Daiwa ballistic spinning reel....SEALED?!?! - Page 2

Got one 4000 Ballistic, very disappointed.  Forget about comparing the higher end Fuego, it doesn't even match the lower end Advantage.  First, the weight is wrong on Daiwa's site.  Daiwa web site says 10.10oz, I got 12.88oz on the ballistic.  It means it has the same weight as Advantage, with no improvement on drag.  Second, old Advantage still made in Japan, this Ballistic (Daiwa purposely hide all the information until you finally order it) is made in China.  What's wrong with made in China?  On the ICAST show, the ballistic I tried was MUCH lighter, with unified color (graphite black).  The one I received today has 4 shades of black, it is like parts from 4 factories putting together.  The arm has a graphite color that looks like lots of dirty fingerprints, while the bail is glossy black that looks like spray paint.  The handle is a different color.  I also have a Fuego, The real Zaion body is solid light weight material, this one, if you take it apart, is the Zaion "shell" wrapping around stainless steel.  That's why it doesn't have any improvement on weight.  Both the old Team Daiwa Advantage 4000 and Ballistic 4000 show the same weight 12.88oz!  You know adding just 2.5oz, you can have the real deal Saltiga 4500H that has double the drag!  I just hope this is some Daiwa internal quality management issue as they got all the raves during the ICAST show but the final products (much delayed) is horrible.

With Penn making the torque now I thought this was Daiwas answer, I think it will come though.

Hi I had unfortunately the same experience as described above. I bought the ballistic 4000 after i read the spec and saw the light weight figures in daiwa.com. Also I saw in some places that the reel is made in Japan. So I hought one from an Ebay seller. After I hold it in my hands and saw the reel I understand the figures were not correct. The seller agreed issueing a full refund due to Ebay rules. But Daiwa is still missleading with the spec although I pointed this out to one of their representative in the US. They won't take responsibility for this mistake. A very bad experience...

Daiwa will not change the spec on their website, because if they do post the real spec, no one would buy the reel.

and yes I have call Daiwa many time about that their spec is incorrect.

Hey guys.

I've noticed it's been a while since the last post here.

Just wandering how the ballistics are going , have you given them a good testing yet.

I have mine ordered and cant wait to get it.

Thanks.

Sorry forgot to mention I have the 2500 and the 3000 ballistics.

 

Oh and would you compare it the Fuego in toughness and smoothness.

Thanks.

Some things I can just look at and my comon sense says stay away. This looks like one of them. Tons of parts, and a felt seal.This reel is not for under water use. Still I would like to hear from someone that put it through the ringer for a season then reviews it. I wish there was actually a reel out there still made for under $300 for the surf fisherman. But the bottom line ther is not. Shame really.

 

Thanks for the reply.  

I won't be using the reel for the surf but I will be using it on my kayak which can cop a bit of water. 

The  thing that got me exited about the ballistic is that it looks just like the 2010 certate but made out of same materials as the fungo. 

 

Down here in Aus a few guys have been putting the new freams through its paces and they seem to be taking punishment well and they are basically the same reel as the ballistic with a couple less bearings and lower gear ratio. 

 

woo.. forgot about this thread.


WELL.. i put my ballistic 3000 through a short end of fall season.. no monster bass, some shad and small ground fish. The reel feels smooth, I like the line lay, its pretty, light weight (at least the 3000), cast like a dream. However...


It is too fast.. I felt like I was going to strip the gears when I had a good sized tautog on. I do not normally use my spin reels as winches but I was playing around with short tog when I unexpectedly hook a brute. Well, in order to get him out the rocks I had to work that reel. It handled fine but I sensed it did not like it. I am afraid to do that again. The retrieves are nice and fast but I think the higher gears can not take the abuse/torque I need on certain fish. My sol had no problem, it did not like the strain but i never felt I would strip the gears when fishing for large bass. That tog on the ballistic basically told me the law of physics are constant. So I am looking for another reel. I am looking to get the freams (2011). I like the ballistic, but I thought if I had the lower gear ratios I would be better off.

I was recently down looking at a used ci4, was told it had titanium gears.. I know it has the paladin gear, but any truth behind that?(I know this is another thread but feel free to msg me)

I have taken my ballistics for ground fish, it held up fine for reeling in heavier weights, pulling in a sabiki loaded with 4lb pollacks was fine, again, it was just too fast for my liking.

Bass fishing was fantastic, though I did not get any bass, I had complete line control when using soft plastics. Reel is still smooth, but there is some play in the handle which I do not remember if it was there originally... It worked fine casting tins a month ago (again no fish).. little stiffer reeling in as I am still adjusting to this 6.0:1

Thanks for you reply 1life.

 

I just got my 2500 and 3000 Ballistic's but have only used the 3000 so far.

I've only caught one small fish on it so it wasn't the test I was hoping for.

 

I have a ci4 2500 and I don't think you'll like it if you don't like the ballistic gear ratio as the are the same.

The ci4 has caught heaps of fish to 3 pound and some of them really giving the reel and the drag a hard work out cause I fish allot of structure.

If I where I'd be looking at this reel the shimano rarenium.

It's basically a ci4 but a lower ratio and much much much smother.

I'd love to get one.

 

*

 

 

 

I live in Fla...purchased a ballistic 2500 yesterday at fishing show....I own a fuego..sol and have enjoyed both...This real seems to be more in line with the fuego..If u want the look and feel of the sol go with the procyon.....I picked up and reeled each of there reels yestrday....the procyon has the aluminum spool like sol same weightty feel.....I think with the new air rotor the are a little smoother....Not sure why they dont want to include an extra spool anymore..Thats BS to me...If you want a very nice superlight reel then get the fuego....You can't go wrong it been a great reel and doesn't wear you out casting artis all day...Once I compare ballistic with feugo side by side....Then I will repost performance difference....I think it will perform just fine but we will see.

come back and lets us know , I saw this reel over the weekend , looked like a quality reel wondering how it preforms.

I agree with you that this reel is very light, and as smooth as the feugo. I have not used a feugo in real world activities but it feels like a solid reel. I enjoyed the light and smooth operation of my ballistic 2500. It handled 3 -4 oz of lead in 120 feet of water with a load of macks/pollacks. However, when battling a heavier ground fish it did not like it (I was in 20 feet of water fighting small tog when i hooked a brute). As I said before, its not the reel weight or material that is the issue for me. It is the speed of the reel, the cranking power is not there. I obviously can force the fish up but I felt that I am overpowering the reel (pushing beyond its limit). I had no problem using the sol, it is a little heavier than my ballistic but it felt more solid in winding power, not weight or hardness of the reel.

I was researching around and asking my foreign fishing friends. There is JDM version of the ballistics with the 4.9/4.7 (which ever it is) ratio. However there are reviews of rotor collapse. Seeing these reels are discounted very quickly (within a year) overseas I was afraid of getting one. I opted for a JDM version of the SOL since used are still too price.

Just my two cents. I have the ballistic on a longer rod for shore casting, its great picking up slack line and running topwater lures. But for complete control of the fish I am sticking to my 4.9 ratios. The pyrocyon is still a 6.0

what is the JDM version of the SOL called ?