I keep getting ads a baitcasting reel from a company called  Obalus. The price is $49.99 with free shipping for an 8.1:1 shallow spool carbon drag reel.  On the website, they have tons of positive reviews and no negative reviews, which makes me more than a little suspicious. I just wonder if anyone had tried these reels, and what their opinion is.  To me it sounds a little "too good to be true", but I am always looking for a bargin.

Have never heard of this company. Usually, if it sounds too good to be true, it is. For a good reel around this price range, I'd say ABU Black Max.

the reel is $99 retail, currently on sale for $49, they only sell two reels (7 products in total), a baitcaster and a "digital display" reel with a line counter

 

the company could be new in the market, but it would take me some time to gain any sort of trust with them at this stage if thats the case

 

BUT, many of the "5 star reviews" are within recent intervals with multiple reviews on the same days, not to mention the fact that only a select few reviews even mention actually using the reel before reviewing

 

so, if it was me, it's a no go

 

maybe this goes back to the "Reviews" thread but i hate the "well it looks good out the box (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)" type of review

I wouldn't pull the trigger. Doing a little research, I found it odd that there are no pics or talk of their reels on any other forum.  The only pics I found were from their online presence and some of them repeated from place to place as though posted by someone other than by the company themselves. 

Thanks to everyone. That was pretty much my take on the reels and the company. They may be totally above board, but until I see some "reel" (see what I did there?) reviews on both the reel and the company, I think I will stay away from them.

I would probably go with a Shishamo 

It's a $17 normal retail marked up to $50.  The same reel in different brands is all over the chinease amazon place.  I actually bought a $20 reel recently and this reel was one I saw but passed because its magnetic only as they often have a weak magnets on these cheap reels making them impossible to control.  I would at least like a centrifugal brake for my $20.  

Everything about that picture says don't buy

Aba Garcia, lol.

 

I should get a shishamo and aba garia just to have a meme reel collection.  

 

Nuthin’ beats a Dagobah! 
 

Fish or fish not. There is no try! 

Don't forget the awesomeness that is Diwa.

With a 99 kg star drag no less. Beefy!

39 minutes ago, zell_pop1 said:

Don't forget the awesomeness that is Diwa.

I wonder if it's pronounced "deewah"?

Hello! I just got one and I was messing with my drag, tension nob, and break because I've never had a bait caster before. Well after watching some videos and messing with it, I found that the release button where u put ur thumb isn't popping back up when I reel it. So now I have to manually push it back up in order to reel in my line. Plus now the star drag is messed up and now I have these two little "s" shaped metal bits sitting around because I don't know where they go because they fell out. So it could be my fault, or something wasn't properly put in place when the reel was being made, either way I'd say go for a more well known brand.

and scene.....