New Penn spinning reels
 

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewpennpre09.html

I wanna be a tackle tester.....

I heard about them a couple weeks ago and saw a brochure...IMO its about friggin time but it may be too late. There are a lot of competitors in the high end reel market place. And given the economy I have my doubts if the traditional penn-reel user is going to run to the shop and drop $700 on a penn reel just because it is made in the USA. But I am glad to see them get a high end product in the spinning department.
I wonder what the service will cost? I noticed several shops refuse to even service Penn reels anymore because the service costs more then a new reel.
That said, I think they needed a line like this...7 years ago.

Its my understanding that the Torque is supposed to be a boat reel with a sealed body but not a dunkable VS competitor. Maybe supposed to compete with the Stella, Saltiga, Accurate crowd. Hope I am wrong.

wow, and its nice low price just like everyone said it would be. yeah right! looks awesome, for a boat reel. I'll give them 4-5 years to get it surf ready and loose the stinking bail!

Looks heavy , the middle one which is comparable to a vs 200 is almost a half a pound heavier

For that kind of money you would hope it would be a little bit more pretty to look at. :confused:

Does it come with spinning hubcaps and a Playboy sticker?

:laugha:

That was my first thought. Kinda ugly.

Why not just buy a VS? Same dough, and proven.

Field Tested?
 

Nice pics. Nice specs. Flashy marketing. But, for the price tag, I would not buy this reel without being tested by real anglers under non-ideal conditions. Laboratory tests, like recreational boat fishing tests, are limited! I want to see this thing hold up to a COW stripping line at whiplass speeds after being dunked and having sand blow on it.

No manual pickup option? Penns have a tendency to have unexpected bail closures (even if the bail is positioned just right prior to casting!). Inertia is generally a good thing, expect for Penn bails. :-(.

Not mentioned on Penn's website. Interesting.

Do not get me wrong, I just have high expectations for a reel costing $700+ green bills. Nonetheless, I am happy to see a new competitor enter the "bullet proof spinning reel" market. :).

From the second paragraph...

A dual arm bail-less kit is available for those who prefer the more traditional style.


Since when is dual arm bail-less traditional style??? I've only seen that on Z-bass reels. But if Penn wants someone to put one through its paces from this site, I'll be happy to be first in line...

Cool. Thanks. I am missed that. I should stop staring at the pictures and read all the text. :).
This is an interesting option.

I got your back. I'm second in line!

100% sealed is not 100% sealed if the drag system is not sealed. It does not mention if the drag is sealed or not. Just the guts. Anyway if there is bail of any kind why not Titanium? Penn is using stainless. Like I said give them some time to get it surf ready. Otherwise nice boat reel.

man, those are ugly. could use some much cleaner lines. too heavy for the surf too. Its a nice try and its nice to see that its american made (although i'd like to see the fine print, maybe america assembled), but i bet its on and off the market within two years.

Not until Zeebass includes a tin of Beluga, George...:hihi:

God, that is one fugly reel...:hs:

Reminds me of the most recent reincarnation of the 2 seater T-Bird - and just as likely to head right down the porcelain convenience with it...:rollem:

If Harley Davidson could regain it's reputation and market share - or a good part of it, anyway - without making a Harley look like a rice-burner or a BMW touring bike, why couldn't Penn design a reel that took advantage of their past success and incorporate a sealed drag and gearcase?

I dunno, maybe the fly in the ointment is still finding the price point everyone wanted to go with it - can't have it both ways, I guess...:huh:

I'd be shocked if the parts were manufactured here.

Scroll down to the Penn Conquer, I think I would be more interested in seeing that reel. Solid aluminum frame and 11 ball bearings...

11 ball bearings and white metal gears, in all likelihood. Notice that neither Penn press release tells you what the gears are made from ;)

junk. :kewl:

I don't know guys, I think the gold one is kinda cool looking... the black is terrible though

if this thing is smoother than a VS and as bullet proof, I can see it having some limited success with the non-wet suit crowd and the boat crowd. I've heard boat guys complain that VS is not worth it on a boat because it's "too harsh on the retrieve" or something like that, so that may be their only competitive advantage here

but really, if Penn wanted to get into this market, they should have replicated a VS and sell is for $200 cheaper, they are a big ass company, they could have prob figued that out!

That is one ugly reel and I'm kinda a Penn Nazi, just ask anyone who has seen my collection. I think that they should re-introduce the 700Z series.

The Penn Conquer Series description should read

......features our new easy access SAND RELEASE hatch....... :btu:

No reel company today wants to make a $75 reel that lasts almost forever. :hs:

They want to make reels that you'll replace every 3-5 years for $150-$200, or they want to make the $700+ stuff. You get to decide whether to spend your $700 gradually over 15 years, 3-5 years at a time, or all at once and be done with it.

I was lucky enough to get my Van Staals when they were "only" $400 and change, and my Saltiga direct from the Land of the Rising Sun when the exchange rate allowed me to get it for $550.

what does harsh on the retrieve mean ?

While your VS does have silky-smooth drag and great casting ability, it does require a little bit more torque to turn the handle than some other reels.

I think that is what people mean by "harsh on the retrieve".

If someone has trouble turning a reel handle
1. Go to the gym.:musc:
2. Make sure your affairs are in order.:rtfm:
3. Find religion, you don't have much time.:devil:

:hang:

yeah I've never used a VS in the surf, but when I've held them at shows and such I've noticed they are not as smooth as my penns, not really an issue for me though, I would still buy one.

I cant wait for real reviews of this reel. I dont have the scratch to buy one just for the sake of testing her out. Im sure there will be a lot of chatter on the site when it goes on sale. I do hope that people go into with an open mind. What if they nailed it, its possible, besides the prices of course.

...that "extra torque" actually helps you slow down your eel retrieve even more...subconsciously...but I wouldn't call it "trouble turning" though...

For the price, you have to go with what's proven. You can't just jump into a market like that and expect to be an immediate competitor....and yeah, it gets the "ugly" vote from me.

Yep, and in two years they will blame it on nobody wanting to buy expensive American made products, not on the fact that it is heavier than the VS which is heavier still on the ZB.

Interesting to see how this plays out. Don't much care for the Fast & Furious look matched to the retro SS series bail.

If they are confident it is a good solid reel and they want it to do well in the Northeast, they'll put it into the hands of some capable surf fishers.

If not :lama: