FloridaFishinFool Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 I recently posted in another thread about how much I like and enjoy using my new Tokushima HK3000 spinning reel made in China. I was immediately called into question as to how in the world can some cheap Chinese knock-off reel be any good, and that everyone should beware of buying one just because it is Chinese, but rather put your money down on a new Shimano stradic or similar. So I thought I would start a thread about why Tokushima is leaving Shimano in the dust. First, take a look at the new Tokushima reel made in China. It is a work of art and one beautiful reel. But what is on the inside makes it even better! This reel comes stock with 13 ball bearings + 1 AR bearing for a smooth, easy to operate reel.
Super User HoosierHawgs Posted January 5, 2015 Super User Posted January 5, 2015 That's a lot! I heard once that it is more important to have more bearings in a spinning vs casting reel because the way the washers are stacked... Is this true?
FloridaFishinFool Posted January 5, 2015 Author Posted January 5, 2015 First let's take a look inside a brand new nearly $400.00 dollar Shimano Stradic ST3000FI. Shimano has not improved the rotor mount for some of their spinning reels in decades. It is the same old design you find in their cheaper reels, and you find it here in this nearly $400.00 stradic- only one ball bearing #10320 to support the rotor from wobbling when spinning. Closer to the rotor you will find a one-way AR bearing mounted inside the clutch assembly. These two bearings is all there is on a $400.00 Shimano stradic reel to prevent wobble in the spinning rotor: Now take a look inside the all new Tokushima Chinese reel. Their engineers have improved upon the rotor mount by adding an extra ball bearing strategically placed even closer to the rotor. Now the AR bearing is sandwiched in between 2 ball bearings of the same size, so that when you are fighting a big fish and tighten down on the drag, the AR bearing is not taking any of the side pressure as you would experience with the old worn-out shimano design. With the way shimano designs this part of the reel, over time, the rotors get more and more loose and wobbly, but that can not happen with the new innovative Tokushima design: The superior engineering in the Tokushima design should be quite obvious to all who see it. Those two ball bearings will now carry all of the weight of the rotor and maintain it far more rigidly than the shimano design. With the shimano design you will wear the AR bearing at angles under pressure of fighting fish, while the Tokushima design completely eliminates that problem and provides a far superior mount for rotor stability. The new shimano stradic is priced at near $400.00, while the Tokushima reel shown above is only $40.00 with free shipping included. For me, it is a no brainer, and this is not the only improvement Tokushima designed into their reels! There is much more.
Super User Tywithay Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 Beautiful is subjective, reminds me of the ugly old Ardent elite. What quality materials are used to make this $40 knock off? What are the drag washers made of? If the bearings are of typical quality used in knock off reels, it just has 13 pieces of junk in it. I've seen threads on this brand of reels while searching stuff in the past and read stories of AR bearings failing, bearings seizing up, handles breaking off, etc. In most instances, you get what you pay for. FYI: The Stradic 3000FI retailed for $149.99, when it came out.
Super User Tywithay Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 That's a lot! I heard once that it is more important to have more bearings in a spinning vs casting reel because the way the washers are stacked... Is this true? Not true at all.
ABW Posted January 6, 2015 Posted January 6, 2015 I mean you get what you pay for so there must be a catch to it... and from what I see Stradic's don't cost 400 dollars. Rather buy a well known, quality reel than waste your money trying to buy a bunch of cheap ones.
FloridaFishinFool Posted January 6, 2015 Author Posted January 6, 2015 Well the main frame is solid anodized aluminum. And the sides are cross-fiber molded carbon graphite. The drag washers are standard felt. My reel is easier to turn than any of my 5 president reels also made in China, and it is extremely smooth. It is well built and I am now on season 2 with it and I love it!
FloridaFishinFool Posted January 6, 2015 Author Posted January 6, 2015 I mean you get what you pay for so there must be a catch to it... and from what I see Stradic's don't cost 400 dollars. Rather buy a well known, quality reel than waste your money trying to buy a bunch of cheap ones. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shimano-Stradic-6000F-J-Spin-Reel-Tremendous-Amount-Of-Cranking-Power-/181585171324?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a4751d37c http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-2014-Shimano-Stradic-CI4-FA-2500-3000-4000-front-drag-reels-STCI4-/111326378086?pt=UK_BOI_Packing_Postal_Supplies_Labels_LE&var=&hash=item19eb91b866 I got my prices off ebay. my mistake. Price it how you want to. A lot of people like the pflueger president reels. This one is superior- and cheaper too.
