Merrick -V- Penn ?

[Vermonter]

Thanks for the reply Mako, that was the impression I had gotten but wasnt sure. As for Penn products and designs, the anit-reverse with the SS line never bothered me, I expect to do some maitenance on reels and that was simple to deal with, never had a problem with it. Tho I think an altered bail design would be a good idea on the SS series. Ive just been nervous about their future ever since learning about the nature of the recent buyout. There is a great deal more competition these days with Tica, Okuma and others jumping into the market recently, and since Penn on their higher-level reels cant compete on labor costs, you'd think they would try and stay competitive with design features. I'll spend slightly more for a reel that I know is made in this country.