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Ok - so I broke down an bought a Kent Tooling reel. Kent Tooling Link
I though that I would post a quick review here since information on this product is hard to find on the US side of the "pond".
Man! Is it well constructed! This thing will last longer than I will!
It appears to made from 316 Stainless as does all of the screws, nuts etc. There are no sharp edges or burrs anywhere (I checked...).
All nuts have nylon inserts so they are self locking.
It has the mongo size clip link. Mine has 100 meters of line.
I ordered the right hand narrow version.
Although it is easy to deploy the line with either hand, to wind it up you need to hold it in the left hand and wind with the right.
It worked well on land with dry-suit gloves on.
I have not taken it for a dive yet.
This reel is a ratcheting reel. The ratchet can be engaged and disengaged by depressing the black thumb knob with either the left or right thumb.
The knob can also be turned to permanently disengage the ratchet.
The line guide (the big "eye of a needle") that the line feeds through can be be moved from the 1 O'Clock position to the 3 O'Clock position if you prefer the line to feed out directly opposite of the handle grip.
Between the bottom 180 degrees of the spool and the handle frame is a solid spacer that fills the gap between the spool and frame so the line cannot get caught in that space. I could fit 1, but not 2, sheets of paper in the gap! (Being made in England they "Minded The Gap"!)
Oh yeah - it comes with a "spare parts kit" too - a few nuts, washer, axle. etc.
OK - thats the highlights of the good stuff.
There are two things that I don't like about the reel.
One it's a little on the heavy side - it weighs over 3lbs. so don't drop it on your foot!
But if you happen to drop a tank or two on it you should take the TANKS in for an inspection because you will not hurt this reel!!
The second item that I didn't like was the "Shipping" cost.
I placed the order over the phone via Skype to England and the connection wasn't the best.
It showed up in 2-3 days after I ordered it via registered mail at a shipping cost of about $60 (^%$#@). I'm still not sure how that happened. I learned the hard way that a "quid" is equal to a "Pound" (A dollar equals a buck..). When he said shipping was 40 quid I was thinking 1 quid = 1/4 pound - NOT! My mistake - I should have asked..
Anyway here are a few photos of the product.
.
Last edited by Rocketmahn; October 27th, 2010 at 09:43 PM.
"For once you have experienced diving, you will forever walk the Earth with your eyes turned toward the oceans.
For there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
RocketMahn 2009 - with apologies to: Leonardo da Vinci, 1452-1519
the more moving parts the more chance of something going wrong. Would hate to have my life depend on it.
This reel doesn't have any more moving parts than another ratchet reel like say a Manta Jr/Sr, and it's much more sturdy.
Actually they sell an improved SS spool that replaces the Manta reels plastic spool.
They also make non-racheting reels.
I don't like to have my life depend on ANY single piece of gear - that's why redundancy is important.
"For once you have experienced diving, you will forever walk the Earth with your eyes turned toward the oceans.
For there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
RocketMahn 2009 - with apologies to: Leonardo da Vinci, 1452-1519
HITLER IS NOT AOW - Download your copy here available from my website Diving My Way
Spoken by the arresting Officer: "If you take your hands off the car, I'll make your birth certificate a worthless document."
"Just kidding. So that is pretty reel. Is it any better than other reels?"
Well... it's SHINY!!!!
It's much more sturdier!
And it's SHINY!
It's heavy...
But it's SHINY!!!
Is it better?
That's like asking is a 16oz hammer better than a 20oz hammer - it depends!!
But it's SHINY!!!
hmmm - maybe it could double as a rescue mirror!
I'll dive it next week and see how well it works wet.
Last edited by Rocketmahn; October 27th, 2010 at 09:13 PM.
Reason: pics
"For once you have experienced diving, you will forever walk the Earth with your eyes turned toward the oceans.
For there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
RocketMahn 2009 - with apologies to: Leonardo da Vinci, 1452-1519
HITLER IS NOT AOW - Download your copy here available from my website Diving My Way
Spoken by the arresting Officer: "If you take your hands off the car, I'll make your birth certificate a worthless document."
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WOW! - Check out this Reel!
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Originally Posted by Superlyte27
