IRT reel questions

[BrianBM]

Kilsong, one of the best-informed anglers here, likes his IRT spinners and does all kinds of jigging and deep-dropping with them, where I would want a conventional reel.  He surfcasts with them, too. There are a couple of questions which anyone can answer, with user experience.

 

1.  The bail. Is the bail automatic or manual? I like a bail, like on a Saragosa or some Daiwas, that I have to rotate over the top of the spool by hand. No automatic nuthin' for me. If Kilsong's commented on this, I've missed it. I emailed IRT about this, maybe they reply and maybe they don't.

2.  The Dual Drag arrangement is about $100 more then the single drag stack reels, available from the 500 size on up. Given the price of the basic reel, it's a reasonable extra expenditure; if you're looking at a $600 reel in the first place, what's another $100, plus or minus?  That said, what's the gain? Better, more reliable drag in high topic temperatures?  Better top end drag if you're dragging a Goliath Grouper out of his hole? Reel design emphasizes ruggedness, there are no long-cast spools (which mean a long shaft; possibly bendable by a high drag load) on the website. 

3.  Sealing. I think the kind of intensive sealing on VS reels is probably overkill for me, but the sealing question has come up. How water resistant is the reel?  

4.  Bearings and lubrication.  What class of bearing and how lubricated from the factory? I don't think it's been discussed. 

 

 

[Tagman]

30 mins ago, BrianBM said:

How water resistant is the reel?  

 

Since this reel was introduced, no one has ever gotten a straight answer about the water tightness of this reel.

 

I recall, one of the reps from the company came on SOL and answered a few questions about the IRT reels awhile back. Never got  a straight answer out of him.

 

Very  interested in this reels performance. I’m sure Kilsong has put them through the ringer. He seems to give them positive reviews. Hopefully we can hear from someone who actually cracks one of them open.

[Sandbar1]

#3, the sealing issue is the one that interests me and I haven't seen a satisfactory answer to this question. Is it VS/ZB level,  meaning can be reeled underwater, can you swim with it etc or is it Penn Torque/VR level sealing or Penn Slammer/Shimano Saragosa level sealing. An answer to this might encourage me to purchase one, especially if it turns out to be on par with a VS/ZB.

[Sandbar1]

12 mins ago, Tagman said:

 

Since this reel was introduced, no one has ever gotten a straight answer about the water tightness of this reel.

 

I recall, one of the reps from the company came on SOL and answered a few questions about the IRT reels awhile back. Never got  a straight answer out of him.

 

Very  interested in this reels performance. I’m sure Kilsong has put them through the ringer. He seems to give them positive reviews. Hopefully we can hear from someone who actually cracks one of them open.

To me this implies that it is not up to VS/ZB sealing. I guess I'll stick to fishing the products I know will perform well even underwater. I'll still keep an ear out incase anything new come out about the IRT.

[bobtheflounder]

[BrianBM]

I will venture a WAG that can be addressed or corrected by anyone who knows better. 

 

The reel is, at most, sealed to a Torque II level.  A Saragosa level of sealing might be the actual level.

 

There's more then one way to skin a cat, or keep it dry (or wet and functional). You can stuff it with seals, as many as possible, and accept the significant stiffness that this will entail, along with periodic replacement of the seals (they do wear, after all).  You could take a 704Z and stuff it with grease, and periodically crack it open. Look at the diagram (bobtheflounder, which parts are labeled as "seals?") I'm seeing a reel that does not look unduly complicated, (in contrast to Shimano "We never use one part if five can fit") or some others. I think this reel is meant to be opened and cleaned regularly, and I suspect that it uses the best possible components of the best materials. (If it doesn't, then what justifies the price?) So it probably isn't a reel meant for the skishing set. 

 

Kilsong quoted Mike Basnite, newly on the IRT pro staff, as saying that this is the only reel that's never failed him. We see videos of Mike and Lydia Basnite fishing the surf in driving rain, snotty conditions, inside a waterspout, etc., as does Kilsong. If Mike isn't puffing smoke a bit for his new employer, that's damn impressive. (Pity he doesn't post here.)  AFAIK Dennysnook hasn't fished one of these reels; he likes his Torque spinner and his comparison would be invaluable.

[Big Will]

That is a very simple reel. One advantage I can see is being able to break it down and clean it very easily. From the looks of it it's basically a penn torque. Same design but with less sealing and ball bearings from what I can see. Nothing really special in the schematic, I'd have to see one broken open. Stainless gear or marine bronze? And I'm assuming stainless pinion on a reel of this price.  One question I can see that was answered was it does have a bail trip and ramp so not a manual bail

Edited December 2, 2018 by Big Will

[Tagman]

14 mins ago, BrianBM said:

The reel is, at most, sealed to a Torque II level. 

 

Again, we are just guessing here. The Torque II is IPX 6 water resistant. The Torque has rubber seals. Does the IRT have rubber seals? I don’t think so. The saragosa also has seals. If the IRT doesn’t have seals, it probably no more water resistant than a BG.

 

5 mins ago, Big Will said:

From the looks of it it's basically a penn torque

 

The IRT owners are exPenn engineer/employees. The IRT reels look to be engineered to a high standard, but it’s not a Torque. The Torque is sealed and until proven otherwise, the IRT is not.

