KastKing Zephyr Carbon Spinning Reel 10 +1 Stainless Steel Bearings Up to 22Lbs Carbon Drag Freshwater Saltwater Fishing Reel - Braid Line Ready Aluminum Spool

For what I paid, this real is just awesome. Having used it for a few months in fresh water, and catching fish as heavy as 18 lb. Carp(!), Drag is smooth. It's as fast as advertised. Has a quality feel. Dropped in a river, rinsed, still works wonderful. Thousands of casts on it, hundreds of fish, I rinse under a faucet after each use and sometimes use Reel Magic spray on the line and on the reel itself. Then wipe dry, has a few scratches but still feels new.

Just got it about ten days agoLight , very smooth appears to be a quality product. Haven’t really used it yet

I've used Penn reels all my life and I was disappointed when Penn went cheap and stopped making the 4300 and then 430ss. I still bought Penn, and recently looked at the kast king for the value and reviews. I've used mine in saltwater twice and I must say, it's light and smooth. I hope it stays like that with further use. The drag is also smooth and I like the 5.2:1 ration. I like slowing down my topwater retrieval and spoon retrieval. If you throw artificial, and like me, refuse to use a bait caster, this reel is worth the try. I bought a second one at $65 and first at $85, so I got both for the price of one of my Penn conflict. I'm sticking with kast king over Penn and if they last a couple of years, I'll just buy another one at the price point. I feel like I don't want this reel to be popular as shimano so as to keep price down. But I'm just being stingy.

I opened up this box and initially thought the reel felt nice and light. The reel seems to be made of a graphite (plasticky) material which is fine. Although listed as "ok" for salt water, please understand that this reel is the furthest thing from sealed, so do not get it wetter than necessary if fishing off a beach.The problem with this lure is that the handle assembly shaft has been milled too small in terms of the opening in the main gear. I ordered two of these and both of them have a ton of play in the handle. Almost a scant 1/8 of an inch in every direction. No amount of tightening the handle cap screw will take the play out.In addition, one reel I received was missing packaging and had obviously been a return. Someone else discovered the same problem and sent it back. Given that BOTH reels have the identical problem, I am guessing this is a manufacturing/quality control issue.For those of you who are raving about this reel in the review section, please take the handle assembly and try and move it perpendicular to its axis.... No reel should have that much play in the handle. Either everyone writing reviews here either got a good reel (and I got a crap one), or you all don't know what a good fishing reel feels like.I may be spoiled because I ordered these reels as a throwaway because I am visiting family on the West Coast. Just wanted a cheap reel for the two weeks I am out here. (I didn't want to bring fishing rods/reels on a plane). I usually spend a lot more money on a reel, but other cheap reels I have used have not had this obvious of a problem. In fact I have a cheap KastKing Megatron for fishing in the salty Hudson River which is perfectly fine.AVOID THIS REEL until KastKing fixes the issue.

Reel looks good . Light . Must remove one washer No.46 to have line even sit on reel. With wahser front of reel was empty and bach overloaded.One complaint to seller for sending open box reel for regular price. Nothing missing in box , reel looks not used, but not accurate packed inside, someone's hair inside. I tested reel couple days on water ,working ok, so decided do not to send for exchange.

Big Bang for the buck. Sold all my high end spinning reels and am 100% Kast King.

I didn't dislike anything. I have used this reel for everything I like to catch and it performed flawlessly. Smooth operation and with 22 lbs of drag to play with larger fish is just plain fun.

Quiet and smooth wheel. I use the 4000 version and paired with Royal Charge 7ft F MH rod.