Chronarch or Metanium MGL?

[BassSteve]

Hello guys, 

 

I have been taking a break from fishing lately but I am cleaning my reels up preparing them for spring. So I'm getting the itch to add one more reel to my collection ?. I'm stuck between the Chronarch or metanium MGL, both reels have lots of praise about them. I would appreciate your feedback and user experience with these two reels to help me decide. Thanks 

[casts_by_fly]

I have both, though limited time with the met. For all intents and purposes, they look like the same reel from a distance and feel the same on the rod before you start reeling. The profile is practically identical to me. Both of mine are mgl with the latest mgl spools I believe. They cast the same for me. On reeling, they are incredibly similar, though the met seems just a little bit tighter or smoother. It’s a minute difference and if you didn’t handle them side by side on the same rod (or incredibly similar rods) you’d never know. I think they are within a half ounce of each other overall so a wash there.

 

there is no bad choice between them. 

[BassSteve]

15 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

I have both, though limited time with the met. For all intents and purposes, they look like the same reel from a distance and feel the same on the rod before you start reeling. The profile is practically identical to me. Both of mine are mgl with the latest mgl spools I believe. They cast the same for me. On reeling, they are incredibly similar, though the met seems just a little bit tighter or smoother. It’s a minute difference and if you didn’t handle them side by side on the same rod (or incredibly similar rods) you’d never know. I think they are within a half ounce of each other overall so a wash there.

 

there is no bad choice between them. 

Thanks for responding, that is what I was hearing from some other people too. The metanium mgl may be a higher price point, but it's unlikely to seriously outperform the chronarch. Is it true the grey paint finish on the chronarch has red flakes in it?

[casts_by_fly]

3 minutes ago, BassSteve said:

Thanks for responding, that is what I was hearing from some other people too. The metanium mgl may be a higher price point, but it's unlikely to seriously outperform the chronarch. Is it true the grey paint finish on the chronarch has red flakes in it?

as I walked from my kitchen where I read this to my office to check the reel, I thought there is no way. I’ve fished that reel dozens of times now and handled it much more. I’ve never noticed any red flake in it. Then I held it just right under the light and I’ll be a son of a gun. It has super fine red flake in the paint. It doesn’t lend a red cast to the reel really and I’ve never noticed it to it’s incredibly subtle. I fish it on a hudson expert which is black with black/silver/red color pattern and never noticed it.  Now seeing it it’s cool, but I’ll probably forget next time I go fishing with it. 

[BassSteve]

3 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

as I walked from my kitchen where I read this to my office to check the reel, I thought there is no way. I’ve fished that reel dozens of times now and handled it much more. I’ve never noticed any red flake in it. Then I held it just right under the light and I’ll be a son of a gun. It has super fine red flake in the paint. It doesn’t lend a red cast to the reel really and I’ve never noticed it to it’s incredibly subtle. I fish it on a hudson expert which is black with black/silver/red color pattern and never noticed it.  Now seeing it it’s cool, but I’ll probably forget next time I go fishing with it. 

? thanks for confirming it 

[new2BC4bass]

Zillion SV.

 

 

 

 

Sorry.  Couldn't help myself.  ?

[T2DM]

I also have both, I'd say the Chronarch would be a better choice, but I would wait for the new one to come out hopefully sometimes this year, I'll bet the new Chronarch will have the new SVS infinity brakes and a new MGL spool. If you can't wait and don't mind the overall weight, then check out the new Bantam A. You can't go wrong with the Metanium though.

[casts_by_fly]

43 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

Zillion SV.

 

 

 

 

Sorry.  Couldn't help myself.  ?

I have that one too. Those are on my main three rods.  The zillion is also great, though a very different reel.

[BassSteve]

2 minutes ago, T2DM said:

I also have both, I'd say the Chronarch would be a better choice, but I would wait for the new one to come out hopefully sometimes this year, I'll bet the new Chronarch will have the new SVS infinity brakes and a new MGL spool. If you can't wait and don't mind the overall weight, then check out the new Bantam A. You can't go wrong with the Metanium though.

Oh I had no idea they were going to release a new Chronarch model this year, probably over the $300 mark if I had to guess for a while. New MGL spool? I had no idea they were releasing a new type of MGL spool either lol. I own the Bantam MGL and it's a fantastic quality reel. Honestly though I don't really care if it's the latest and greatest model Chronarch model, I doubt it will outperform the current Chronarch MGL model by very much honestly. I appreciate your input 

[T2DM]

28 minutes ago, BassSteve said:

Oh I had no idea they were going to release a new Chronarch model this year, probably over the $300 mark if I had to guess for a while. New MGL spool? I had no idea they were releasing a new type of MGL spool either lol. I own the Bantam MGL and it's a fantastic quality reel. Honestly though I don't really care if it's the latest and greatest model Chronarch model, I doubt it will outperform the current Chronarch MGL model by very much honestly. I appreciate your input 

 

I was hoping for them to release a new Chronarch with at least the latest 6 brake shoe SVS and not so new MGL 3 spool. That's what I meant and sorry if I confused you?. You are right, the current Chronarch is still pretty darn good.

