Some babble about gear upgrades

[handyandy]

I can't bring myself to buy real high end reels new. For one too many of them are made in china and have an American labor rate price tag on them. I have newer reels form before I got into repairing old reels, my favorite newer median priced reels are the pflueger presidential and arbor. I'm a fan of an ugly stik as well hard to beat for the money. I will admit my high end rods are much better, and when it comes to some fishing when I really want that extra feel they give I notice it. Anyways on the reels I'm a big fan of the older usa made penn reels like z714's, 430's, and the 4300's for a small spinner, they had larger ones as well like z712 and z710, 440/450, they were all really well made reels with worm gear drive setups. I have two old 430's I took apart cleaned everything regreased and put back together with new carbon fiber drag washers. Also the old DAM quick reels are really well made, I have number of them now after discovering them over recent years. I get a lot of enjoyment though from landing fish with reels that are from the 60's that I personally took apart rebuilt and use now. Kind of the same feeling when you've fixed the car or anything for that matter and it works great again. Rods I have a few nicer ones I've managed to score second hand for good prices, I have two falcon rods, a lamiglas xcel bass rod, an older st croix. I did buy one of the falcons new, but it was on sale, and I still got a military discount on it to make it pretty reasonable. Sometimes it's worth it, I figure if I take good care of my good equipment it will last me a long time, and I will get my money's worth out of it.

 

[New River Rat]

made in china and have an American labor rate price tag on them.

That is pretty much everything in our homes or everything we own, right?

I remember Converse Chucks being made here and were $24 a pair. Reebok bought them, went off shore where they were paying a buck or so per shoe, jacked the price to $50 per pair. Thank you cooperate shareholders for showing us your greed.

These were mentioned not to highjack the thread, because All Stars were my original footwear for fishing.

 

[WV1951]

LDUBS, my parents didn't tell me I had an identical twin. Grew up earning every penny I had. No hand outs. Two jobs when first married, etc., etc.
I also remember the Garcia 300's when they were looked at as pretty good stuff.
I have a Shimano Bantam 10x that I bought many years ago and when I grab something to head for the pond or river, it is that itty bitty Shamano. My 5500 and 6500 hardly sees any use.
Same argument for golf clubs. There are those that are logo and the "newest" obsessed, but my bought used old Taylor Made RAC LT's will keep up with anybody that I play with.

 

[LDUBS]

LDUBS, my parents didn't tell me I had an identical twin. Grew up earning every penny I had. No hand outs. Two jobs when first married, etc., etc.
I also remember the Garcia 300's when they were looked at as pretty good stuff.
I have a Shimano Bantam 10x that I bought many years ago and when I grab something to head for the pond or river, it is that itty bitty Shamano. My 5500 and 6500 hardly sees any use.
Same argument for golf clubs. There are those that are logo and the "newest" obsessed, but my bought used old Taylor Made RAC LT's will keep up with anybody that I play with.

I had a set of Powerbilt TPS irons made for my height for many years. I passed them on a few years ago when I finally recognized I wasn't spending any time on the links.

 

[handyandy]

made in china and have an American labor rate price tag on them.

That is pretty much everything in our homes or everything we own, right?

I remember Converse Chucks being made here and were $24 a pair. Reebok bought them, went off shore where they were paying a buck or so per shoe, jacked the price to $50 per pair. Thank you cooperate shareholders for showing us your greed.

These were mentioned not to highjack the thread, because All Stars were my original footwear for fishing.

unfortunately this is all to often the case, then we give big cooperate tax cuts for so many that have done this. Anyways staying on topic there is still some gear made here that isn't horribly priced. Much of the st croix line is still USA made with the exception of some like the triumph, x, rage series of rods. Their avid and premier series of rods are usa made and pretty competitive in price when compared to similar rods. Now obviously your ugly stik is much cheaper, but having some of both I can tell you there is a big difference between my st croix premier rod I have and one of my many ugly stiks. Reels it's hard any of the usa made ones are quiet expensive that's why I enjoy reviving old reels like german made dam quicks, usa made penns. I try to buy American if at all possible and economically feasible. But my waders are USIA waders only USA made waders I know of, shoes it's hard most of my work boots are USA made double H's also just bought a pair of thorogood boots most of theirs are USA made they seem pretty good so far. Staying on fishing gear Falcon rods still makes a lot of their rods in the USA their bucco micro series is their most affordable USA line like everyone else they do have off shore made rods. I don't know about lamiglas these days I have an excel series bass rod of theirs that was made in the USA, not sure about now.

 

[New River Rat]

Andy, some Redwing boots are still made here.


I have two pair of these, one is 10 years old and still going!