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| Came across this on another site
[IMG]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c164/jefffrizzle2001/andnuv_zps0698cbb7.png[/IMG] |
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Posts: 311
Location: Lake St.Clair | Been thinking about getting one of those in 7:1:1 the 300 model of course or a toro nacl 51 hmmm. Maybe ill wait for this ! |
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Posts: 58
| 
this is what i was trying to do |
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Posts: 51
| wow, our voices have been heard, "possibility" of a strong left hand reel, thank you Daiwa !!!!!
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Posts: 120
| Specs are now up on Daiwa website for this reel... looks VERY promising! Look out tranx! |
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Posts: 58
| Can you post the link? I don't see it |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | ToothTamer - 7/3/2013 1:57 AM
Been thinking about getting one of those in 7:1:1 the 300 model of course or a toro nacl 51 hmmm. Maybe ill wait for this !
go with the Toro NaCL 51 |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | Guest - 7/6/2013 11:35 AM
look better than the tranx,just because they make it on the good side,will be a solid reel with a honest pricing
It looks like a solid reel, hope they use a bearing for the Pinion support instead of a plastic bushing which is on the Lexa 300. Can U compare it to a Tranx, NO !! |
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Posts: 311
Location: Lake St.Clair | PIKEMASTER - 7/6/2013 2:06 PM
ToothTamer - 7/3/2013 1:57 AM
Been thinking about getting one of those in 7:1:1 the 300 model of course or a toro nacl 51 hmmm. Maybe ill wait for this !
go with the Toro NaCL 51
I ended up ordering the NaCL 51 got it 15% off so figured why not spend a extra 60 $ |
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Posts: 47
Location: Québec, Canada | TJones - 7/6/2013 9:18 AM
Specs are now up on Daiwa website for this reel... looks VERY promising! Look out tranx!
I looked at the website Daiwa and I did not find any information for lexa 400.
Could you give us the links? |
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Posts: 120
| No Problem for some reason I just had some trouble finding it as well. Hope this works...
http://dev.daiwa.com/reel/detail.aspx?id=632 |
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Posts: 120
| link appears to be working... check it out, looks to be a sick reel for a decent price.
Not sure why you can't compare it to a Tranx... Purely from the specs, it appears to be similar... Probably just a tad smaller. Price is a good bit less, so it's probably not as overbuilt as a Tranx. For someone on a budget who wants "Tranx-like" performance this reel might turn out to be a decent option.
It does appear to have a balanced power handle that is nice, imo. |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I'll take PIKEMASTER'S opinion. He knows reels. |
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Posts: 469
Location: MN | Lexa 400 has left-handed option and the price looks reasonable enough to try.
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Posts: 58
| Looks like they don't have the 400 in a 5.1:1 ratio in left hand. Only the 300. Daiwa dropped the ball on that |
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Posts: 51
| I won't be getting it if it does have a plastic bushing for pinion support, I would listen to PIKEMASTER, he knows his reels.
I've researched extensively for the last few days, this is the main issue with the Lexa 300. |
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Posts: 120
| Boss - 7/7/2013 1:53 AM
Looks like they don't have the 400 in a 5.1:1 ratio in left hand. Only the 300. Daiwa dropped the ball on that
I noticed that also... Hope its a typo and they just forgot to add it to the site. If not, yeah, that is a bummer for sure! |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | ICAST is this week so hang tight till then. Looks like a solid reel for the $$$ but it ain't no TRANX. I have had alot of the Lexa 300 reels apart and Tranx so I can tell U first hand. I like the 5.1:1 gears with the 120mm long handle this reel will make a good DCG reel for the Avg Joe - Weekend Warrior. |
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| I'm definitely getting one as soon as they come out. Might even pre-order. I'm tired of putting up with my Avets.
Is the Lexa power handle available for purchase separately? I would like to get the 6.3, but with the power handle. |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | Tfoot - 7/13/2013 4:29 PM
I'm definitely getting one as soon as they come out. Might even pre-order. I'm tired of putting up with my Avets.
Is the Lexa power handle available for purchase separately? I would like to get the 6.3, but with the power handle.
