Kastking Stealth review

[cottny27]

Wanted to share with you all my opinion of the reel.  I have not fished with it yet, but did break it down a bit.  And this review is coming from a guy that doesn't use top of the line gear.  I'm using reels from $100-$130 on average.

First off the pros:

Cheap $45 on Ebay! light, smooth, quiet, super nice oversized carbon fiber handle, nice spool, drag feels smooth

Now the Cons:

The carbon frame feels cheap.  Thumbar and front cover is cheap plastic, reel has a tall bulky feel on the rod like the size of reels from 8-10yrs ago.  Somebody with bigger hands would have no issues with it's size.

 

Overall, well worth the money and would make a good starter or backup reel.  The handle alone is worth $45 imo.  If they downsized the reel and used better material on the thumbar and front cover I can see giving $80 for it.  

[Paul Roberts]

Is that a plastic gear? I see brass and a "white-sh" one still in place. Or is it aluminum?

[cottny27]

Aluminum main gear and shaft.  I believe the idler you are referring to is plastic which seems pretty common to me.  At least in reels in the $100 range.  I've never had a problem with that specific part.

[iabass8]

The white gear that is "plastic" is normal. I'm not crazy about aluminium gears but it really depends on the quality of metal they used. The "carbon fiber" handle they are using is worth maybe 20$ at best. There are some handles that advertise as "carbon fiber" and aren't of any quality. Having not held the reel I cannot say for certain but a 45$ reel almost certainly isn't using a quality handle. You can find some really nice CF handles now for 28$. Have a feeling with regular use this reel will become a paper weight. 

[cottny27]

Come to think of it I've only fished with brass and duralumin gears.  I'm thinking I will get my $45 out of it because I take good care of my stuff.  If the handle is not quality then they sure fooled me.  How would one tell??  I think retail is $89 according to KastKing which I would not pay.  

[cottny27]

iabass8, look in the pic ..it's already being used as a paper weight.  Maybe its just its calling  

[iabass8]

Eh if you get a year out of it I would consider that a win.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Call there CS and see if you talk to anyone and tell them you need part ???? And see if you talk to anyone ...this is a good test

[cottny27]

On 5/12/2016 at 4:27 PM, Maxximus Redneckus said:

Call there CS and see if you talk to anyone and tell them you need part ???? And see if you talk to anyone ...this is a good test

Already have and you do talk to people who are very friendly.  

[Maxximus Redneckus]

1 hour ago, cottny27 said:

Already have and you do talk to people who are very friendly.  

Whats the number i gottta try um

[cottny27]

2 hours ago, Maxximus Redneckus said:

Whats the number i gottta try um

5162796071

I guess that's the number I called, but it was a couple months ago. 

[J Francho]

On 5/12/2016 at 5:27 PM, Maxximus Redneckus said:

Call there CS and see if you talk to anyone and tell them you need part ???? And see if you talk to anyone ...this is a good test

A little background.  The company was started by a few SU graduates.  They're betting CS as a strong point.

[cottny27]

I just emailed the company seeing if they have parts for the Stealth yet.  It had just came out the last time I checked.

[J Francho]

On 2/8/2016 at 0:36 PM, Paul Roberts said:

Is that a plastic gear? I see brass and a "white-sh" one still in place. Or is it aluminum?

Actually, I see something I like here: the metal reinforcement on the pinion yolk.  I can also appreciate the small, flanged brass bushing in the frame where the main spring for the pinion engagement clutch goes into the reel frame.  There's a couple well thought out details here.I imagine that is a necessary add due to the composite frame material.

[DroneFisher]

On 12/8/2016 at 2:50 PM, J Francho said:

Actually, I see something I like here: the metal reinforcement on the pinion yolk.  I can also appreciate the small, flanged brass bushing in the frame where the main spring for the pinion engagement clutch goes into the reel frame.  There's a couple well thought out details here.I imagine that is a necessary add due to the composite frame material.

Interesting that you value the internals so much you wouldn't happen to be an engineer would you!

[J Francho]

Just now, DroneFisher said:

Interesting that you value the internals so much you wouldn't happen to be an engineer would you!

No, but I used to run a reel cleaning/repair/soup-up business, and had anywhere from 200-300 reel pass by my bench each year. 

[DroneFisher]

Just now, J Francho said:

No, but I used to run a reel cleaning/repair/soup-up business, and had anywhere from 200-300 reel pass by my bench each year. 

That was my second guess.

 

 

[cottny27]

15 minutes ago, J Francho said:

No, but I used to run a reel cleaning/repair/soup-up business, and had anywhere from 200-300 reel pass by my bench each year. 

Then how are you not seeing Steez-like quality internals in this Stealth haha!!!!

[J Francho]

49 minutes ago, cottny27 said:

Then how are you not seeing Steez-like quality internals in this Stealth haha!!!!

I haven't had the opportunity to handle a Stealth.  I only just received the Assassin.  It feels better than most other composite frame reels costing $30-$40 more.  Seems like a decent reel for the budget minded angler. 

[WPCfishing]

I've used their Braid line. Not bad at all and price is very fair. 

As for the reels I think they're a good start for someone wanting to learn to use a bait caster or is just new to fishing buying a spinning reel.

lets hope the company does well... and grows.