Bps carbonlite 2.0 or lews tournament mb

[frosty]

So I've been wanting to pick up another combo, something to use for jigs, frogs, and trig's. I settled on the lews tournament mb, I already have an LFS which I like, but after looking at the Johnny Morris carbonlite I'm considering it. Anybody use both or does anyone use the carbonlite? 

[Jason Penn]

i've got the cl 2.0, but haven't got to use it yet.  i can tell you that it feels solid like the 1st gen cl.  i have the 8:1 and it doesn't have that grindy feel like the black cl 7:1 had.

[Scrapiron]

Oh the black CL grindy feel! Out of four, only one is smooth. It's not terribly noticeable when fishing, but once you know it, you know it.

 

I have hopes for the 2.0 CL. I know it's beefier (weighs more).  However, I'd probably stick with the Lews.

[kstephes033]

It seems to me that all of the new BPS reels are actually made by the same manufacturing company that makes lews. If you look at them side by side they are near identical other than colors and branding, so more than likely pick whichever one you like better and should be essentially the same reel, as im sure all the parts are the same. The BPS does have carbon fiber handle and a little less line capacity, otherwise bearings, drag, and weight are identical.

[frosty]

Thanks guys... you haven't helped my decision any, but thanks 

[dsqui]

But the lews they have better customer service plus I can get it at a local shop and support local business

[Robert Riley]

On 5/4/2017 at 9:13 PM, LowRange said:

Pretty sure they're both the same Doyo platform.    

Lew's has some of the best customer service in the market. And they are made in the same factory. I'd personally go for the Lew's, or the cheapest of the two reels I can get. 

[S. Sass]

I haven't used the Carbonlite 2.0 but I have a couple other BPS reels and I have many of the Lews. I can see in the pic they look very similar and may be, but of the BPS reels I have don't feel like the Lew's Tournament MBs in my hand.

 

Comparing stats from BPS and Lew's website about the only noticeable difference to me is one has  

Quote

Bowed, lightweight, aluminum reel handle with Lew's® custom paddle handle knobs

and the other has 

Quote

Carbon fiber recurve handle with EVA grips

 

Oh and one claims 

Quote

spool is V-grooved

while the other claims 

Quote

U style spool

The pictures really don't show a huge difference in the spool to me. 

 

I would have to go Lew's just based on I am not fond of EVA that companies like to stick on everything. Also I have had a stellar experience with Lew's customer service. Not saying BPS customer service is bad I have never dealt with them but polite and fast free parts and free reel repair and shipping is really hard to beat. I have seven Lew's reels and they all have been excellent reels aside from a single Ebay used reel that had me use the Lew's customer service I spoke of. I am sure either reel will fish just fine though. 

[frosty]

Oh man... I guess I should just get both... BAD BAIT MONKEY! Seriously though guys, thank you. I think I'll just plan on getting the lews. I know I can get it cheaper on eBay, and the carbon fiber handle isn't that big of a deal to me. 

[lmbfisherman]

BPS is great with their house brand service, so I don't consider the CS being that far apart.  

[Robert Riley]

Can you buy it with American dollars tho? And that's interesting, I didn't know Doyo made their own reels haha.

[frosty]

6 hours ago, LowRange said:

How about the Doyo branded Doyo.  Shallow spool looks interesting.

 

I like the knobs, but all the Chinese (?) writing and a lack of English concerns me. I'd hate to be buying a picture of a reel

[lmbfisherman]

1 hour ago, frosty said:

I like the knobs, but all the Chinese (?) writing and a lack of English concerns me. I'd hate to be buying a picture of a reel

That's Korean not, Chinese FYI.

[frosty]

5 hours ago, lmbfisherman said:

That's Korean not, Chinese FYI.

Oh yeah, the LFS is made in China, the tournament MB is made in Korea... thank you cause I would have never known 

[lmbfisherman]

2 hours ago, frosty said:

Oh yeah, the LFS is made in China, the tournament MB is made in Korea... thank you cause I would have never known 

To be frank, Korean products are of higher quality than Chinese in general, but I'd probably still a little hesitant.  However the Trulinoya platform I believe is based on the Doyo design, so if you follow that, then Kastking, Shishamo and Favorite are all based/knockoff Doyo.

[frosty]

8 minutes ago, lmbfisherman said:

To be frank, Korean products are of higher quality than Chinese in general, but I'd probably still a little hesitant.  However the Trulinoya platform I believe is based on the Doyo design, so if you follow that, then Kastking, Shishamo and Favorite are all based/knockoff Doyo.

I noticed the different location labels looking at the reels in person, I assumed that the higher end stuff would be made in a different factory. It's much like woodworking power tools, you can stand 5 different models of 14" bandsaws together and the only difference will be color and a few small details like blade bearings, other than that almost all the parts are identical. 

[MassYak85]

14 hours ago, frosty said:

Oh yeah, the LFS is made in China, the tournament MB is made in Korea... thank you cause I would have never known 

My LFS from a couple years ago had a Korea sticker on it, they could have changed recently so idk. 

[frosty]

1 minute ago, MassYak85 said:

My LFS from a couple years ago had a Korea sticker on it, they could have changed recently so idk. 

I bought mine last September and it had the China sticker on it. 

[MassYak85]

Just now, frosty said:

I bought mine last September and it had the China sticker on it. 

Interesting. I think mine is 3 or 4 years old now.

[frosty]

Just now, MassYak85 said:

Interesting. I think mine is 3 or 4 years old now.

Better keep it, probably some sort of rare collectors item before long!