I sure they come with a double or a power handle in a lefty in 6.3:1
the power handle should be for sale thur the Daiwa parts but not till next year before U will be able to get one. I think the Fall of this year or early next year they are coming out. |
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Posts: 120
| I think I will be picking up one of the 6.3 also... The paddle handle looks pretty long, so might not even need a power handle for it. Either way, I bet a power handle from Saltist would fit nicely, If u need one before part become available. Just a guess don't know for sure. |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | muskinja - 7/14/2013 2:53 AM
PIKEMASTER - 7/6/2013 2:19 PM
Guest - 7/6/2013 11:35 AM
look better than the tranx,just because they make it on the good side,will be a solid reel with a honest pricing
It looks like a solid reel, hope they use a bearing for the Pinion support instead of a plastic bushing which is on the Lexa 300. Can U compare it to a Tranx, NO !!
how can you tell it can't be compared with a tranx especially when all the 400 specs are not available?
you know sometimes daiwa can release a better and less expansive reel than shimano for a simple facts they they don't spend millions of advertise of all kind,judging by the shimano exposures it must be at least twice the amount spent by daiwa
I have had over 50 Tranx reels and 25 Lexa 300 reels apart to do Super Tuning have U ??????
The new 400 Looks like a great reel for the $$$ I will wait till I get one in hand which should be next month. Just because it's not built like a Tranx don't mean it's not a good reel, just not built like the TRANX which is built like a super tanker of a reel. I don't care what's the name is on a reel, but how it is built and the technology that goes into it. The Tranx has a X Ship Frame, Dual Anti- Rev Pals, massive over sized Drive Shaft, HEG gearing, SF which is a Over Sized Bearing supported Pinion Gear, The Tranx is a 20oz reel, the 400 Lexa 14oz.
Would you compare a 300 Lexa to a Shimano Calcutta 300-400D sure, is the Lexa built like a Shimano Calcutta 300-400D NO !!!!! 300 Lexa is a great reel for the $$$ |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | Admin:
Sorry, PIKEMASTER, you already know who this 'guy' is, read his posts and you'll figure it out. I can post an image and contact info for anyone he's been giving trouble.
for someone who just joined the forum U really know how to make friends. |
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Posts: 426
Location: Perryville, MO | Wow...I'm a lefty too but wishful thinking doesn't make it so. BTW A Tranx is listed as a 500 if I'm not mistaken. Seriously beefed up parts, as was clearly stated. This reel may be sweet, but its safe to say PM is right when he says its not a "lefty Tranx." |
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Posts: 456
Location: Kansas City BBQ Capitol of the world | So this reel will go head to head with a Carado?
Ron |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | rjhyland - 7/14/2013 7:25 PM
So this reel will go head to head with a Carado?
Ron
I hope the 400 Lexa has a Non Disengaging level wind system like what is on the Toro reels and the older TE reels, if it don't, well strike one. The Lexa 400 is a BIG reel like the Tranx in size, if U must compare it, let's say a big boy Toro. |
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Posts: 283
| Has anybody found out if it has the plastic bushing pinion support? |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | In my experience the pinion gear itself is more likely to wear than the plastic bushing.
The 400 is big like the Tranx but not nearly as heavy. Got to play around with one a little. Very nice. Like Pikemaster said it isn't a tranx, in between the Tranx and the Revo, IMO. |
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| Flambeauski - 9/20/2013 9:57 AM
In my experience the pinion gear itself is more likely to wear than the plastic bushing.
Is this based on pulling in heavy blades? Wondering on durability for jerkbaits and fast slack line pick-up. |
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Posts: 218
| I had an opportunity to field test one of the 400's (7.1:1 version) along with one of Daiwa's new rod series a couple weeks ago. I was asked to give a review on another forum. Here are my non techy, non scientific findings. Remember this is just my OPINION based on a few hours on the water with the equipment with a variety of lures.
It would be unfair to give a review of the reel without including the rod that was also supplied. So here's what they gave me to try Daiwa Lexa 400HS that was freshly loaded with 100 lb. Suffix Performance braid. This reel has 7.1:1 gear ratio with a line pickup of 37.7 inches per handle crank. It is supplied with a double paddle handle and there is power handle model available. Fans of "left hand" reels will be happy to know that lefty versions will also be available. The rod is the Daiwa DXM 86THFB. This is an 8'6" telescoping rod that has a full cork grip. The rod is rated for 2-8 oz. lures.
