Confusing Spinning Reel Line Ups

[Brodie_S]

I’ve been looking at Shimano’s and daiwa’s line of spinning reels lately and I’ve noticed a few things that have confused me. 1 why did shimano upgrade the nexave then a year later they decided to upgrade the sienna they are the exact same reel just with different gear ratios the drag knob and handle are different and also the colours also the sienna has G free body which the nexave doesn’t have. 2 why did daiwa come out with a new Laguna and crossfire . To me daiwa have way to many reels in their line up but why did they bring out the new Laguna and crossfire why didn’t they just discontinue the Laguna and upgrade the crossfire they are both pretty similar reels with minor differences same goes with the revro’s and the aird both are very similar same also applys with the legalis and Exceler and so on am I only one who thinks they could save a bunch of money  by just having fewer reels and putting the spare money into better features in their reels. What are you’re opinions on this am I the only one who notices .or do you think the way they do it now is good? To me the spinning reel line ups don’t make much sense especially daiwas one

[Drop Bear]

I think it is all about marketing and price points mate. The Sienna is a pretty solid reel for a cheapy.

Brands and products get tired and people look for the new shiny thing. By upgrading they keep that brand current. 

[Ed.]

Drop Bear, you beat me to it.

Probably because it's a marketing ploy by companies to get you to buy their  product over a rivals.  It's a bit like toothpaste when you go to a supermarket, probably 20-30 types and all made by one or two companies. With some slight differences but basically the same, If brand A has 3 types of tooth paste  and brand B had has 15, statistically brand  B has a higher chance of being selected and making money. So long as brand B gets selected, brand B doesn't care!

With reels, you only may need just a couple of reels for a particular type of fishing, so if you get those there is nothing to entice you to buy anymore is there? However if a company produces a certain group of reels that has only a certain set of features that appeals to a fisherman, he or she will buy those and that's it and they will be happy with those, so to entice new business next  year the company will add a "new" desirable feature, or repackage a reel with maybe a new colour scheme or a rod with different guides, an extra bearing, or some other "must have" feature, call it a different name  or call it some other wizz bang technology name then that same person will think, "I would like that must have feature which will make me a better fisherman" or improve my catch rate and then goes out and buys the new reel.

Most people (myself included) would like the "ultimate reel" for their style of fishing with a range of features which generally is not available in one reel, due to various features which are missing from the ones we have currently, so we keep a look out and when one does come up that has the extra desirable feature then we grab it and either keep the old one or sell it off usually at a loss. However usually that new reel may be missing one of the previously desirable features so back to square one. You now have a new reel that has most of the features you want but not all, and so you aren't completely satisfied and you keep looking. Hence the sales cycle continues! It's a very hard purchasing cycle to break!

Fishing gear is designed to catch people, shiny with lots of bling and the fish are a secondary consideration, fish don't buy tackle ... people do! Take lures for example how many thousands of different lures are out there in a big store, all slightly different of course. Fish will take a lure if it triggers something in them to act instinctively and attack it.  Mackerel spoons are a time proven lure that has taken countless  fish, a basic form and shiny which appeals to that species. It works well but there countless new lures in all shapes and sizes which claim to do better, but do they? Welcome to the world of marketing! Incidentally have you noticed the price of fishing lures going up and up and with the amount of lure losses, fishing with lures is becoming a very expensive exercise!

[Junky]

I'm with DB and Ed. 

It's to catch the humans. Same with all those lures on the walls in shops. All those priddy colors. 

 

I ride dirtbikes and for several years after a new model is released they only change the stickers and color of plastics and call it the "new model", which they can but there could be over 2k in price difference for a set of stickers and a current year compliance plate over the last years run out model. 

Same bike genetically, cosmetically slightly different.

 

Marketing is a very hypnotic tool. 

Thankfully I am immune to its effects and break the item down to the nitty gritty before I decide to pull the trigger on it.

Sales people don't like me, that's okay because I like them. I like them to do their job. They're interesting people, especially boat salesman that aren't boaties themselves. 

 

 

 

 

[Do$tylz]

and if you think the AU line up of reels for Daiwa is too much - you should have a a look at their japanese catalogues. Same for Shimano.

Gotta keep releasing new models to stay at the top of the game - or at least look like you are still staying on top of the game. Some of the new models will get new stuff that actually makes a difference, others not.

[Ed.]

I would ideally love for Penn to make a magged version of the FTH15LD2 and FTH25LD2, (or even the Shimano Speedmaster in the 12 and 16 size,) they have decent lever drags, 2 speed, compact, hold reasonable amounts of braided line and have thrust bearings, am I going to find one, probably not in this decade! Although I am not sure if the Speedmasters have thrust bearings though!

I have an Okuma SLR -10CS  which is a magged lever drag reel but no thrust bearings,  newer model is the SLX-10CS, they have added  two thrust bearings, still has a lever drag,  but no magnetic spool control. Bloody annoying, as I said before, they give you one feature and remove another. I even sent Okuma a message to see if the left side plate with the Mag control will fit the earlier model but have not had a reply. I didn't think that they would reply but I was hoping. 

[Brodie_S]

Makes a lot sense now thanks 

[Ed.]

I am surprised, I actually got a reply back from Okuma regarding why they removed the Mag control from the Solterra SLX- CS reels and if the 2 models SLR-10CS and the SLX-10CS had interchangeble side plates, didn't think they would but doesn't hurt to ask.

Their reply was:

"Thanks for your message.

The left side plate of the SLR-10CS can’t be fit with SLX-10CS due to different structure.

Purpose for using magnetic cast control and thrust bearings is different, our products are normally designed based on comments from opinion leaders all over the world. "

My reply was basically that model now is no different to any of the other lever drag reels on the market that have thrust bearings and does not have any other features that would entice anyone to purchase it over any other brand. I mentioned the Penn fathoms and also that they also come out in two speeds as well. They also have an ally body and are also cheaper. I suggested that maybe Okuma should seek out better "opinion leaders" as there is nothing to differentiate this model reel anymore. Castable lever drag reels are not that common and they have now lost the only advantage that model reel had.

Too much maybe? Just my opinion only!