Ninja doubts

[Keith M]

If the Lagalis comes with a spare spool, and you can also get spool reducers for it so that you don’t have to load hundreds of yards backing line onto it when you want to load finer lines; and it’s spool diameter is not too small then I might have a closer look at the Legalis.

Keith

 

[Philip]

I didnt look in super detail Keith but I think the answer is unfortunately no to both (although someone out there may know better).

If I get time tomorrow I may go for a closer look. If I make it I'll let you know.

 

[mikexx]

It’s rather interesting how this thread has developed from what was an opinion on a specific reel, into a wider discussion on the various merits of rival manufacturer/s.People are asked their opinions on one product, but inevitably alternative options enter the discussion.After observing identical reactions in other interests, or hobbies, I’ve come to believe it’s a healthy and positive direction rather than a negative one to adopt. Given the rivalry between Daiwa and Shimano users on these forums it was always likely to happen, whichever of the two offering the OP was enquiring about. The fact that others are prepared to become involved to the level they have in this specific topic really says a great deal about their enthusiasm for both the sport and their chosen brand of choice.I have products from both manufacturers, and my experiences using them has been positive in both cases. Whilst using TDMs for a while, I recently purchases the Shimano Stradic ci4+ 4000, principle for the weight saving it offered, and overall, I have been delighted with it. The anti reverse issue that was discussed heavily in recent times has not presented me with any problems so far, and it’s nice to use something different to my usual stuff.Rather than finding huge areas of discontent with either brand, it’s normally only small niggles that bother me.

Going back to people’s chosen manufacturers is always a great source of discussion and often fun, so long as the usual rules apply. I’ve experienced it in photography between Nikon and Canon, between Honda and Yamaha with Motorcycles, and loads of other stuff. Probably the most hilarious to me now looking back over the years, was when I played badminton. What you might say was there to argue about in badminton? Well, all was well until someone( I think it may have been Yonex) introduced the metal raquet, where previously only wood was available. Almost divided the team on one occasion such was the disagreement. That one ran and ran, so I suppose it’s inevitable really that choices will always be discussed whatever the offering.

Hopefully the OP will have gleaned some useful advice from the discussions, and may have made their mind up on which direction to take.Above all, it’s great that we have these choices, and that the manufacturers give us options- long may it continue.
All the best.
Mike.

 

[mikench]

Keith I know nothing about the legalis save that the 4012 at least has a spare spool but no reducers. I would imagine the 3012 will be the same!

 

[Philip]

Hopefully the OP will have gleaned some useful advice from the discussions, and may have made their mind up on which direction to take.Above all, it’s great that we have these choices, and that the manufacturers give us options- long may it continue.
All the best.
Mike.

I liked you post allot Mike. Being the OP this thread has made my mind up on one thing - I wont be getting a Ninja. When I started the thread I fully expected to be told that I was wrong to have any doubts about it given all the good feedback its had. however to my surprise the responses have been allot more "realistic" if I can put it like that, than I expected. People are basically saying its a good reel for the money but there are better out there.

As easy option is to pay for a top end model, you are unlikely to be disappointed but one of the things I quite enjoy is trying to find products that have gone under the radar, the hidden gems as it where. Of course there will always be a subjective element as well...not everyone will have the same taste.

 

[Philip]

If the Lagalis comes with a spare spool, and you can also get spool reducers for it so that you don’t have to load hundreds of yards backing line onto it when you want to load finer lines; and it’s spool diameter is not too small then I might have a closer look at the Legalis. Keith

I made it to the shop today and took a closer look at the 3 models that interested me..the Ninja, Revros and Legalis in the small size. The bad news is they all came with just the reel i.e no spare spool or spool reducers in the box.

They say a picture paints a thousand words so for anyone interested here are the spools of the 3 reels side by side. Clearly the Ninja has the deepest spool, the Legalis is less so while the Revros has a shallow match type spool. The difference in price between the most expensive Legalis and the least expensive Ninja is is about £14. I must say the more I see it the more I like the Revros of the 3 but the lack of spare spool puts me off.

Revros on left, Legalis center, Ninja right…

 

[108831]

Don't know why,but my 3012a has two aluminium spools,I've used it today and had eight bream to 6lbs on the feeder,I must be easily pleased...thing is I know I'm not.

 

[Ray Roberts]

I made it to the shop today and took a closer look at the 3 models that interested me..the Ninja, Revros and Legalis in the small size. The bad news is they all came with just the reel i.e no spare spool or spool reducers in the box.

They say a picture paints a thousand words so for anyone interested here are the spools of the 3 reels side by side. Clearly the Ninja has the deepest spool, the Legalis is less so while the Revros has a shallow match type spool. The difference in price between the most expensive Legalis and the least expensive Ninja is is about £14. I must say the more I see it the more I like the Revros of the 3 but the lack of spare spool puts me off.

Revros on left, Legalis center, Ninja right…

It would be worth checking out the price of spare spools. I bought a pair of Baby Shimano bait runners 2500 size and the spare spools are £36 each, ouch.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[108831]

It would be worth checking out the price of spare spools. I bought a pair of Baby Shimano bait runners 2500 size and the spare spools are £36 each, ouch.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

For Christ's sake Ray,that's mega...

I was looking at fleabay and spare spools for my 3012 ninja are £26 I believe,an awful lot of money,more than half the price of the reel in fact,daylight robbery really,especially when you think you get two spools when you buy the reel,crikey,you actually get a reel too...

 

[108831]

I made it to the shop today and took a closer look at the 3 models that interested me..the Ninja, Revros and Legalis in the small size. The bad news is they all came with just the reel i.e no spare spool or spool reducers in the box.

