I understand the 7.1 to 1 gear in these "burner reels."

It gets the lure back faster.

I am just wondering if you guys feel that by using such a high gear you are losing the mechanical advantage that a lower geared reel has?

I haven't tried one of these 7.1 to 1 reels yet,( I think I am going to get on for buzz bait fishing) but I know that the reels I have with 6.3 to 1 you need to reel harder when bringing in a bigger fish. Most of my reels have gears in the 5's a few in the 6's, and I have 2 shimanos that are 3.8 to 1. I use one for slow rolling a spinner bait, or slow cranking. But the other one I use for flippin and pitchin into heavy weeds. I don't use it when flippin wood just when fishing in heavy weeds, like heavy mats of weeds and pad fields. I know that even when I catch a small fish, say 1 or 2 pounder, I may have many pounds of weeds stuck on the fish. You know what I am talking about? You just see a big mess of weeds on you line and can't see the fish under all of it. I feel reeling in all that weight is easier with the 3.8 to 1  reel.

Just wondering what you guys thought?

I like a faster geared reel (I use a 6.3:1) for flippin/pitching to help turn the fish quickly and get it out of cover as fast as possible. It doesn't take long for a big bass to wrap you up if you don't pull him out quick. I think in that situation the advantages of the speed outweigh the disadvantages of the lost power.

IMO power is only really an issue when you are constantly reeling against something with a lot of drag, like a deep crank or a big-bladed spinnerbait. A fast reel is fine for baits that you're not constantly reeling or baits that don't create a lot of drag (like buzzbaits).

I use by 7:1 Curado for buzzbaits.

It works great going fast or slow.

I have also used it for spinnerbaits and shallow crankbaits, but mostly for buzzbaits.

I use high speed reels for lipless crankbaits, Carolina rigs and topwaters.

Brad

why for c riggin brad?

          7:1 reels are ideal when fishing a jig or soft plastic. If a bass picks up your bait and swims to you, you'll need a fast retreive to "catch up" to the fish. If your fishing a c-rig, you need the speed to reel down and get a good hook set.

The 7:1:1 is an awesome gear speed.  I use them for jigs, plastics, jerkbaits, buzzbaits, rippin shallow cranks and spinnerbaits.  If you are going to get one stay away from the Quantum.  It is cheaply made and working at a Sportsmans Warehouse I have seen many problems with it.  Go with the Shimano Curado or the Pflueger Summit.

I only use a "burner" reel on my jerkbait rod and my topwater rod (so I can quickly wind in the slack between jerks).  I tried a burner reel on my frog rod and worm rod, but didn't like the extra speed.  I prefer a 6.3:1 ratio reel for everything else (besides my crankbait rod, which has a 5.2:1).  At the Classic when it was held in Pittsburgh, Randy Howell said that he uses the highest speed reel he can find for everything, because it is easier to slow down your retireve then it is to try and speed it up with a lower ratio reel.  I guess it comes down to personal preference (like everything else in fishing).