Daiwa Zillion 2021 from Amazon

[FryDog62]

I typically don't even think about most fishing tackle/gear from Amazon for fear you get a knockoff or defective product. A friend of mine (generally a credible guy) purchased a Zillion SV TW off of Amazon and has fished with it 40+ times now. Says it's the same thing as the US reel, just that it has some aluminum parts (he reports smoother, but how about durability?) where the US version is brass.... and that it's $150 less. 

 

Anyone bought this reel off Amazon and have first hand experience?  

 

https://www.amazon.com/Daiwa-Gileon-1000HL-Handle-Model/dp/B08NP3DZQJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2BKZ1DB8DPHA3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aSyX-OrnxvbZPmQ7mxdiD2A56Tup8JwQIG-XqdLcBmISqd3HZ83Rbi1Q7cOLB7b8fajlnpDtN7kkAYkXNbqfHsmlAkbnU68w_MEhgceIfFG-q3KTbjfCoZbqXphpjtnqsyv5jxxdvspX_9WEoljFUtixkcJDzjIO-De2c8Rnxr95-dFT0XuWbQh1tJNN2d0f1_Q1JgxKqvrQRr6pQnpDeOq6l4u0zKSwzgFrJOcSoL4.mbs3SJGUYCgG0G1boIcN-csSP2yru5uyqt0B9P4wEkE&dib_tag=se&keywords=zillion%2B2021&qid=1711305510&sprefix=zillion%2B2021%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-1&th=1#customerReviews

[PBBrandon]

I’ve bought 1 off of Amazon as well as a few Alphas SVs from there. All top tier reels

[FellowAnglers1]

Just pick up this steez a ii from Amazon 320 ship. Can't wait to test it on the water looks great.

[Bigbox99]

The elites don't want you to know this but you can buy fishing reels from places other than Tackle Warehouse for MSRP.  I have 22 fishing reels at home. 

[bulldog1935]

I bought my JDM '21 Zillion from Asian Portal the week it was introduced.  

It has fished hard and, going into its 4th year, will keep fishing hard. 

Noteworthy, it has never backlashed during its tenure.  

I've bought quite a bit of JDM tackle from Amazon - I have a US Prime account, as well as an Amazon.jp account. 

I recently bought the SLP Works Zillion body.  In this case, buying through the US website saved me $20 over buying from the .jp website (I went through checkout on both websites before canceling the .jp order).  It was delivered in one week by FedEx ground, which included import through Amazon Customs broker.  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZC11WKH

This is my fourth 34-mm Daiwa - I have spools and handles to spare.  

Looking back through my .jp account, I bought my Zillion Silver Wolf, a Smith Ltd. rod grip, a Try-Angle BFS spool for Isuzu reel, several spools of braid, tough to find lures, and and Ostrich bike bag straight from Amazon.jp.  

btw, for your link, you only need what's in front of the first ? 

This is true for both Amazon and ebay links 

https://www.amazon.com/Daiwa-Gileon-1000HL-Handle-Model/dp/B08NP3DZQJ/ref=sr_1_1

[FryDog62]

1 hour ago, Bigbox99 said:

The elites don't want you to know this but you can buy fishing reels from places other than Tackle Warehouse for MSRP.  I have 22 fishing reels at home. 

I get it and have bought items before from Asian Portal and Digitaka… but when it’s Amazon and some of the parts are reportedly different, you worry about knock-offs.  

[Bigbox99]

18 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

I get it and have bought items before from Asian Portal and Digitaka… but when it’s Amazon and some of the parts are reportedly different, you worry about knock-offs.  

I buy reels from Aliexpress and if there were such things as knock offs then I'd see them there.  Instead they just sorta knock off the Daiwa logo and stick on some $30 Sogayulang reel or make up a new name like Shishamo.  I don't believe knock offs exist.  Too much effort. 

