Who uses a reel with a flipping switch? Do you like it? What is a good value one that doesn't cost a kidney? The bait monkey tells me I need to give this a try... 

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Lews Super Duty LFS. Also makes a good frog, swimbait, or anything where strength is required reel.

But if you want absolute value, the Abu Max STX. Can be purchased between $40-70 depending on sales, not a great reel but very affordable for having a flipping switch.

The only one of these I ever had was a Bass Pro Shops reel that I got 20 years ago. It was pretty cool, but I have just never gotten another reel with that switch. 

Great thanks! I've been wanting to try one, not sure if I'll like it or not. Feel like I'm constantly adjusting to do a quick couple flips and then a bomb cast so it seems like it'd be useful. 

Most of my baitcasters have them but I never use them. I flip/pitch with my left hand and retrieve with my right so it's no big deal.  JMHO.

@FishTax where it's useful is flip/pitch into heavy cover such as hydrilla and duckweed, expecting an instant take.  

Since the clutch is never disengaged, you're instant retrieve on big fish turning into heavy cover.  

On Super Duty, the clutch button becomes an added A/R lock.  

Flipping switches are useless imo and only serve to complicate service. YMMV 

Flipping switches are all the rage here with the walleye jiggers on the Detroit River.  They're slowly replacing spinning reels since many are increasingly coming absent the anti reverse switch.  They make it easy to get your bait to the depth that fish are holding.

 

Servicing them isn't really any more tedious than a reel without it.  The torsion spring fits the same way, the only difference is one leg goes to the switch and not the frame.  

19 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Flipping switches are useless imo and only serve to complicate service. YMMV 

I agree 100%. Never use it, and most every time I service one of my 8 speed Super Duty's, that little switch makes me say bad words. 

To put this into perspective the original reels with a flipping switch didn’t have instant AR bearing, it was a dog and gear requiring the reel handle to turn to engage. Todays reels have instant AR when you bump the reel handle don’t a 1/4 turn anymore.

Tom

Feels like a blast from the past.  I'd forgotten all about the "flippin' switch".  

Never understood one. I just hold the spool with my thumb as it enters water before engaging.