They say a picture paints a thousand words so for anyone interested here are the spools of the 3 reels side by side. Clearly the Ninja has the deepest spool, the Legalis is less so while the Revros has a shallow match type spool. The difference in price between the most expensive Legalis and the least expensive Ninja is is about £14. I must say the more I see it the more I like the Revros of the 3 but the lack of spare spool puts me off.

Revros on left, Legalis center, Ninja right…

Philip,am I reading the above correctly,the ninja costs £14,or is it £14 cheaper,to be fair either way we can't expect much for that money,I'm not sure,but I think you can buy them with two spools,the one spool version is there for a starter reel option I beleve,I wish I could have had a ninja rather than my old black prince I started with...

 

[108831]

Just to add,all tackle choice is personal preference,budget etc,in my opinion,reels are one of the least important things to spend money on,they will wear,no matter how much you spend,so line lay,smoothness of drag,bail and general free running is most important,I expect ten years plus,which in the throw away age we live in means new reels,if Philip sends me his mobile number I will text him a picture of the line lay,this is with backing,but no matter what we choose what we choose....

 

[Philip]

Alan, currently the Ninja costs @ £35 , the Revros £43 and the Legalis £49 ...so none are expensive top end reels.

You may be right about being able to get one or two spool versions...I opened the boxes in the shop and all 3 there at least where single spools which irritated me allot as I would have thought at least one spare spool should come with any reel, even a starter.

Anyway as I mentioned before, one things for sure...if I do get one it wont be the Ninja as the other 2 are better in my opinion I was just surprised it seems to be the Ninja that has got all the plaudits. I should add the Ninja price is an offer at the moment so its usual price is even closer to the other two which makes it even more surprising its the star.

The easy option would be to just buy a top end reel and I am unlikely to be disappointed but part of the interest for me is to try and find models that are less well known that may have gone under the radar, I dont really need another reel so its more of an impulse thing and a discussion I thought might be interesting for the forum.

Worth noting the guy in the shop was singing the praises of the Legalis.

 

[108831]

My old black prince only had one spool,my,ninja retails at around 50 quid,with two ali spools,still at the low end expense wise.

As for the guy in the tackle shop,buy what you like the feel of,I don't trust tackle dealers,as many don't know any more than you,plus he doesn't know(or understand in many cases)what you are looking for. Many years ago now I was looking at Harrison barbel rods in Leslies,one of the assistants behind the counter( not Ian or Kevin)came out and was telling me the greys was a better for and that Harrisons were rubbish,it turned out he had caught about a hundred barbel on the Ouse,now I know what sort of barbel for i want and it wasn't a greys,which in my opinion are tip heavy,unbalanced and just don't feel right in my hand action wise,yes I could catch barbel on them,but they weren't what I wanted,in fact I had better rods than them at home,Ian came over to him and asked the guy to leave me alone because I knew exactly what I was looking for and why I was looking for it,in fact the three Harrison barbel rods they had weren't what I wanted and it wasn't until around three years later I found one in Davis's in Christchurch.

 

[steve2]

What you have to remember is that person behind the till is a salesman it's their job to make sure you don't leave without buying something. A good salesman can convince you that black is white.

 

[103841]

I’m pleased to say the owner of my local tackle shop isn’t like that at all, I like to think his repeat custom comes through his honesty and integrity, he wouldn’t make a good car salesman though!

 

[108831]

But has he exactly the same tackle as you,doubtful,everyone has different opinions on what is good and what is bad,as is seen on here...Alex fishes with scrappy old mitchells(lol),but you would struggle to catch more fish than him on the river,quality reels or not,just because as I said earlier 'it's what's between your ears that counts' lol.

 

[Philip]

I am aware of the relative pit falls of following tackle dealer advice...although to be fair the guy was not on a hard sell.

One thing I have decided is that the Ninja is not for me as I believe I can get better in the same price bracket so the thread has helped me to not be swayed by the wave of popular opinion about it at the moment.

 

[sam vimes]

Opinions on tackle often mean very little unless you know that the preferences of those giving them align fairly closely with your own. Plenty of people don't have wide enough experience of certain items to give sound advice. Let's face it, we all know anglers that own a single float rod. They've owned it for thirty years and have no intention of replacing it. There's nothing wrong with that, but when they claim it's the best rod ever, yet they've not even picked up an alternative option in thirty years, their opinion borders on worthless (unless you happen to feel similarly enthusiastic about that particular rod).

 

[Philip]

Yes thats the thing....my own feeling was that there was better about than the Ninja, however the only thing that kept me going back was the endless good press it seems to be getting on here and elsewhere so I kept thinking ...am I missing something ?

However the thread did not go the way I thought...as I mentioned earlier I thought people would just say it was brilliant. However thats not the case and the opinion has been more "realistic" than I expected if I can put it like that so I am now confident I have not missed something and there is better about...in my opinion of course...it will always be subjective.

Dont get me wrong, I am not saying the Ninja is a bad reel..far from it but what i would say is for anyone considering a Ninja take a good look around at the others in the same price bracket for example the Revros if you can find it first then decide.

 

[108831]

It's funny,there isn't a reel that I couldn't afford,even now I've retired,would I buy one,certainly not,because I thinks it's wasted money,good rods are more important imv,still open to your own opinion of what's good,that doesn't get away from the fact that my reels have to be decent,ones that I think are more than good enough to do the work I have lined up for them,I have all my years of experience to fall back on to tell me this as most people on site would,for themselves,that's why when I bought the cadence match rod it was a gamble,silvers(Alex)apologised in case I didn't like it,Rob48 offered his findings,so I took a punt,I did have the parachute of Mark Robbins saying I could swap it for another model of get a refund,as it turned out I'm well pleased with it and wouldn't hesitate to give the nod to someone else if asked my opinion,as I have with the ninja,whatever happens it's not what we think,it's what the person buying it thinks,simples...