[bulldog1935]

@FryDog62 - showing part of my tracking from origin to US Customs (FedEx ground took over the following day)

My package originated in Japan - this is a JDM product - note, this reel body was bench-made in Japan

My '21 JDM Zillion foot has the very same Made in Japan marking, which USM import Zillion Does Not. 

[FryDog62]

9 minutes ago, Bigbox99 said:

I buy reels from Aliexpress and if there were such things as knock offs then I'd see them there.  Instead they just sorta knock off the Daiwa logo and stick on some $30 Sogayulang reel or make up a new name like Shishamo.  I don't believe knock offs exist.  Too much effort. 

That being said, why is this reel labeled as Gillion instead of Zillion? 

[MiceNReets]

[bulldog1935]

21 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

That being said, why is this reel labeled as Gillion instead of Zillion? 

Japanese Phoenetic translation.  

Ideograms represent blended ideas over millenia.  With introduction of western ideas, they began combining ideograms to also represent sounds for new western words.  

When I search Yahoo, I both write the western word, and then find a similar product or the brand name on a lure shop website, and copy the ideograms into the search block, also.  e.g, Robelson 五十鈴工業製造

ダイワ(DAIWA) ベイトリール 21 ジリオン SV TW 1000P/1000/1000H/1000XH 右/左ハンドル (2021モデル)  this, btw, is the OP's listing, but on Amazon.jp

 

The Japanese take humor in the phonetic translation shortcomings - they enjoy them.  

E.g., ブライトリバー Brightliver is actually Bright River

and this major player in the Japan underground market sails their masthead misnomer with glee

same translation problem, Airrite is supposed to be Air Lite - but the Japanese like this kind of thing.  

[FryDog62]

Ok, you guys convinced me… bait monkey for the win! 

[Lead Head]

I have one from Amazon as well. Maybe from the same link you posted. Its legit, and the aluminum parts you are hearing about is the main gear. That's why the JDM is lighter. It's nothing to worry about, if for some reason you need to replace it, Tackle Trap sells brass gear sets for around $50. If somewhere down the road you need or want the brass gears you will still come out $100 ahead.

 

It may have a shorter handle (JDM reels often do) but I can't remember, I replaced mine before I even spooled it up.

[Tennessee Boy]

Anytime you buy off of Amazon look at who the item is sold by.  If it’s sold by Amazon it’s good.  If it’s sold by someone else be careful and check their reputation.  In this case the reel is sold by Amazon Japan so you should be good.

[JN94]

I bought a metanium on Amazon via I believe midway USA and a Curado 70 on Amazon from Amazon. Both are legit and arrived with no issues. As already commented above, should be good assuming your seller is a legitimate seller

[Lead Head]

@bulldog1935

Have you had time to tinker with the Zillion custom yet? That matte black is gorgeous to me. I like Reels with simple muted color schemes. If i can ever figure out a way to swap that stupid T-wing with a traditional line guide, ill probably own a few more 

[bulldog1935]

@Lead Head

I just wrote a pm to a fellow Zillionado this morning, copied here:  

Quote

A week ago, I broke down and bought the SLP Works Zillion body-only from Amazon - slightly discounted and doesn't come with everything I would replace, anyway.  

It's pretty in all stealth flat black, gunmetal thumb clutch - it's based on the '22 HD.  Has upgraded drive (dual pinion bearings), dual LW BB (same as Steez), upgraded clutch, bench-tuned drive.  The trademarks on the reel are gunmetal ghosts, not detracting from the good looks.  

Already have spools, and it will first get my black Ray's SV spool and full silicon-nitride bearings (first Daiwa test), ordered a Studio Composite handle due tomorrow, and even found the gunmetal knob caps in stock from a different JDM vendor (these are coming EMS/ Priority).  

So I'm up to four 34-mm Daiwas that all swap spools, and all swap between my niche rods.  My spools range from 3 fixed-rotor BFS w/ PE#0.8, 2 Ray's SV spools, PE#1 and #1.2, Silver Wolf SV spool, #1.2, and I kept one stock Boost SV spool with 12-lb fluoro.  

