 for the Met DC module? That beyond ridiculous. But at least, as far as i am aware, there isn't enough complexity for them to break. I've heard stories of people leaving their DC reel inside their car in the middle of summer, and that melted the inside, and the braking or just the sound would be completely gone, but other than that, you don't hear anyone complain about them breaking, and you never see a used DC reel with a broken DC module.