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Posts: 72
| Can't believe it. Bought a 300 tranx after trying cheaper reels. Never thrown one. Very opened mind as I've used and owned just about every brand made. This thing is unreal. Super smooth and casts so well. I even started casting with my left arm today as I have terrible tennis elbow in my right. Not a single issue. NOW I UNDERSTAND why so many here talk about how much better this reel is than others!!!! |
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Posts: 2334
Location: Chisholm, MN |  |
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Posts: 32892
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | We put a couple 400s into service, same results. |
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| I am looking at getting a left handed Tranx 401 high gear and it looking at them online, was a little perplexed why the lower gear model has a double paddle handle and the higher gear has the power handle. I like power handles because I have some arthritis in both hands, but just thought that was a little different than what I have seen in other reels.
Nice to see the positive reviews. |
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Posts: 866
Location: NE Ohio | North of 8 - 5/3/2020 11:47 AM
I am looking at getting a left handed Tranx 401 high gear and it looking at them online, was a little perplexed why the lower gear model has a double paddle handle and the higher gear has the power handle. I like power handles because I have some arthritis in both hands, but just thought that was a little different than what I have seen in other reels.
Nice to see the positive reviews.
i run power handles on my lower geared 400 tranx and its awesome. fear not switching out handles! |
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Posts: 224
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota | I also have a power handle on my low gear 300 that I use on a heavy swimbait rod for pike fishing and really little musky stuff and I love how it feels. I never throw big blades on it but it makes the spinnerbaits and buck tails up to single 8’s feel like there is no resistance at all. I prefer the paddle handle if I am fishing something like a glide bait or jerkbait, and for those I would rather have a HG anyway. I always thought that it was a little backwards that they put the paddle on the low gear and the power on the HG. The paddle is still pretty big though so it still gives you a lot of cranking power. Tranx are the best reels on the market in my opinion. I still love the Calcutta D I have but you can’t bear a tranx for comfort. |
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Posts: 1100
| Love the Tranx, just got my 7th last week :D wohoo finally added a 500PG to the family |
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Posts: 94
| Lots of love for the Tranx on this board. I am in need of a couple of new reels in the coming year or two and have never used a Tranx. Specifically, what do you guys like about the Tranx as compared to the Revo, Diawa or anything else?
Thank you. |
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Posts: 762
| R/t, fair question. Kdawg |
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Posts: 185
| North of 8 - 5/3/2020 10:47 AM
I am looking at getting a left handed Tranx 401 high gear and it looking at them online, was a little perplexed why the lower gear model has a double paddle handle and the higher gear has the power handle. I like power handles because I have some arthritis in both hands, but just thought that was a little different than what I have seen in other reels.
Nice to see the positive reviews.
They give you the handle opposite of what 90% of people want on each model. Seems to be the only problem with them. |
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Posts: 2334
Location: Chisholm, MN | R/T - 5/5/2020 8:42 AM
Lots of love for the Tranx on this board. I am in need of a couple of new reels in the coming year or two and have never used a Tranx. Specifically, what do you guys like about the Tranx as compared to the Revo, Diawa or anything else?
Thank you.
They are very smooth compared to any other reel I've used, specifically the 400. The 500 is less smooth, but still better than any other reel based on it's durability, casting and speed.
I've owned the other reels you mentioned and still have a Beast that has lasted many years. It's a great reel, just not as smooth in my opinion.
The prices available for a 400 are better than other reels as well. |
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Posts: 1100
| Guess they give the Power handle to the reel that offers the users the greatest resistance in retrieve, and the paddle the one that offers the least resistance, seems like the most logical thing to do imo. |
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Posts: 422
Location: MN | R/T - 5/5/2020 8:42 AM
Lots of love for the Tranx on this board. I am in need of a couple of new reels in the coming year or two and have never used a Tranx. Specifically, what do you guys like about the Tranx as compared to the Revo, Diawa or anything else?
I want the following things:
- high speed
- tolerable effort & durability cranking big blades
- compact, comfortable palming
The Tranx 300/400 HG provides a combination of those things not accessible elsewhere; I use the 300 HG.
I used to run Abu (Toro & Beast), but I had a number of little things break and leave the reel unusable early in week+ long trips. Also, the only reel they offer with that speed is the Rocket which is quite a bit larger and has a smaller handle radius (higher cranking effort). The Beast has a larger radius jigging handle, but it is unbalanced and heavy enough to engage the reel on the cast.
I've not owned a Lexa, but from what I understand the 300 isn't quite built for pulling 10s. The 400 is much larger than my Tranx 300. Both sizes offer models with speed near the Tranx HG, but their handles are shorter (50/60 mm radius on Lexa 300/400 vs. 70 mm radius on Tranx HG).
The other brands offer similar compromises. 40 IPT + 70 mm handle is kind of a sweet spot - good speed and a handle with enough leverage to make it usable with harder pulling baits. You can get around the handle thing on other reels by going aftermarket, but then you're in for more money, and I don't think any of the reels comparable in size to the Tranx 300 will be as durable on hard pulling baits. If you don't use hard pulling baits, or size isn't that important, or you don't mind adding a handle, the advantage of the Tranx is less.
They aren't bulletproof - they do break - but their design is simple, and in my experience the breaking is more along the lines of something wearing out after a lot of use rather than a small fragile part busting. The power handle also is not completely immune to engaging the reel on the cast, but it's pretty good. They also don't have a clicker. Not the best reel for everybody, but for me it's best compromise currently available. |
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Posts: 185
| @Zinox If I choose the low gear model I'm using it for hard pulling baits which means I want the power handle. I guess you could maybe want the faster handle to make up for the slower ratio, but I'd rather double down on power or speed. Same thing with the higher gear, I would use that for lower resistance baits that I want to crank faster so don't give me the longer power handle that only slows me down instead of the shorter double handle that I can crank faster. |
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Posts: 94
| Kirby, nar160,
Thanks for the response. Might have to try one. |
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Posts: 1144
Location: Minnesota. | R/T - 5/6/2020 4:55 PM
Kirby, nar160,
Thanks for the response. Might have to try one.
Seems to me, from what I've experienced, their responses are right on imho! |
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