My rods for these are 8'2" Yamaga Blanks shore finesse, 8'6" Abu micro-jig, 7'3" Abu kayak finesse, and two 13fishing 7'1" ML.  

I can set up multiple rods, and be backed-up in every niche.  

To me, this seems like a no-brainer approach with Daiwa.  Let everybody else buy the package reels - I'm going to mix-and-match mine, and swap spool bearings for performance datapoints - Roro (lightest BFS), IXA (high-load BFS), salt-specific zirconia microbearings, and load-and-environment impervium full silicon nitride. 

will show and tell when it's all done next month. 

I also found this trim match easy to live with silver body.  

[waymont]

21 hours ago, FellowAnglers1 said:

Just pick up this steez a ii from Amazon 320 ship. Can't wait to test it on the water looks great.

I bought a Steez A II on Amazon 3.5 weeks ago for $269. The price dropped for one day, then went back up to $298. Just got lucky.

[JediAmoeba]

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

@Lead Head

I just wrote a pm to a fellow Zillionado this morning, copied here:  

will show and tell when it's all done next month. 

I also found this trim match easy to live with silver body.  

I just hate those knobs. I would prefer the slp works blue knobs. 😀

[bulldog1935]

if you note in my first post, fish hate them, too.  

this is the handle (and spool) that will go on my SLP Works Zillion.  

I prefer this Studio Composite on 6- and 7-geared reels, and like longer handles on 8.5-geared Zillion. 

titanium spindles, carbon knob tubes, lighter weight than stock Daiwa handle+I-knobs.  

the snook hates them so much, it's jumping away from them

and if you like anything about the Avail handle on my silver + sky-blue Zillion, it's also much lighter (and longer) than stock Daiwa, is offered with smaller (and even larger) knobs, and fits all DaiwaS/ShimanoA knobs.  

[JediAmoeba]

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

if you note in my first post, fish hate them, too.  

this is the handle (and spool) that will go on my SLP Works Zillion.  

I prefer this Studio Composite on 6- and 7-geared reels, and like longer handles on 8.5-geared Zillion. 

titanium spindles, carbon knob tubes, lighter weight than stock Daiwa handle+I-knobs.  

the snook hates them so much, it's jumping away from them

and if you like anything about the Avail handle on my silver + sky-blue Zillion, it's also much lighter (and longer) than stock Daiwa, is offered with smaller (and even larger) knobs, and fits all DaiwaS/ShimanoA knobs.  

Those fish are like aliens👽 to me - lol 

 

Nah, I am a flat knob lover. I only use a thumb and finger on the knobs which doesn't work so well for round ones. 

 

I have a silver and gold zillion coming up...I have about half the parts, the rest are coming from Malaysia 

[bulldog1935]

@JediAmoeba - looking forward to photos of your new reel.  

The big spec tried to go under the boat 4 times, and I turned her each time - it was pandemonium fun.  You end up palming the knob on a fish like this.  

My friend was freaking, because I don't fish kayak w/ a net, pulled her beside my leg, and put my hand under her belly to slide her into the boat.  

 

I really like the shorter Studio Composite handle on low-geared finesse - the big knobs and total weightless are the main reason - that's 88-mm handle on 6.3-geared Steez, I bought 92-mm for 7-geared SLPW Zillion.  

My 8.5-geared Silver wolf has 100-mm ZPI carbon (came w/o knobs), that I already had the knobs to match from another long story.  

[iabass8]

The JDM Zillion G is the same reel as the USDM aside from main gear material. The JDM Zillion G uses the Daiwa aluminum main gear and pinion. The  USDM uses a brass main/aluminum pinion gear. I have a couple of each. Fantastic reels. 

[LonnieP]

I’ve bought 3 Zillion SV’s and a Zillion HD from that seller. No problems at all