Zee Baas, are they worth the money?

[steve]

Is this cheaper version of the reel you mentioned in this post the same size as the 1300.00 dollar model? Also, where can you buy this reel.

[basswipe]

There's only reason the "rough" was made:the need to compete with VS.The Original ZB was way beyond almost anyone's ability to purchase.Hopefully the competition will drive the prices of both reels down and I can finally afford one or the other!

This is a good thing.

[ChiefLinesider]

Just got off the phone with someone from zeebaas. You dont get a fancy box and they found a finish that is nearly identical to the titanium oxide coating they were using on the Zeebaas premium.

So they are able to offer the Z rough @ 859 with a single line roller and the small 2 inch spool. The 899 from what I understand is the 2.25 (150 VS size, just slightly larger) spool with 2 line rollers.

And it gets better. Come mid September you can swap out the rotor in the future along with larger spools. 2.5 & 2.3/4 size spools. Which are equivalent to a 200 & 250 VS. But will also be lighter than the VS. & all parts will work with one body. You can even swap out different rotors yourself with 3 screws. You can purchase different handle lengths as well. Schoolie stripers to Bluefin with one reel.

Im definately excited about maybe getting myself one with a 2.5 spool come September since the current 2 & 2.25 inch spools are too small for what I want to use them for

[Flaptail]

This will put Numbskull over the top.

[Terence]

Good move by Rob creating the Rough. It puts it in the reach of more hard core surf guys. So far so good with mine. Nightly dunkings and a few rock to reel bashes and no water intake or foul ups. I love this reel. Finally got some good bass that peeled line off the spool and the drag worked great. Will give a full review in November.

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

This will put Numbskull over the top.

Nah. The cost isn't a big deal. It's just that it is hard to balance those big spinners on top of the rod, and I don't like reeling backwards.

[fishpoopoo]

i just picked up a zeebaas rough after speaking with rob koelwyn on the phone.

at a lower price point, the temptation was just too overpowering to resist. from a purely financial perspective, the zeebaas at $900 vs. a VS at $700 is a no-brainer.

of course, i also purchased it based on favorable feedback from other users.

the one really nice thing that Rob K told me about the reel was that even though the Rough is a VS200ish-sized reel, a larger spool and rotor assembly add-on module (approaching the size of a VS 250 reel) will be available this fall. I like the concept of a modular reel!

the drag is getting rave reviews.

one nit mentioned by a zb user here: it doesn't seem to like mono. but that's not an issue for me.

anyways, as i had posted over SOL - rob told me that the basic differences between the regular ZB and the rough boil down to three features:

1) the rough doesn't have as many polished parts.
2) the rough doesn't have the "textured" finish that some of the regular ZB's have.
3) the rough doesn't have titanium nitride rollers like the regular model does.

and...the rough doesn't come with the $150 box or the takedown tools.

HOWEVER - Rob mentioned you can get your own tools at Home Depot for about $20.

so, we shall see how this goes .

just an fyi - i'm evaluating some third party options for extreme environment finishes for the reel body (have to get some more skinny from rob on how the zb is finished ... is it anodized aluminum, etc).

[JohnR]

I am great full to many of the S-B folks that pitched in last year and gave me a ZB as a gift.

I have not fished it as much as I though I would have as I'm still more prone to grab a conventional but when spinning I've used it and I like it.

(Steve - if you want to try one out )

The drag is sweet, the entire reel is solid and smooth, Mercedes like in its precision.

My only complaints are capacity - which looks like that is being resolved with modular options (pretty cool) and in limited experience, wasn't as mono friendly as I would have liked.

This "Rough" seems like a worthy option to check out.

Casting Zs - I believe you are missing a few VS company owners in the history between RobK & VZ/VS. Van Staal was not purchased from Rob. VS had 2 (I think) owners after Rob & before Zebco... That said, he does have a certain pedigree when it comes to reel design