Super User HoosierHawgs Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 Not true at all. I guess I'd been mistaken! Thanks for clearing it up!
adam32 Posted January 6, 2015 Posted January 6, 2015 I always get a kick out of people saying that shimanos bearings are so superior to the bearings in cheaper reels. So reels with a higher number count of bearings must use junk bearings. The ONLY bearings I've ever had fail were in shimano reels and a few daiwa line roller bearings. Having said that I would rather have a one stradic over ten of those Tokushima reels. 2
Super User Tywithay Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 Well the main frame is solid anodized aluminum. And the sides are cross-fiber molded carbon graphite. The drag washers are standard felt. My reel is easier to turn than any of my 5 president reels also made in China, and it is extremely smooth. It is well built and I am now on season 2 with it and I love it! After looking deeper into it, the side plate covers are nylon 6-6 and fiberglass, not graphite; they're just painted to look like carbon fiber. It doesn't have a thread-in handle, it has a shaft-through, which is an inferior design. The 3000 also weighs over 10oz, not really practical for most bass-sized rods. Cheap zinc alloy gears. Having a hard time deciphering some of the pictures, but it also has some kind of copper gear, which is unsuitable for most fishing, especially saltwater.
Super User Tywithay Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 I always get a kick out of people saying that shimanos bearings are so superior to the bearings in cheaper reels. So reels with a higher number count of bearings must use junk bearings. The ONLY bearings I've ever had fail were in shimano reels and a few daiwa roller bearings. The bearings he's comparing to are in a Stradic and they're ARB. By most standards, they're pretty good bearings. Not all reels with a high bearing count are junk, but when you spend $40 for a reel with 13 bearings, it's not going to have even decent bearings.
Super User F14A-B Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 Why are you pushing this reel so hard? Just curious... 1
Super User aavery2 Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 Pflueger uses the same double bearing holding system, as do most of the ABU spinning reels.
Super User J Francho Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 Looks like screen printed carbon fiber. Could also be "dipped," like those college mascot reels Ardent was selling. I'm glad you like your reel, and it sounds like its held up. Comparisons to, and claims that its better than a Stradic is interesting, but debatable.
Super User S Hovanec Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 More bearings mean a better reel. I read that on the internet, so it had to be true. 1
FloridaFishinFool Posted January 6, 2015 Author Posted January 6, 2015 I just thought some of you might like to enjoy a nice quality reel for a decent price. What is wrong with that? When you come across something that is decent and at a decent price why not share? Truth is, someone on another forum shared this one with me. That is how I found out about it and I am just passing it on. No agenda. Just sharing a nice product is all.
Super User F14A-B Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 Which Shimano reels are you going to sideline in favor of this exceptional Chinese reel?
FloridaFishinFool Posted January 6, 2015 Author Posted January 6, 2015 Which Shimano reels are you going to sideline in favor of this exceptional Chinese reel? So far just the presidents have been put away. I have not replaced the shimano reels yet, but working on it. This reel has me sold on it. I like the president reels too, but this one is better and costs less. I like it more and just wanted to share. For the price you can't go wrong is all I am saying.
Super User F14A-B Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 Had two okuma trios 30 & 30S... Those above pics look pretty similar to me, gave those reels a fair shot, traded them off pretty quickly.
Super User MarkH024 Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 I just thought some of you might like to enjoy a nice quality reel for a decent price. What is wrong with that? When you come across something that is decent and at a decent price why not share? Truth is, someone on another forum shared this one with me. That is how I found out about it and I am just passing it on. No agenda. Just sharing a nice product is all. Have you handled and fished with one in person?
Super User buzzed bait Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 and i'm sorry, but with as many spelling and grammar errors as they've displayed on those pages it's hard to believe they have much of a quality control process. 1
Super User kickerfish1 Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 It is an attractive reel for the money but I would compare it to other cheap reels under $60 and not to reels costing 4-6x the cost of this one new. The biggest turnoff as Ty noted is the weight. Not many guys would want a 10.5 oz reel and this is the smallest size model. It would take a longer and more powerful spinning rod to make it balance. Most guys that use spinning gear for finesse fishing would have a hard time accepting the weight of the reel compared to what can be had from the major manufacturers. 2
Super User F14A-B Posted January 6, 2015 Super User Posted January 6, 2015 Come on now, you stated you were going and had, sidelined/ replaced/ going to replace, your shimanos, I simply asked which shimanos were you/ have you, sidelined/ replaced with this Chinese reel. It's a fair question.
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