Daiwa Steez vs Zillion can you share your recommendation?

[clemsondds]

Hey, looking to buy either a steez a tw or get another zillion sv tw g.  I have a few of the zillions and am very impressed by them.  Part of me wants to step up to the steez just to see what it's all about...but I know that more money doesn't always correlate to better product.  What makes the steez better?  Just wanted to get the thoughts of those who have tried both.  Thanks! 

[KP Duty]

Im not a fan of the ergonomics of the standard Steez.  That's opinion, but it's a fact the U.S. Zillion has brass gears and would make a better moving bait reel.  If you already have the Zillion 'G', how about a Zillion HD?  If you go Steez...get the CT.

[Tatulatard]

The steez is much lighter and just as smooth.  The spool is worse but you can put the Zillion spool in and I read that it performs even better in the Steez that it does in the Zillion.  

[FishTank]

I don't think you can go wrong with any of the Steez models. I have the CT and SV. Both are fantastic but which one is more practical..... To me it's the SV. The CT is smoother but it's almost a BFS reel. The SV will do just about anything.  The A to me, when I toyed around with one, is also great but it felt odd in hand and felt like a general purpose reel, just not as refined as the SV. The one that intrigues me is the HD model. I think it's made for bigger baits and big cranks. I have not put my hands on a new Zillion yet. 

[QED]

I like the Steez CT SV TW.  You can get the 2019 model for a couple of hundred dollars less than the 2021 model, though the latter is the smoothest reel I've ever used.  It's a bit finessey but can throw regular baits just fine.

[FishTank]

13 minutes ago, QED said:

I like the Steez CT SV TW.  You can get the 2019 model for a couple of hundred dollars less than the 2021 model, though the latter is the smoothest reel I've ever used.  It's a bit finessey but can throw regular baits just fine.

 

I have the 2019 model.  Is the 2021 model smother? 

 

The one I have is smoother than any Daiwa I have owned or touched.  It will cast a 1/16 oz shakyhead jig and roboworm a country mile. I have paired mine with an NRX 802C. 

[QED]

3 minutes ago, FishTank said:

 

I have the 2019 model.  Is the 2021 model smother? 

 

The one I have is smoother than any Daiwa I have owned or touched.  It will cast a 1/16 oz shakyhead jig and roboworm a country mile. I have paired mine with an NRX 802C. 

Yes, the 2021 version is smoother but the 2019 version isn't shabby at all.  They changed the gear pitch and profile to make just a bit of a refinement to the gear train.

[Tatulatard]

16 minutes ago, FishTank said:

 

I have the 2019 model.  Is the 2021 model smother? 

 

The one I have is smoother than any Daiwa I have owned or touched.  It will cast a 1/16 oz shakyhead jig and roboworm a country mile. I have paired mine with an NRX 802C. 

I think the Steez CT, Alphas and Zillion all share the same type of gears.  They are supposed to be the smoothest things out there right now.  Cheapest point of entry is the Alphas at $210 and is basically the same size as the Steez CT too but heavier.

 

[clemsondds]

Thank you all!  Anyone fished both (zillion and steez)? 

[iabass8]

I've fished the Steez A and SVTW variant for nearly 6 years now. Great reels and still super smooth. I've used the Zillion G JDM for a little over a year and the US version for most of last year. Incredibly smooth reels and I do like the boost spools. The US model doesn't have complete brass gear set. Only the main gear is brass. Ergonomically, the Zillion G kind of fills your hand better but it's the same size relatively as the Steez A but just a little taller. Not a fan of the Steez A spool but it's not terrible. 

[bulldog1935]

Two main differences between the Steez SV TW and the Zillion SV TW. 

The Steez body is magnesium, which makes it lighter, and it has two LW ball bearings. 

The Zillion is aluminum body, about an ounce heavier, and has one BB and one bushing on the LW. 

Otherwise, the only differences are color. 

[txchaser]

3 hours ago, clemsondds said:

Thank you all!  Anyone fished both (zillion and steez)? 

I have one Steez SV, and six (and growing quickly) Zillion G's, and a pile of both models of Tat SV's. Zillion is a meaningful upgrade to the TatSV. But I can't figure out a reason to buy more of the Steez's. I would, if they were better in a way that mattered to me, but I'm not finicky about the ounce or the extra bearing, and it seems almost unanimous that the spool in the Zillion is A+. 