[BassSteve]

7 minutes ago, T2DM said:

 

I was hoping for them to release a new Chronarch with at least the latest 6 brake shoe SVS and not so new MGL 3 spool. That's what I meant and sorry if I confused you?. You are right, the current Chronarch is still pretty darn good.

It's ok no problem. Yeah, the current chronarch MGL is still advanced enough it will take a long time for a new model to really blow it out of the water lol. And 6 brake shoes?! Wow, and I thought 4 was perfectly sufficient lol..talk about precision braking control. 

[T2DM]

6 minutes ago, BassSteve said:

It's ok no problem. Yeah, the current chronarch MGL is still advanced enough it will take a long time for a new model to really blow it out of the water lol. And 6 brake shoes?! Wow, and I thought 4 was perfectly sufficient lol..talk about precision braking control. 

Maybe they need to bump the brake control up to 11 while they're at it!?

 

[BassSteve]

3 minutes ago, T2DM said:

Maybe they need to bump the brake control up to 11 while they're at it!?

 

Lol well you know how it is....they need to come up with new things eventually. So why not go from 4 to 6. It's a marketing thing of course, but I can't imagine activating all 6 brakes at once ?....sounds like no fishing will get done that's for sure 

[T2DM]

3 minutes ago, BassSteve said:

Lol well you know how it is....they need to come up with new things eventually. So why not go from 4 to 6. It's a marketing thing of course, but I can't imagine activating all 6 brakes at once ?....sounds like no fishing will get done that's for sure 

Excellent point! ?

[BassSteve]

2 minutes ago, T2DM said:

Excellent point! ?

Lol I really need to stop looking into the Chronarch. Now apparently there is a G model made for saltwater purposes....it looks really sharp. I'm a freshwater fisherman though. Do you think it pays to have the saltwater rated one as opposed to the MGL version? 

[T2DM]

24 minutes ago, BassSteve said:

Lol I really need to stop looking into the Chronarch. Now apparently there is a G model made for saltwater purposes....it looks really sharp. I'm a freshwater fisherman though. Do you think it pays to have the saltwater rated one as opposed to the MGL version? 

The G doesn't have the MGL spool but looks a lot better in my opinion. Same price so it's really up to you or that darn monkey!

 

I've been wanting the G myself just never pulled the trigger for some reason,

[BassSteve]

18 minutes ago, T2DM said:

The G doesn't have the MGL spool but looks a lot better in my opinion. Same price so it's really up to you or that darn monkey!

 

I've been wanting the G myself just never pulled the trigger for some reason,

I do prefer the paint color on the G model. And even though it doesn't have the MGL spool, that's not a deal breaker for me....so what if I can't cast 20 feet further. I think the Chronarch G is the ticket 

[T2DM]

8 minutes ago, BassSteve said:

I do prefer the paint color on the G model. And even though it doesn't have the MGL spool, that's not a deal breaker for me....so what if I can't cast 20 feet further. I think the Chronarch G is the ticket 

Cool! Let us know....

[MidwestBassAttack]

I’m a die-hard Metanium fan. It is by far my favorite reel. I looked at a Chronarch once and I didn’t like how it felt. It felt like the body was made of plastic. 
 

Metanium all day long.

[FishTank]

I have both and both are great reels but the Metanium is just an all around better reel. 

[scbassin]

The Metanium, it has a core solid body.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Coronach is a good reel, but its no Metanium.  Instead of the Chronarch I would recommend taking a hard look at the Zillion SV.  

[thunderblack]

Another thing I noticed after owning both chronarch and metanium is palming these reels feel different. If I remember correctly the chronarch is longer isn't it? I know the new met is super small for my hands. 

[Tatulatard]

I would go for the met.  Its newer and made from magnesium alloy instead of a carbon composite.  Carbon plastics are fine but are the engineered wood equivalent of fiber board.  

[casts_by_fly]

2 hours ago, thunderblack said:

Another thing I noticed after owning both chronarch and metanium is palming these reels feel different. If I remember correctly the chronarch is longer isn't it? I know the new met is super small for my hands. 

 

 

Dimensionally, they are incredibly close.  Most dimensions I can't measure an accurate difference with a ruler.  I'd have to get out calipers.  The Met is about 5 mm shorter in total length from the front most part in front of the levelwind back to the rear of the spool release button.  However, I think I can explain the difference in feel in palming that makes the Chronarch feel longer.  If you palm like me (pinkie behind the trigger, next two under the rod ahead of the trigger, index above rod in front of reel, thumb on top near the spool) the gap between the rod and the levelwind is bigger on the met.  The Chronarch extends the reel body closer to the blank for longer.  The result is that your finger slides further under the 'hook nose' back towards the spool on the Met.  For my finger, the difference is close to 1/2" (about 10 mm).  So the overall distance plus the front nose distance means near on 5/8"-3/4" in 'feel'.  Its definitely noticeable when you palm the reel.

 

Met vs Zillion, they are both the same total length and max height.  But the zillion carries its height (distance away from the blank) further from the front to rear whereas the met tapers down a little faster.  In the hand, the zillion feels a little chunkier to palm.

I tried to line them up as best I could but the camera angle makes the chronarch look bigger than it is in the first picture.