Has anyone else heard about these?
One comes with a levelwind, the other without.....reminds me of the sleek, low-profile design of a sweetwater bass reel, but with a capacity of 350yds/30# line!
Plus the model without a levelwind is only 22.5oz.

and with the levelwind

http://www.pennfishing.com/images/commander30lw.jpg

That is one butt ugly reel!:bshake:

Reels with those cross bars right at the top of the reel are a PITA to cast---your thumb can't get a good grip on the spool.

Looks like it was designed mainly for boat use...

And yes, that this is ugly:smash:

Nothing I'd ever put on a surf rod...

how about these new penn surfmaster reels, ever try these out?

From the looks of it, the "Great American Reel Company" is putting a lot more third-world junk in it's product line :(

And no, I haven't used a rear drag reel in the surf and prolly never will. Unless it's an original Cardinal.

No offense to you IA but the 50 series reel looks like a classic P.O.S.
:laughs: :laughs:

I use the new slammers and though I am not Joe Big Bass I have landed a couple of fish in my day and the slammers, maintained are awesome. Really nice drag. Still works like the day I got it.
But you gotta:

ease the drag after.
wash it with fresh
shoot some lube in the crank (deep like :D ) and take the cover off every week or so and dust her out.

:)

why no offense? I never said I liked them, in fact I don't....i was jsut posting them to see what people thinked.....I like classic Penns like senators, Z series, big/small internationals, GTi, etc.....not some of this junk

Well I didn't know how endeared to them you were......

:)

Would not want to be caught with one of those reels on my rod or even in my boat ! ...Too "futuristic" looking..like it was taken off the 'Starship Enterprise" Capt. Kirk's reel ? It just does not look "normal ". My 2cts.

Sorry. Good info but one butt ugy reel. I am a Calcutta 400, Abu 7000, Penn Squidder to the end.

They drop the Z series an come up with crap that the market is already flooded with.Problem is that It will sell with the Penn name behind it.Entry level Inexpensive tackle is where the new owners made all there money.Its what sells these days.U don't see any Van Stall's in wallmarts.