Brand disloyalty

[Texas Flood]

3 hours ago, QUAKEnSHAKE said:

Giving up on daiwa baitcasters. Tried and tried to give them a chance. Last 3 I purchased all had quality issues along with the lack of overall performance. The original Tatula I still like.

Strike king RES just can't get one to swim correctly.

Kistler rod's poor craftsmanship overpriced.

I was almost in the same boat as you with Daiwa. Then I decided to try a JDM reel and now they are now my favorite reels. I actually have a new one waiting for me at home.

[Bluegillslayer]

I have had multiple negative experiences with saltwater Okuma rod and reels. 

[Susky River Rat]

I can’t say I am disloyal to any brand. I just prefer certain brands. Not that I wouldn’t  buy more rapalas I just prefer 6th sense is an example. 
 

I do have some loyalties though. Yamaha outboards, shimano reels are the biggies.

[RRocket]

I too prefer certain brands and will buy them most anywhere.

 

But I will definitely avoid the big brands that steal an innovative/unique design from a small tackle company and subsequently make a knock off or copy of the bait and call it their own.

[Munkin]

 

Kistlers were great when they first started making the no foregrip ones. My issue is they kept changing blanks so if you bought the exact same rod two years in a row they were different. I still have a couple of the first generation Heliums I use. 

 

St. Croix is my favorite rod company overall. Their powers and actions are so consistent I know how a rod will fish without ever using it.

 

Live Target suckered everyone with those realistic looking lures  that don't catch anything. I will say the squarebill crayfish crank catches fish but they discontinued it very quickly.

 

 

Allen

[J Francho]

Gen 1 heliums are what broke.  The last man standing, a flipping stick broke off in front of the reel seat on a dink. I'm not super gentle with my gear, but I've only broke 3 or four out of the 50+ from various brands since. One of those was identified as a flaw during preproduction from a process issue in making the blank. It was a Pinnacle and they resolved the issue. Its replacement is one of my favorite rods now. 

[Glenn]

And scene.....