Favorite Wreck Reel brand?

[Cap335]

Wreck reels usually are shorter than 400' because we use larger line.
A 400' cave reel will only carry about 250' of wreck line.

Randy

 

[The Chairman]

I love a number of reels. For inexpensive, yet very durable, I would suggest going to Scuba Diving Technical Products, Surgical Tubing, Bungee Cord, Brass and SS Hardware from reefscuba.com and checking out their stuff. I have abused my "Seal Reel" for over ten years and it still works. Best thin, if you get into a tangle, you can pull the entire spool off without tools or the fear of losing parts!

If you want something a bit classier, far smoother and my current favorite, go with Light Monkey. WOW!!! It's perfection personified.

 

[Cave Diver]

What about line thickness/type/strength? I have a number of dive buddies who have made their own reels because they weren't happy with the line that came with theirs.

As I recall, most of those reels rated lengths are with cave line (#24?) and for wrecks a lot of people prefer wreck line (#36?). This may have changed because it's been a long time since I shopped for a reel. Wreck line is slightly thicker and people use it because it has a bit more abrasion resistant to the sharp metal inside wrecks. I use cave line in wrecks, but I'm pretty careful with my line placement.

If you're not happy with the line that's on it, you can buy more line and just replace it. The biggest issue you run into with this is that when you start going up in line size, you reduce the length of line you can fit on the drum.

 

[Tortuga68]

+1 for Manta - for Wreck (I don't do caves) I use a Sr. reel with 320' of #36 line, and a Cave Cam fitted

For spools I used to favour the Halcyon Defender coldwater models, but now like http://www.piranhadivemfg.com/item/100ft-Finger-Spool-YELLOW-Line-Large-Center-Hole-2446 which are the same without the flange and 1/3 of the price

 

[Tortuga68]

I definitely want a side handle reel

If you've already made up your mind about that, you might as well get this: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cl...iple-items/373123-salvo-400-primary-reel.html

 

[Cave Diver]

I definitely want a side handle reel. But a couple that I have used have a small opening on the left between the reel and the metal bar going over the top which seem mighty easy to tangle if you are doing anything beside carrying a flag on a drift dive where there is constant and perfect tension on them.

Be sure to try and borrow one to use before you buy it. Some people have found the size of them to be awkward, especially if they have smaller hands.

 

[Tortuga68]

Also they don't fit people with big hands

Apart from those minor drawbacks they're fine

 

[Rainer]

Sure they do, you just have to use a different hand grip.

Also they don't fit people with big hands

Apart from those minor drawbacks they're fine

 

[Tortuga68]

Well, that depends on how you define 'fit'

I suppose I could wear size M Jet fins too, if I put them on my hands or gaffer-taped them to the soles of my feet

 

[Rainer]

If you have very large hands, you can simply "palm" a side-handle reel (fingers sitting on the edge of the drum to break it). I've seen someone with HUGE hands do this. It works. If you're having trouble, it's because of technique, not the gear being too small.