Slammer 2500

Discussion in 'Fishing Tackle' started by Jenx, Jan 24, 2022.

  1. Jenx

    Jenx
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    Does a 2500 spinning reel need stainless steel gears and 20lbs of drag? Definitely not.

    Do I want to own one? Absolutely.

    I'm a sucker for well built reels, and I just noticed the new series IV Penn Slammers now come in the smaller 2500 size. Not only are the reels sealed, but unlike a typical 2500 size reel, which come with aluminum gears, these new slammers come with either brass or stainless gears depending on the model (the DX series has SS gears).

    Any of you Johnny-deep-pockets out there own one of these yet? If so how does it perform?
     
    #1 Jenx, Jan 24, 2022
  2. William Campbell

    William Campbell
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    Penn reel weighs 11 ounces. Daiwa Tatula LT 2500 weighs 6.7 ounces. I'm about to turn 81 years. That much weight difference matters and its less money.
     
    #2 William Campbell, Jan 24, 2022
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  3. skrilla

    skrilla
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    Apples to oranges. There are plastic reels like Daiwa's Zaion and Shimano's CI4+ that are meant to be lightweight so you can huck lures all day. Then there are all metal body reels to keep from binding under heavy drag pressure. There are trade offs with either one. Pick your poison.

    With fishing becoming more technical these days it gives the angler an opportunity to get more dialed in. If I'm baby sitting a sand crab who cares how much the reel weighs. If I'm hucking a Flash Minnow up and down North County sand then yes a light weight performer will fatigue later than sooner. Right tool for the right job.
     
    #3 skrilla, Jan 24, 2022
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  4. Jenx

    Jenx
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    I can only hope I am still fishing at 81.

    If I am fortunate enough to still be fishing in 40+ years I hope I still own a couple of reels that have been with me for most of that journey. Reels that I have shared a lot of memories with. This is one of the reasons why a quality built reel appeals to me. I'm willing to sacrifice some weight for durability.
     
    #4 Jenx, Jan 24, 2022
  5. K-Bo Smack

    K-Bo Smack
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    I've had a 2500 Slammer III for a couple years...I won't buy another. In the surf you work with the bail more than any other mechanism on the reel. When comparing bail to drag the use ratio is probably 1000:1. Penn bail is sticky no matter how much fine-tuning adjustments I make. It's such a nuisance I hardly use the Slammer III.

    I like Diawa spinners.
     
    #5 K-Bo Smack, Jan 25, 2022
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  6. Jenx

    Jenx
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    I have never seen a Slammer III 2500 listed in any catalogue or schematics list. Did you mean to say a 3500?

    When you say sticky do you mean you have to turn the handle harder to close the bail? I assume that is done intentionally. These reels are more common on the East Coast where they are throwing bigger lures in the surf, and the last thing you want is to have the bail close mid cast. I usually manually close my bails, so it's not an issue for me, but I can see where people who prefer auto bails would find it annoying.

    On a side not, I get less wind knots when manually closing my bail.
     
    #6 Jenx, Jan 25, 2022
  7. K-Bo Smack

    K-Bo Smack
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    Whoops, you're absolutely correct - the Slammer III is a 3500.

    I also operate the bail manually and that's the issue with the Slammer. It takes a lot more force to flip the bail, so I've got to think about closing the bail on every cast. The Japanese reels are set up so the bail closes with an unconscious flick before grabbing the handle and start reeling.
     
    #7 K-Bo Smack, Jan 25, 2022
  8. Jenx

    Jenx
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    I'm wondering if you got a lemon.

    I own a 4500 and I have no issues closing the bail manually.
     
    #8 Jenx, Jan 26, 2022
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