JDM reel purchase: Steez A TW HLC VS. Zillion TW HD

[Tatulatard]

2 hours ago, Jrob78 said:

I ordered my Steez HLC from Digitaka midday on Monday and it's out for delivery today. Hopefully I will get a chance to mess with it this weekend but I feel like I know what I'm in for lol.

I think as long as you avoid stiff lines and cast long casting baits with it then you should be fine.  The complaints seem to come from flouro line use with baits that catch the wind or tumble on the cast.  Also these aren't supposed to be good at lob casting.  You need to send them proper on the cast with some effort and a high release point.  I'd be throwing frogs on braid or tail weighted topwaters on mono.  

[KP Duty]

2 hours ago, FishTank said:

There is one right handed one in stock at Digitaka.  

 

My only complaint with this reel is that when it is cold, the reel becomes very cold. It's like holding an ice cube. 

I saw that this AM.  I need a couple things from them...and it has to coincide with payday :).  

2 hours ago, Jrob78 said:

I ordered my Steez HLC from Digitaka midday on Monday and it's out for delivery today. Hopefully I will get a chance to mess with it this weekend but I feel like I know what I'm in for lol.

Sweet...we expect a report.  I noticed the hlc has a black engine cover and handle ?

[Jrob78]

1 hour ago, Tatulatard said:

I think as long as you avoid stiff lines and cast long casting baits with it then you should be fine.  The complaints seem to come from flouro line use with baits that catch the wind or tumble on the cast.  Also these aren't supposed to be good at lob casting.  You need to send them proper on the cast with some effort and a high release point.  I'd be throwing frogs on braid or tail weighted topwaters on mono.  

Yeah I've been thinking about that, I might put it on a frog rod with braid and see how that goes or spool it up with some cheap 12lb mono I have for testing. I tend to run my reels loose and I'm comfortable power casting so hopefully it will work well for me.  Worst case scenario I will get a different spool and not use the HLC spool but I'm hoping I can find a use for it. 

51 minutes ago, KP Duty said:

I saw that this AM.  I need a couple things from them...and it has to coincide with payday :).  

Sweet...we expect a report.  I noticed the hlc has a black engine cover and handle ?

I'm excited to get home and open it up. I'll post a couple of pics this evening.

[rocketsurgeon]

I bought both, but have yet to use the Steez. I love the HD on my madbull though for moving baits. Thinking about putting the HLC on my P5 ICBM for bombing magnum cranks. Could be an exercise in futility or the ultimate launcher. We shall see.

[Jrob78]

5 hours ago, KP Duty said:

I saw that this AM.  I need a couple things from them...and it has to coincide with payday :).  

Sweet...we expect a report.  I noticed the hlc has a black engine cover and handle ?

Sorry @AlabamaSpothunter, I didn't mean to jack your thread but I kind of did. ?

 

The Steez is very dark but when compared to the black HD it's almost a dark navy or dark gun metal. It's a great looking reel and very smooth but the inductor is indeed very stiff. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

31 minutes ago, Jrob78 said:

Sorry @AlabamaSpothunter, I didn't mean to jack your thread but I kind of did. ?

 

The Steez is very dark but when compared to the black HD it's almost a dark navy or dark gun metal. It's a great looking reel and very smooth but the inductor is indeed very stiff. 

Brother you aren't hijacking anything, that's quality posting on your part.   Really appreciate the pics.    The Steez looks exactly like the pics, and one of the main reasons why I wanted to get it over the HD, the profile is so sexy looking, the way it tapers in the back.     

 

Love the cork handles on these Daiwa reels, did it on my OG BFS Steez.    I'm gonna put the round cork ones on the Zillion HD.

 

Great stuff man, congrats on the new beautiful reel.   You'll find a use for it somewhere, a Basshead always does

[evilcatfish]

Little late to the party here, but I can definitely confirm the steez a hlc is a little “wild.” Early last year I’d decided to put together an all around heavy combo and settled on a steez a hlc paired with an evergreen Orion black rose. Despite my hopes, I quickly realized the steez was definitely not an all around reel. Bomb casting heavy or arrow dynamic baits was great, but when I’d switch up to pitching a jig or throwing a spinnerbait, results were not good. I held out as long as I could but ended up selling the steez and used a jdm tatula hd custom for most of 2022. The tatula was nice, but I’ve got a 22 zillion hd on the way from digitaka, which I’m hoping works out nicely 

[T-Billy]

I got to make a few casts with the HD today. It's exactly what I'd hoped it would be. Great distance, super smooth, not the least bit fussy, and I love those big round handles. I wish all my reels had those. Problem is.... The wife loves it too. I'm gonna need another one. She broke it in today by catching her PB musky on a chatterbait. 44 incher.

 

Edit to add: No point in letting the Japanese Monkey torment me. I surrendered immediately and ordered #2.