In my opinion the rod is way overrated and should carry a lure rating more in the 1-4 oz. range. Therein lies the dilemma. I started out by throwing a Mag Dawg. Mags typically weigh in at about 8 oz. so I thought I'd start there. The rod was way underpowered to throw a Mag Dawg and I was afraid that I might snap the rod on the cast. However, the reel did an admirable job at picking up line as I did a fairly typical sweep and reel type retrieve. This seems to be an excellent application for this reel. After only half a dozen casts or so I was satisfied that the reel would be just fine for Mag Dawgs and most likely Pounders and other heavy lures when applying this type of retrieve. After the Dawg I tried a Double Cowgirl. Again the rod showed the limitations of this pair as a combo. I was able to cast with a bit more confidence however the softness of the rod probably shortened the distance I would typically get from a rod with a little more "beef" to it. The retrieve however was an issue and I found the rod flexing nearly halfway back to the butt unless the rod was pointed directly at the lure and figure eights were difficult to execute effectively. The reel did a good job of bringing the lure in at a good rate of speed but I have to admit that after a few casts I was already starting to feel stress in my upper arm. I freely admit to being an "old guy" and not in the best shape however I also play drums on a semi-pro basis and have quite good upper arm strength so "feeling the burn" was not a good sign for me. I think this would have been less of an issue if the rod was not fighting me quite so much. A better matched rod would have probably reduced some of that fatigue. Regardless of that the reel did function properly and for those who are willing to put up with the additional strain of a high speed reel I suspect the reel will hold up. Since I was not having the kind of results I had hoped for with those heavier lures I tried to downsize a bit to see if I could find a good compromise. Next up was a 6" weighted Reef Hawg. Finally I found a lure that would cast pretty well with the rod/reel combo. Distance was good accuracy fine so no complaints on that end. I find that the 7.1:1 ratio is a tad faster than I like for operating glider style baits and it would definitely take me a little time to establish a good rhythm with that reel. It was actually taking up line faster than I wanted to. I did not try a dive-rise style lure like a Suick but I think it could be an excellent choice for that style bait. After the Reef Hawg I decided to see just how light of a lure I could go with and still have an acceptable result. My next choice was a Ruff Tackle Rad Dog. Overall weight of a standard Rad Dog with single blade is 1.6 oz. My results with this lure were disappointing. Casting distance with a light lure like this went down radically. The rod itself seemed better suited to this weight rating but now the reel seemed to be a factor. The Lexa has a disengaging levelwind system. While I don't find this to be a problem with heavier lures or on reels with narrow spools I think the combination of a lighter lure with a disengaged level wind on a wider spool severely limited my casting distance. I found myself positioning my boat much closer to my targets than I would normally like to get. I'm not a guy who bomb casts all the time but the limitations of this setup caused me to try to force my casts and resulted in a couple backlashes. To be fair I left the reel at factory settings and only adjusted using the main spool brake control. Perhaps a little extra tweaking of the internal system would have afforded me a little more distance but I can't believe it would completely solve the issue.
As an overall impression I would have to say that as "stand alone" products both the rod and reel were quite nice. Fit, finish, ease of operation, placement of line guides, etc. were all fine. As for the rod. I would suggest that it should be rated as more of a medium heavy/moderate action instead of the manufacturers heavy rating. I believe it would be best suited for things like standard bucktails, topwater, and small to medium size crankbaits. I would like to give the reel another shot but paired up with a rod better suited to some of the baits I suspect users will want to throw with this product. My suggestion would be to use it with heavier soft plastics or other lures where you are applying movement/action by the rod and using the reel to quickly retrieve slack line. The reel operates very smoothly as Daiwa fans are accustomed to but like most other reels on the market this is a tool that has a specific job in mind. It does it well but it will not be the holy grail that does everything well for everyone. Daiwa will also be providing the 400 size reel in a 6.3:1 (33.4" line pickup) and a 5.1:1 (27.1" line pickup) versions. I'll be interested to try those as well to see if maybe one of those models serves as a happy medium. Several other guys will be testing this rig in the next few days and I will let you know if there are additional comments that add to or contradict my findings. Hope you found this helpful. |
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| Thanks you! for this review
"The Lexa has a disengaging levelwind" this is a huge disapointment, had hoped not . Pikemaster suggested otherwise (above inthis thread) but that was a while ago and maybe they changed it. Even on the 400D the disengage levelwind robs distance and smoothness when casting when the guide is over to either edge of the spool. I've read that this is less of a problem with a slick braid in the 65# range. But this isn't any kind of solution since 65# line is a liability for most musky applications, special big plastic and jerks.