 

 

[Tatulatard]

12 minutes ago, txchaser said:

I have one Steez SV, and six (and growing quickly) Zillion G's, and a pile of both models of Tat SV's. Zillion is a meaningful upgrade to the TatSV. But I can't figure out a reason to buy more of the Steez's. I would, if they were better in a way that mattered to me, but I'm not finicky about the ounce or the extra bearing, and it seems almost unanimous that the spool in the Zillion is A+. 

 

 

Drop a Zillion spool into the Steez SV and see if it really does perform better in that reel.  I was reading that on another forum about this reel.  I guess it casts further or something than it does in the Zillion.

[QED]

The Daiwa Steez isn't a particular reel but rather a range of reels, so depending on your use case, they may or may not be interesting or useful for you.  But they are generally well built.  I have a half dozen of them, some of which were used over as much as a decade so my opinion is at least informed by actual use.

[RDB]

Most of my reels are Steez SV’s but I purchased the ‘21 Zillion shortly after release (I’m addicted to trying everything new) and it’s an excellent reel.  I will probably add a few more at some point.  I also think there is a ‘22 Zillion that has been released on the JDM.  Give this whatever value you choose but here is a review of the ‘21.

 

http://tackletour.com/reviewdaiwazillionsvtwg.html

[NoBalanceAngler]

I have a Steez sv TW for sale in the 8.1 gear ratio received on 3/17/2022 put up for sale on 3/22/2022 honestly it’s a really good reel but, I had my wife order it for me, I was looking at the ct sv and she ordered the wrong 1 haha so I’m selling it $500 brand new shipped 

[MN Fisher]

On 3/26/2022 at 7:12 PM, NoBalanceAngler said:

I have a Steez sv TW for sale in the 8.1 gear ratio received on 3/17/2022 put up for sale on 3/22/2022 honestly it’s a really good reel but, I had my wife order it for me, I was looking at the ct sv and she ordered the wrong 1 haha so I’m selling it $500 brand new shipped 

The place to put up items for sale is the 'Flea Market' topic.

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/forum/18-fishing-flea-market/

[NoBalanceAngler]

8 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

The place to put up items for sale is the 'Flea Market' topic.

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/forum/18-fishing-flea-market/

Thank you…I’m new here & can’t really navigate around 

[Mr. Bassin II]

Different take on the Steez.  If you knock it of the deck and it sinks in the water, are you going in after it?  If the answer is no then the Steez is not too expensive for you,  If you are willing to drown to get your reel back it may be more than you care to spend!

[king fisher]

On 3/26/2022 at 6:12 PM, NoBalanceAngler said:

I have a Steez sv TW for sale in the 8.1 gear ratio received on 3/17/2022 put up for sale on 3/22/2022 honestly it’s a really good reel but, I had my wife order it for me, I was looking at the ct sv and she ordered the wrong 1 haha so I’m selling it $500 brand new shipped 

Your wife ordered you a Steez now that is what I call true love.

[MN Fisher]

2 hours ago, Mr. Bassin II said:

Different take on the Steez.  If you knock it of the deck and it sinks in the water, are you going in after it?  If the answer is no then the Steez is not too expensive for you,  If you are willing to drown to get your reel back it may be more than you care to spend!

Heck - on my budget I'd go in after either of my Patriarchs...maybe even one of the Fuegos.

[Big Rick]

2 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Heck - on my budget I'd go in after either of my Patriarchs...maybe even one of the Fuegos.

Depends on depth for me. I'd sure spend a lot of time dragging bottom with hooks for sure. 

[MN Fisher]

Just now, Big Rick said:

Depends on depth for me. I'd sure spend a lot of time dragging bottom with hooks for sure. 

I got a neighbor who I can borrow SCUBA gear from...depth isn't an issue. Mark a waypoint and come back to it ready to dive.

 

<- SCUBA certified since 1977

[clemsondds]

Thank you all for your thoughts. As of right now, I think I’m just going to stick with the zillion sv g. I know have 5 of them and just can’t see the need to spend more…maybe one day I’ll try someone’s steez and regret it ha…but as of right now I’m pretty happy!  It’s just a great combo of quality,, precision and compactness.  I would love to buy a steez one day…so I’ll continue to keep my eye out for a crazy good deal. Thank you again for your thoughts! 

[new2BC4bass]

On 3/29/2022 at 4:12 PM, Mr. Bassin II said:

Different take on the Steez.  If you knock it of the deck and it sinks in the water, are you going in after it?  If the answer is no then the Steez is not too expensive for you,  If you are willing to drown to get your reel back it may be more than you care to spend!

I swim like a rock.  No problem getting down to the reel.  Getting back to the surface is a different story.