Hi Folks,

I've been looking at these reels to team up with my X-Flite rods, it's something I'm looking to save for for next season (nothing like planning ahead) to team up with either a Barrio or Rio LT line.

So if you could afford yourself a nice luxury reel for around the £150-200 mark what would be your reel of choice or would go for a Marksman?

Cheers

Simon

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I've been grabbed by the shorb & furleys.

Marksman is 'fine' - perfectly functional and relatively well made (though not all of them - some have the thread on the spare spools cut too short so they don't screw on all the way).

I like mine, but think it's over-priced, and I worry thast sooner or later the bearing will go. If I was buying again, I'd certainly go for a Lamson, probably a Guru.

I have the Marksman #3/4 Simon, and use it a lot, it's been fine, one or two have had bearing replacements, but out of the many thousands sold, I don't think it's a big deal personally.
Don't dunk them in sand or mud etc and if you do rinse them out and dry off, just treat them with respect like you would any good reel.
I am not a big Lamson fan myself, they work well enough but are vastly overpriced IMO and they had drag problems as well, the writing rubs off in no time at all, and the only one worth its money is the Konik, and I have had most of them through my hands.
Vision GT is a great reel, if you want a simple click and pawl, go for the #2/4 same size as a Marksman #3/4, and you should find one for £100 vastly underated reels and rods, grab them before Vision realise and the price shoots up.
Orvis LA1 another great reel for the money, or a Marryat, superb engineering.
Would I buy another Marksman, probably not, but that's no reflection on the reel, just others to choose from as good, for less.
S.

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"A glint of sun has warmed the air,The flies will soon hatch out, To lure and tempt from their deep lair, The bonnie speckled trout." SKB tackle supporter. I love Furled Leaders.

I have been using a Marksman 3/4 for the last 18 months but I wouldn't buy another. It's a real pain removing the spool from the body and if the leader gets lost among the turns of line this is necessary.

Much better to have an easily removable spool.

Hi Guys,

I popped in to Orvis in Harrogate today whilst up there working & funnily enough one of the reels I looked at was the HydrosLA1 & the Access Mid Arbour.

At the moment I'm using X-Flite reels, nothing wrong with them at all, so I guess if it aint broke & all that

Nice to see what other people's reel porn is though

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I've been grabbed by the shorb & furleys.