Otherwise, sounds promising. |
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Posts: 283
| Thanks for the review! I have a few questions if you don't mind....
I am concerned with the size and doubt anywhere around me will have them in stock to handle when they come out, does it still feel like a low profile reel or is it bulky like a round reel?
In regards to the bucktail, do you think the power handle would've made a big difference in the fatigue?
Glider, do you think if you train yourself you would be able to slow down the retrieve to where you want or is it way too fast for that type of bait?
I generally throw 3 baits: glider (hellhound), dive and rise (sledge), and bucktails (mostly 8's, 10's at night/slow in the fall). I feel the line pickup will help get the 8's back to the boat at a speed I like as well as help with the dive and rise. The reel I have now has a pickup of 27" and I feel I am trying way to hard to pick up the slack.
Do you think the 6.3:1 would be a better match to what I am looking for? I should mention you can count the number of times I get out a season on two hands, sometimes one.
Thanks! |
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Posts: 218
| Size is somewhere in between a more conventional low profile like the Abu Revos, Shimano Curado etc. and the Tranx. I've got pretty good sized paws so size wasn't a huge issue to me. I suspect if you've palmed a round reel before this won't bother you much.
Power handle might have made a slight difference in fatigue to me but frankly I don't think much. The standard paddle handle has a good sized grip that felt very comfortable. I just think that 7.1:1 ratio is a bit too much for the double 10's. I had a Calcutta 400 TE in the boat with me and was able to bring in the Cowgirl just as fast with that by cranking a bit faster. Truthfully I prefer to crank faster with less resistance than to crank slower with more resistance if that makes any sense.
Could I train myself to use the 7.1 to throw gliders? Yes probably but it would involve some time to really slow down my rhythm. It would be a learning curve that I'm probably not willing to do when I've got a whole locker full of reels that I'm very comfortable with for my gliders.
Of the baits you mention I think your biggest benefit will be with the Sledge since they are so buoyant. It will allow you to get that lure moving and pulling it faster to get the dive and rise.
Your last statement is probably the most important one. In my opinion reels just like any other tackle are nothing more than tools. Most of the reels on the market are designed fairly well although there are pluses and minuses to various designs. Reels in the mid range of gearing/line pickup are without a doubt the most versatile. When you get to either side of that, either fast or slow then you are looking at a tool for a specific purpose. It will do that job well but you can't expect it to do everything well. Think of it like this, if you were to go out and play a round of golf with only one club in your bag would you choose a putter or a driver? My logic is: neither. I'd take something like a 5 iron that I could use with reasonable expectations of moving the ball down the course. Now nobody plays golf with one club. Most fishermen in this day and age don't go out with only one rig either. So if you have the funds to outfit yourself with a fast, slow, and medium rig then by all means go for it. If you can only do two I'd suggest a medium and most likely a fast/high speed combination. If you can only afford one or your time on the water dictates that more than one rig is not practical then a medium setup is going to give you more bang for the buck. I think this reel falls in the category of a specialized reel that does one thing. It does it well but it is not going to be the outfit that I throw all day long by any stretch of the imagination unless I'm just using it for one lure type and sticking with that game plan. To answer your question yes, I think the 6.3:1 is probably going to give you more service than the 7.1:1. |
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Posts: 1224
Location: Okoboji | the 7:1 would be rad for dive n rise |
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Posts: 218
| Yes, dive and rise and for lures that you would do a rod sweep and pickup slack. I do this for some crankbaits and certainly stuff like Hardheads, Dawgs, Martins, etc. |
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| Purely in terms of the reel: you mention the issue of castablity re. levelwind. Sounds problematic for baits <2 oz and not a problem for the really big stuff. I'm interested for 10/12" suicks -- these might be somewhat equivalent to the 8" reef hawg you threw. How did the non-disengaging levelwind seem to affect casting mid-range like the reef hawg?
BWT, thanks for including the info on line used.
In terms of the rod -- I've used this rod a little bit and my opinion completely agree that it is way over-rated lure weight. Throws the small stuff nicely, and retrieves low-resistance baits fine. |
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Posts: 218
| It was fair for distance but not great. |
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New Daiwa Lexa 400