Reel handle styles
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PerroneFord
Contributor
loosebits:
DOH! Completely glossed past that when I read it.
PerroneFord
Contributor
Jordan,
Is Dive Rite allergic to Delrin? My spool broke before I ever got it to the water, and I notice the new sidewinder reels are thin plastic as well. I need to buy a couple of reels in August and was hoping I could patronize Dive Rite, but looks like I'll have to go another route.
What was the thinking behind materials for the new sidewinder reels?
(not trying to beat up Dive Rite, just curious)
Is Dive Rite allergic to Delrin? My spool broke before I ever got it to the water, and I notice the new sidewinder reels are thin plastic as well. I need to buy a couple of reels in August and was hoping I could patronize Dive Rite, but looks like I'll have to go another route.
What was the thinking behind materials for the new sidewinder reels?
(not trying to beat up Dive Rite, just curious)
cmufieldhockey8
Contributor
I know this is an old post but I'd like to bring it back because I'm looking into buying a primary reel for my cavern/intro to cave class. Let me first say I don't know a lot about reels but I've been reading any post that discusses reels.
First thing I'm looking at is the handle style. The previous posts didn't really help me enough for choosing between the jasper/sidewinder or the regular handle kind. Somebody said the regular handle kind tangles up easier. Is that one person's experience or is that a general consensus? I'm thinking neither reel will tangle up if you know how to use it well. Any thoughts?
I got the chance last weekend to hold both a Ralph Hood jasper primary reel as well as a Dive Rite regular handle primary reel. The Dive Rite regular handle was considerably heavier compared to the Ralph Hood jasper. I'm wondering if that's the difference between Dive Rite and Ralph Hood or the regular handle and jasper kind.
And what are your thoughts of holding your secondary light with the different kinds of reel handles? I've got little hands.
I've noticed Dive Rite reels get horrible reviews here, yet I know people who swear by them and have had 'em for 10 years with no problems. I've got a lot of Dive Rite equipment and I know its not the most important decision I'll ever make but I do want to get the best reel for me.
First thing I'm looking at is the handle style. The previous posts didn't really help me enough for choosing between the jasper/sidewinder or the regular handle kind. Somebody said the regular handle kind tangles up easier. Is that one person's experience or is that a general consensus? I'm thinking neither reel will tangle up if you know how to use it well. Any thoughts?
I got the chance last weekend to hold both a Ralph Hood jasper primary reel as well as a Dive Rite regular handle primary reel. The Dive Rite regular handle was considerably heavier compared to the Ralph Hood jasper. I'm wondering if that's the difference between Dive Rite and Ralph Hood or the regular handle and jasper kind.
And what are your thoughts of holding your secondary light with the different kinds of reel handles? I've got little hands.
I've noticed Dive Rite reels get horrible reviews here, yet I know people who swear by them and have had 'em for 10 years with no problems. I've got a lot of Dive Rite equipment and I know its not the most important decision I'll ever make but I do want to get the best reel for me.
BabyDuck
Contributor
i'm totally not the expert, but here are my thoughts.
supposedly the older dive rites were good reels, but the quality has suffered in the last several years.
i think either style is great in hands that know it, but i think the top-handle reels are harder to get good at than the side-handle ones.
i have a dive rite top handle safety reel, but when i get a primary it will be a salvo side handle one.
supposedly the older dive rites were good reels, but the quality has suffered in the last several years.
i think either style is great in hands that know it, but i think the top-handle reels are harder to get good at than the side-handle ones.
i have a dive rite top handle safety reel, but when i get a primary it will be a salvo side handle one.
cmufieldhockey8
Contributor
top-handle.. so that's what it's called... thanks BabyDuck
BabyDuck
Contributor
hey, i doubt that's official, but it makes it clearer for our purposes! 
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The issue you want to avoid is getting line between the handle and the actual spool part. I had a Manta once and it grabbed anything it could and jambed it into that space. Maybe because there were raised letters on the side of the spool which could catch line. Thank god for ebay.
I have a Halcyon now, no space in there to even put a bit of stray line. Today I would buy a Salvo - less aluminum = less corrosion.
I have a Halcyon now, no space in there to even put a bit of stray line. Today I would buy a Salvo - less aluminum = less corrosion.
I have a dive-rite primary reel with a goodman handle (=tophandle). I´ve used it for about 3 years. I´ve also done some linework with halcyon pathfinders (=sidehandle).
I think the difference is more down to being used to one kind of reel and personal preference than any real functional difference. If I had to say something it may be that my DR-reel is less forgiving if you don´t keep tension on the line while reeling in but also that it is easier to do that on a tophandle reel that on a sidewinder reel.
I dive both wrecks and caves and use the same reel(s) for both and most of the people I dive with do the same (regardless of which style they´ve chosen)...
Ymmv
I think the difference is more down to being used to one kind of reel and personal preference than any real functional difference. If I had to say something it may be that my DR-reel is less forgiving if you don´t keep tension on the line while reeling in but also that it is easier to do that on a tophandle reel that on a sidewinder reel.
I dive both wrecks and caves and use the same reel(s) for both and most of the people I dive with do the same (regardless of which style they´ve chosen)...
Ymmv
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