[Sandbar1]

What exact market or region is this reel specifically targeted for. Offshore, Florida, over seas? It doesn't seem to be built with the NE or surfcasters in mind 

[Sandbar1]

Just now, Tagman said:

 

Again, we are just guessing here. The Torque II is IPX 6 water resistant. The Torque has rubber seals. Does the IRT have rubber seals? I don’t think so. The saragosa also has seals. If the IRT doesn’t have seals, it probably no more water resistant than a BG.

 

 

The IRT owners are exPenn engineer/employees. The IRT reels look to be engineered to a high standard, but it’s not a Torque. The Torque is sealed and until proven otherwise, the IRT is not.

Then that begs the question, what makes this reel better than a Shimano or Diawa at the same price point. For that matter its priced  similarly to a VR or Torque. Both of which are made with quality components (as is the IRT we assume) while both also appear to have better sealing than the IRT, a qualification I consider crucial in a saltwater reel.

[Tagman]

18 mins ago, Sandbar1 said:

Then that begs the question, what makes this reel better than a Shimano or Diawa at the same price point. For that matter its priced  similarly to a VR or Torque. Both of which are made with quality components (as is the IRT we assume) while both also appear to have better sealing than the IRT, a qualification I consider crucial in a saltwater reel.

 

I wouldnt say it’s better than Shimano, Daiwa, VS, or Penn at the same price point. It looks like a beautiful reel built like a brick sh-t house.  My question is about the sealing. Does it have rubber seals and a water resistance rating or not?

[BrianBM]

43 mins ago, Sandbar1 said:

What exact market or region is this reel specifically targeted for. Offshore, Florida, over seas? It doesn't seem to be built with the NE or surfcasters in mind 

I'll make another WAG. 

 

IRT reels are non-specialist, top end reels meant for the best possible functioning compatible with a relatively straightforward design.

 

IRT did NOT have the NE surfcaster in mind.  I wouldn't either, starting a firm to make high end spinning reels. VS, ZB, Daiwa and Shimano have enormous feet on that ground. Pitching a product directly against VS in particular would be a grand way to burn through capital. No long cast spools either, please note.  

 

IRT is gunning for VERY upscale freshwater anglers, people who may go to the Amazon for Piriracu and huge cats and Amazon wolffish and whatever else Jeremy Wade publicized there. And there's always a market for the joy of luxe for it's own sake.* The IRT website is short on specifics but they do have a guide Pro Staffer on one of the Great Lakes. The others are all East Coast guys. 

 

In salt water, IRT is REALLY looking hard for those anglers who use spinning tackle where older anglers like me think only conventional reels will do. Their double drag may permit a very high drag load (totally lock the reel?) if you want a big grouper or snapper out of his hole, or if you have to pull a dogtooth tuna away from the edge of a reef. That would also explain the relatively conservative gear ratios; the shortest, fastest route to lots of torque is a low gear ratio and big tough gears. 

 

Kilsong mentioned that within a month of asking for a 500DD with a faster rate of retrieve, for yellowtail or roosterfish, IRT delivered the product. Maybe, if there's demand, IRT will add a couple of fast-retrieve models to their lineup.  That might matter if you have a roosterfish trip on your bucket list. I'd still bet against a long-cast spool. 

 

Big Will, I think you were asking - in that other thread - for the kind of buttered smoothness associated with the best of Daiwa and Shimano? I can't tell, or even guess, if these reels offer it. Maybe you need to come to a Kilsong demo and ask him to bring his IRT as well as the BH rods of your choice.

 

* I do that myself, though usually I piss money away on rods. Al Goldberg owns a piece of my soul. 

Edited December 2, 2018 by BrianBM

[BrianBM]

You know what?  Just for fun, I'm going to (briefly) pin this thread. I'll write IRT another email, asking them to come by and answer the pretty specific questions posted here. It's not a huge company, likely as not the founder will read the email. I'll leave it up a week or so. If we get a visit and answers, great!  If we don't, I'll unpin it, and we'll have had a partial answer by silence.

 

Automatic bail trip. Drat. Well, the devil is in the details, theirs may work just fine, unlike my ol' SS 750. 

[ged]

1 hour ago, BrianBM said:

I will venture a WAG that can be addressed or corrected by anyone who knows better. 

 

The reel is, at most, sealed to a Torque II level.  A Saragosa level of sealing might be the actual level.

 

There's more then one way to skin a cat, or keep it dry (or wet and functional). You can stuff it with seals, as many as possible, and accept the significant stiffness that this will entail, along with periodic replacement of the seals (they do wear, after all).  You could take a 704Z and stuff it with grease, and periodically crack it open. Look at the diagram (bobtheflounder, which parts are labeled as "seals?") I'm seeing a reel that does not look unduly complicated, (in contrast to Shimano "We never use one part if five can fit") or some others. I think this reel is meant to be opened and cleaned regularly, and I suspect that it uses the best possible components of the best materials. (If it doesn't, then what justifies the price?) So it probably isn't a reel meant for the skishing set. 

 

Kilsong quoted Mike Basnite, newly on the IRT pro staff, as saying that this is the only reel that's never failed him. We see videos of Mike and Lydia Basnite fishing the surf in driving rain, snotty conditions, inside a waterspout, etc., as does Kilsong. If Mike isn't puffing smoke a bit for his new employer, that's damn impressive. (Pity he doesn't post here.)  AFAIK Dennysnook hasn't fished one of these reels; he likes his Torque spinner and his comparison would be invaluable.

I believe Denny is testing an IRT reel. 

[BrianBM]

Is he now?  Come the spring, we'll have to badger him for a report.