Hit the mighty (and very hot) Potomac yesterday for five hours and gave my new 8.2:1 SLX reel a work out in thick grass and all I can say is WOW!  It is mounted on a 6'6" MH Carbonlite and spooled with 10lb Invizx flouro with a Gammie 3/0 EWG and a Senko. It has two brakes on and the bearings had been cleaned out of the box and lubed with a tiny drop of Yellow Rocket Fuel.  I was cautious at first with a few lob casts and picked it up from there to letting fly robust over head casts and the little guy never missed a beat.  Simple thumb control was all that was needed.  For those who like to go for distance...no problem.  It can put a Senko way out there with no problem. With various Curados and Chronarchs laying on the deck waiting, I could not put the SLX down, just wondering when something would go wrong, but it just kept performing like my Chronarch MGL.  Can you tell I am really impressed with  a $99 reel?  The drive shaft bearing arrives from Shimano tomorrow and I will pop that in.  No, I did not get paid for this commercial.?

Yeah, I like mine too and find myself picking a combo with an SLX on it over my K's simply because the smaller size fits my hand much better.