Is there a tackle brand you won't use anything made by them?

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

I recently posted about Shakespeare mach 3xt reel and someone (can't recall who) posted that they wont buy anything by Shakespeare.

Well I've got a Shakespeare rod as well that I rate, I've also got a couple of bits of tackle from Dragon Carp and I know many folk don't rate there gear but a few on here have said how good one of their rods is

So which company if any do you avoid

 

[bradp]

Milo - heard some bad things and some good... plus if anything goes wrong with seatbox etc then it takes a while to come back fixed! Never tried any milo gear though saying that! could be very good.

fair few of my friends wont touch preston?? bad experiences with customer service in past i think

 

[Peter Jacobs]

So which company if any do you avoid

MAP

I bought a MAP 20' 'bolognese rod from MAP and broke 3" off of the top section within 10 days of purchase.

MAP could NOT provide a replacement top section even as I was prepared to pay for it.

"Newer model now Sir, different mandril"

So, never bought another MAP item, and never will!

 

[sam vimes]

There's nothing that I make a deliberate decision to avoid. Dismal experiences as a kid with budget Shakespeare kit means I'm very unlikely to buy their stuff. That's exacerbated by the distinct lack of Shakespeare stock/stockists amongst my local tackle shops. I'm happy to concede that it's not an entirely rational thing though.

I'm not inclined to buy at the budget end of the market so the badger, dragon carp end of the market is usually avoided, but not as an absolute.
There was a time that you couldn't have given me a Shimano rod after a less than acceptable experience with one many years ago. That changed a couple of years ago simply because of a sale rack special offer that, after a waggle, seemed too good to turn down. Quite a few more have followed and I'm perfectly happy that they have.

Edit: Another brand has just come to mind. I understand that they have produced some gear that's been pretty good, however, I wouldn't buy TFGear. Everything I've seen has seemed the equal of cheaper gear and not more expensive. For that reason, I'm out.

 

[nicepix]

Airflo - won't touch anything they make. Got stung with an expensive Airflo floating line and their advertising is all hype.

 

[maceo]

Nope couldn't really care less what name is on the kit as long as it suits my purpose.

 

[Alan Tyler]

Are airflo still going? How??? do people really want a fly line that looks like a pair of mating slinkies?

 

[chub_on_the_block]

Winfield, back in the day.

 

[beerweasel]

Anywhere that requires me to send my bank details to Spiders.

 

[Paul Morley]

Daiwa. Never. Can you guess why?

 

[Morespiders]

Daiwa. Never. Can you guess why?

Paul, got some good info for you, you dont recieve mail though?

---------- Post added at 20:19 ---------- Previous post was at 20:16 ----------

Anywhere that requires me to send my bank details to Spiders.

Cannot think why not Weezle, it's people like you that give me a bad name, I'm a member of the most respected foundation in social fishing

 

[terry m]

There's nothing that I make a deliberate decision to avoid. Dismal experiences as a kid with budget Shakespeare kit means I'm very unlikely to buy their stuff. That's exacerbated by the distinct lack of Shakespeare stock/stockists amongst my local tackle shops. I'm happy to concede that it's not an entirely rational thing though.

I'm not inclined to buy at the budget end of the market so the badger, dragon carp end of the market is usually avoided, but not as an absolute.

Edit: Another brand has just come to mind. I understand that they have produced some gear that's been pretty good, however, I wouldn't buy TFGear. Everything I've seen has seemed the equal of cheaper gear and not more expensive. For that reason, I'm out.

Sam, your views on cheap kit echo mine almost perfectly, especially high ticket items such as rods and reels. In life you generally get what you pay for.

Buying cheap is sometimes more expensive in the long run - if you know what I mean. Also good quality kit - though more expensive - is often a greater pleasure to use, so as long as I can afford it I will indulge myself in quality kit.

 

[peter crabtree]

If I look through my tackle I have all sorts. Some manufacturers are good at some items and some aren't.
None are perfect on their entire range....

 

[S-Kippy]

If I look through my tackle I have all sorts. Some manufacturers are good at some items and some aren't.
None are perfect on their entire range....

That's very true....I have quite a few bits of TF Gear luggage but wouldn't touch a TF Gear rod.I like Shaky feeder rods but not their float rods [11' PW excepted] and I prefer Daiwa reels to Shimano but haven't bought a rod by either for 30 years. I use Grey's & Hardy fly rods but Shimano fly reels.I've no brand loyalty at all.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

I won't rule out any manufacturer normally, but there is one whose products that I will definitely not buy, not because they're rubbish, but simply that I can't stand the person behind it and to see it go into administration would please me no end. That's all I will say.

I wasn't too keen on some of Pure Fishing's products until recently when I've seen some of their reels and they're quite good and also saw some of their new extending rods (no, they don't have dolly sections, twist the foregrip and take out another two feet!) the other day that are real eye-openers. Nearly got away with one had not the rep turned around at the last minute.

 

[cg74]

Daiwa. Never. Can you guess why?

Any clues?

 

[agamemnon]

ive had the missfortune of buying some badger tackle in the past and never again as long as i live will badger feature in my tackle. its cheap **** through and through.
as to shakepsear i have 4 2.5lbs quartzlite carp rods and i swear by them. i brought them for £100 each back in the early 90's and couldnt see myself getting rid of them for any thing

 

[alan whittington]

Any clues?

Paul was deeply involved with Daiwa UK i believe Colin,im sure he will correct me if im wrong,but the name rings a bell,i dont know if there was an ignominious ending or not,but reading between the lines.....

 

[mark brailsford 2]

I cringe at the thought of those poor folks in the sweat shops making those cheap and nasty products for a certain ''used tackle dealer from Nottingham'' so I keep well away from that one!
I tend to stick with the old adage ''you get what you pay for'' so I tend to stick with the top brands such as Daiwa, Shimano, and Preston for my rods and reels but I do mix and match other well known brands in to the equation for the rest of my tackle.

 

[paulvjwhite]

daiwa bought a barbel rod from these fraudsters 12 odd years ago first time i used it i became caught in a weed raft rod subsequently snapped in half sent rod via tackle dealer to daiwa scotland they said i had either trod on it or had dropped something on it! would not replace it or offered a refund. have not bought a single daiwa item of tackle since,nor ever will new or second-hand