Seems like all metal or aluminum frame  and metal component parts fans really stand firm when comparing to reels with graphite or "plastic" frames. Or components like the gear attached to the worm gear for that matter.

 

Has anyone ever had a graphite frame or "plastic" piece fail while bass fishing? Proof would be great; like photos. Catching wipers, stripers, catfish, or muskie while bass fishing doesn't count if that is when it failed.

 

From a feel aspect,  I myself like the aluminum feel which is why I like OG Zillions and the new Fuego Cts. But have owned $50 to $550 reels and have never had one fail. So I dont see why its that big of a deal other than preference.

I don't care for the fact that I can feel the reel foot flexing on "plastic" reels.  I don't know that one would ever break though.

Plastic frames flex under heavy load, this causes slight misalignment of gears and makes the retrieve grindy and wears the gears down faster.

44 minutes ago, bigturtle said:

Plastic frames flex under heavy load, this causes slight misalignment of gears and makes the retrieve grindy and wears the gears down faster.

I don't want to sound rude, but you have felt this? Maybe it's my style, but I can say I never have. I have had a carbon fiber handle flex and delaminate. That's it

If the plastic is strong enough for big game saltwater reels I think it's good enough for bass.

Plastic haters

1 hour ago, Finnz922 said:

I don't want to sound rude, but you have felt this? Maybe it's my style, but I can say I never have. I have had a carbon fiber handle flex and delaminate. That's it

yes, I felt this on T3 as well as chronarch

12 minutes ago, bigturtle said:

yes, I felt this on T3 as well as chronarch

well. Okay then. So, what reels do you like/own?

3 minutes ago, Finnz922 said:

well. Okay then. So, what reels do you like/own?

ones without a plastic main/gear frame

1 hour ago, Fried Lemons said:

If the plastic is strong enough for big game saltwater reels I think it's good enough for bass.

Thats why all the good saltwater reels have metal bodies, ya? saltiga, stella, penn 3000, even the cheap Daiwa BG has aluminum body

Saltiga has a zaion rotor.

2 minutes ago, Fried Lemons said:

Saltiga has a zaion rotor.

when you reel, most of the pressure is where the handle connects to the body, and thats where most flex comes in play, hence its metal.

On 2/11/2018 at 4:13 PM, Fried Lemons said:

Saltiga has a zaion rotor.

...Sounds like that's from a 1950s science fiction pulp magazine...

I'd like to meet these roid enraged gym rat bass that are flexing all these graphite reel bodies. I'm surprised they aren't stripping all the aluminum gears, and melting all the color coordinated reel handle koozies.

I don't feel any flex, but I have seen an aluminum frame reel fail at the reel foot.  Ripped the front foot off.  It was a $200 Daiwa Viento, and my best guess is there was a flaw in the casting.  I do prefer a solid aluminum frame for heavy stuff, but after trying out some of the composite reels, they have held up fine.  I have a few Stradic CI4 spinners, a TD-Z, and a couple of KastKing reels that are all composite material.  They're light, and plenty strong for the job.

I have never had a graphite reel fail.

 

I have however felt my graphite baitcasters flex while fighting 2+ pound Smallmouth and Catfish. The difference between baitcasters and spinning reels is I palm my baitcaster so I am able to feel the reel during the fight with a fish. Unlike a spinning reel where my hand is in on the handle and reel foot and rod alone.

 

This has concerned me enough to start investing in aluminum framed baitcasters.

 

So in summary, I don't hate graphite or plastic. I just prefer something stronger even if it comes at the price of a little more money and a little more weight.

Granted they were all "cheap" reels but I had a Lews Laser MG break, Lews Mach 1 flex and Shimano Caius flex under heavy load. the Mach 1 flex was at the reel foot under heavy load punching slop. The Laser Mg gear broke fighting a 20 lb freshwater drum while targeting bass and the Caius, not sure if it was the gears or the frame that flexed out of alignment but as I was fighting a channel catfish reel just quick reeling would not turn and when it finally would turn it would just grind. I way not targeting the drum or catfish when I caught them but I catch different species ever trip and need reels that will hold up to every fish I catch. Why spend money on gear that has a higher chance of failing when you don't need to take the unnecessary risk? My rod locker now consists of 4 casting reel models and 2 spinning; Revo SX, Revo STX, Tatula CT, Zillion SV, Ballistic LT, Stradic FK

 

If I'm paying $150+ for a reel it will be metal or its not for me.

I had a cheap Abu plastic housing break on a spinning reel just below the bail attachments.   I may have dropped it.  

I'm not a plastic hater but try to avoid any reels with plastic body frame and reel foot. I don't mind plastic parts on my reel like worm gear or any unloaded gears.

do I ever have one break? NO but why take unnecessary risk. 

They're magnesium, e.g. NOT aluminum.

I got 2 graphite Lew’s casting reels. Fished them for 2 years and they are still holding strong. I highly doubt they will fail. Everything’s big else I own is aluminum which I prefer.

It’s doesn’t matter it doesn’t make a difference a glock pistol is made from plastic and it’s one of the most reliable pistols on the market. It depends on the reel your using, my  chronarch has never given me any problems no flex and I prefer it over an aluminum framed curado.

Personally, I prefer aluminum frames as they usually feel much more solid.  That said, I do have 2 older Quantum EX series reels that have graphite frames and they are hell for stout.  Never an issue with either and they have both hauled in some fine fish.  My EX300P even landed a 28 pound gar and I felt zero flex. 

 

Like many other things, I believe engineering plays a role many times in just how well a given product holds up.

I've had the front part of the reel foot on a cheap shakespeare spincast reel snap off during a cast a few weeks back.. only time I've ever had anything plastic break. Granted, those are very low quality reels so I'm not exactly shocked. It really depends on what kind of polymers are used for the plastic production. There are some cases in which plastic can have a higher strength than metals. For example, carbon fiber has a higher strength to weight ratio to steel and aluminum at a lower density. If a component of the same thickness is made from carbon fiber, steel, and aluminum, the one made from carbon fiber will have a greater rigidity and lower weight than the two metals. Furthermore, if we wanted to reinforce something and had a certain weight limit, the advantage again goes to carbon fiber since it is lighter than steel and aluminum. This would give it an even more superior rigidity strength (and therefore higher ultimate stength) compared to the other two common materials. So really... it depends on the weight, size, and how it is constructed that will determine what is actually stronger. The feeling of the metal being "superior feeling" is mostly an illusion and bias.

 

To give you an idea:

 

Edit: Whoo, 100 posts!!

“Plastic Haters”. Thought we might be talking about Glocks  ?

I've caught hundreds of wipers on my KastKing Assassin along with hundreds of bass of all sizes. It's handled all of them without any issues from plastic flex. It's reeling a fish in, not winching a Jeep out of a mudhole. The rod is what I move them with, the reel just takes up the line so I can continue to move the fish with the rod.