What primary reel do you use?

[Aqua-Andy]

These The Survivor Reel™are the reels my dive buddies and I use. They are built very well and are not to expensive. If you do manage to jam the reel, It takes all of about 30 seconds under water to remove the spool and unjam the real and reassemble it.

 

[carrielsal]

These The Survivor Reel™are the reels my dive buddies and I use. They are built very well and are not to expensive. If you do manage to jam the reel, It takes all of about 30 seconds under water to remove the spool and unjam the real and reassemble it.

Interesting. I have not seen one that comes apart like this.

 

[carrielsal]

I started out with a Manta reel. Got tired or rats-nesting it and went with a Salvo 400. It's much harder to screw up ... although as I found out the first time I tried tying in at Devil's Ear, it's certainly possible ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I can foul up a reel by just having it in my hand! During my Intro to Cave training, my instructor decided he would run the line when we were at Devil's Ear.

 

[LiteHedded]

I use a Salvo 400, its my second favorite primary reel and I got it because I needed one and I found it before my first choice(Larry Green/Ralph Hood sidewinder). My other options at time of purchase were the Dive Rite reels, in which the plastic the barrels are made from sucks mega balls.

The Salvos/Leviathons/LightMonkeys and of course the current Halcyons are built with tight tolerances, you can foul anything, but these things are a bit harder to screw up. The Larry Greens/Ralph Hoods are open and easy to unfoul if you do it, but they shine in how silky smooth they reel and they're my personal favorites.

I have had an early Halcyon implode on my while in the precarious position of nomounting an entrance in crazy high jacuzzi jet flow... I ended up throwing the handle at my buddy, it was his reel, and just tying in the barrel. Granted, the stroke monitor was probably going off like crazy, causing the self-destruct.

they would rather self destruct than enter a no-mount restriction

The Halcyon handle and tension knob are metal -- the handle is aluminum, and the tension knob is stainless. I just liked the feel and balance of the materials better in my hand. And I resist buying Halcyon because of the stereotype -- but sometimes, I just like their items better, and this is one of those times. The differences are subtle; if you got a great price break on the LM reel, I'd buy it.

that's silliness lol
the people working at halcyon are some of the best people in the world and bust their butts to make quality gear.

i like the H reel for the same reasons as you, Lynne. it just feels more substantial in your hand. towards the end of salvo's run i dropped in there and saw they had started using metal screws as well (still plastic handles though) so maybe there's some truth to the rumors of the screws breaking?

 

[piikki]

I use Larry Greens and a Salvo. I tend to go for Greens when I have a choice, as in I only pick Salvo when I need more line. It's bigger and bulkier and Green is so much nicer to handle.

FWIW, I've had my Salvo for several years now and the screw has never jammed(even after several days in the water) and its never stripped - even after the abuse I put on it. I'm not easy on any of my gear. I don't think those rumors hold any weight whatsoever.

That being said, the nylon screw on my Larry Green has swelled up on occassion, but I still like it better - its reeling action is much smoother than any other reel I've used.

I would agree with that. I have not had any problems with the Salvo screw (other than of course managing to get the line wound up around it - just like around about anything else possible). Then again the nylon screws on Greens are a nuisance after multiple dive days and bare hands. I am thinking of filing them or something because it gets so harsh on fingers to turn them when they swell. Other than that those reels are just so smooth that I have snatched some of the smaller ones when I have seen a good sale.

P.S. If you have had trouble finding LG reels, Amigo's in Ft White has very decent prices and sells over the net:
http://www.amigosdivecenter.com/

 

[Sas]

I use Dive Rite Primary Classic Reel (100m). I hated it at first but pretty much have one on permanent loan so got used to it and really do not mind it at all now.

I also have another reel on permanent loan (haha I still haven't had to buy my own reel yet), an OMS one that looks pretty much like the Dive Rite one but only 30m. I only really use it for practice and it's fine.

I have also used the Halcyon Sidewinder a bunch and I like that one waay better so planning on getting one of those or something similar. It seems harder to entangle but one guy managed on our Cave course, so it's not impossible.

I tried an Alpha enclosed reel and HATED it. My hand nearly fell off by the end of the day of diving.

 

[RJP]

I'm wondering what you use and what you like and dislike about it.

One reel to rule them all...

Halcyon Pathfinder at www.DiveSeekers.com

There's a reason that the Halcyon Pathfinder reel is the standard by which all others are measured. (How often do you hear "...almost as good as the Pathfinder."??)

Have used my Pathfinder 400 reel on more than 300 dives - saltwater wrecks and freshwater caves - and have never had it jam, bind, or otherwise give me any problem whatsoever. I crew on a dive boat. I've never seen anyone come up with a Halcyon reel bird-nested. I don't think it's possible to get this reel to fail.

On the other hand, I've seen every other brand and type of reel jammed, tangled, twisted, tied, and all manner of fakakta.

There must be something magic about those blue H's!

 

[Sas]

I've never seen anyone come up with a Halcyon reel bird-nested. I don't think it's possible to get this reel to fail.

When I get home, I'll post a picture from my Cave course to disprove this

But yea, it seems pretty hard to tangle this reel...

 

[RJP]

When I get home, I'll post a picture from my Cave course to disprove this

But yea, it seems pretty hard to tangle this reel...

My precious...

 

[FireInMyBones]

Larry Green reel....so far, I love it. It's hard to jam, easy to work.
They can be a little bit hard to find, though....
here's where I got mine: Larry Green Explorer Series - - 300' Primary Reel [Reel-TDL-LG-Primary] - $147.00 : Tech Diving Limited, a subsidiary of Scuba Training and Technology Inc.

I use the same one. Love it.