airflo balance fly reel

[Steve]

Anyone got one of these?
and if so are they any good?





http://www.fishtec.co.uk/productdetailinfowithoptions.cfm/reels/airflo-balance-fly-reel/40/no/46666

Steve

[Wildfisher]

Looks like that  sexual fetish instrument  broontroot had up at the Crask last year.   :lol:

Aye, Graham has one  and has regretted it ever since as a result  Allan and Dod's merciless ridicule. 

[superscot]

Steve i was kindly offered one from Malcolm this season for ma lad and he has used it along with myself with absolutely no hassle ...Malcolm even gave us the spare spool and a floating line ....Good enough reel for broon troot

cheers

[Wildfisher]

just off to sharpen my claws 

you're an evil man Dod..............  :lol:

[Wildfisher]

Count yourself lucky Steve. You would have been ill advised turning up at the Crask with one of those. Ask Graham..........   

[River Chatter]

Looks like a Loop/Dannielsson clone. If it's half as good you've done well!

[Malcolm]

Looks like a Loop/Dannielsson clone. If it's half as good you've done well!

The Loop/Danielsson is much more fragile looking. I have a traditional Loop on Ebay at the moment. I've had it for years, all but unused, but am frightened to use the damn thing.

[Clan Ford]

If I could have squeezed a five weight floater on the 'nymph' I might have made a bid.

I owned a nymph - had a 5 weight barrio floater on it, bit of a squeeze but it did fit (without much backing) - can't remember if it was a DT or weight forward though. 

I gave the reel away to my brother in law, have to admit I didn't find it robust enough for the "abuse" I gave it   Grit was forever catching in the wee nylon spindals, the reel ran as smooth as a bus going down the cobbles on Edinburgh's high street :shock:

Norm

[corsican dave]

yes, i have one :shock:

there you go, that's the new year confessional over. i got it when i started getting serious about swff, as i wanted something that was reasonably salt-proof and could handle bloody huge lines.

it's not too bad, however: one major problem is that if you're using long leaders + tippets, the thinner line can slip between the spool and the back plate. potentially disastrous.

also, i had to strip down the teflon washers in the drag and play about with the configuration until it worked properly. there's a couple of us on the ukswff forum had the same problem

with the benefit of experience, i've now trimmed down my swff outfit to an 8wt, so wouldn't use the airflo if i had a choice. since i DON'T have a choice, i still do! it handles the salt well, getting rinsed every outing and no sign of corrosion. the drag, now fixed, is smooth and strong.

however, i bought the wife a scierra xdp last year and almost wish i hadn't... it's simply the best drag i've ever come across and i am really jealous!!  :