On 3/6/2025 at 3:47 PM, GReb said:

The 22 bantam is so much better than the 18 in my opinion. It’s more comfortable, feels lighter, and casts better. The 18 bantam was like holding a brick

Was there that much of a change in the 2018 and 2022?    I thought they just fixed the line guide issue by pushing it back a bit. And also gave it just a different paint job but everything else was the same?   How much lighter is it than the 2018? On Right rod, the weight of the 2018 isn’t even noticeable. 

 

just curious because my 2018 bantam is one of my fav reels and I always wonder if I should just get a ‘22 as well.  
 

I’ve never used a Bantam.  But I have two Curado DC 150 size.  They’re fine, but I don’t know if I’d buy another.  I’m more impressed by the SLX DC, which feels better to me and is less money.  As for the DC feature, I don’t know if it’s necessary at all.  And the 4 settings seem more restrictive than adjusting a non DC reel properly.  I think the root problem might be I’ve just really come to prefer Diawa reels. 

45 minutes ago, MiceNReets said:

Was there that much of a change in the 2018 and 2022?    I thought they just fixed the line guide issue by pushing it back a bit. And also gave it just a different paint job but everything else was the same?   How much lighter is it than the 2018? On Right rod, the weight of the 2018 isn’t even noticeable. 

 

just curious because my 2018 bantam is one of my fav reels and I always wonder if I should just get a ‘22 as well.  
 

The only bad in the 2022 is that the worm shaft is now made of plastic instead of metal. The 22 has the silent tune feature, but they feel the same. I just notice the 22 cast better. 

1 hour ago, MiceNReets said:

Was there that much of a change in the 2018 and 2022?    I thought they just fixed the line guide issue by pushing it back a bit. And also gave it just a different paint job but everything else was the same?   How much lighter is it than the 2018? On Right rod, the weight of the 2018 isn’t even noticeable. 

 

just curious because my 2018 bantam is one of my fav reels and I always wonder if I should just get a ‘22 as well.  
 

22 bantam casts so much better than 1st Gen... I hated the 1st Gen one but have 2 of the newer ones and rate them up there with my metaniuims.. 

1 hour ago, MiceNReets said:

Was there that much of a change in the 2018 and 2022?    I thought they just fixed the line guide issue by pushing it back a bit. And also gave it just a different paint job but everything else was the same?   How much lighter is it than the 2018? On Right rod, the weight of the 2018 isn’t even noticeable. 

 

just curious because my 2018 bantam is one of my fav reels and I always wonder if I should just get a ‘22 as well.  
 

I believe it has a different spool and pinion support as well. I had two 18s that both weighed 8.3oz which is more than the box stated. I sold both shortly after buying because the side plate had some edges that dug into my palm after several hours. I don’t get that with the 22 for some reason 

On 3/6/2025 at 3:31 PM, Rockhopper said:

The JDM 20 Met B has a 70 size spool

No, it a 100.

 

 

20 Metanium JDM is 70 size spool.

20 Metanium USDM is 150 size spool

22 Metanium Shallow Edition is 30 size spool

23 Metanium is 100 size spool

24 Metanium DC is a 70 size spool

 

 

 

4 hours ago, AbelG said:

The only bad in the 2022 is that the worm shaft is now made of plastic instead of metal. The 22 has the silent tune feature, but they feel the same. I just notice the 22 cast better. 

Chronarch MGL has a plastic line guide pawl with a metal worm shaft and it's fine, not sure yet, but most likely newer Shimano reels could have metal guide pawl and plastic worm shaft nothing and nothing wrong with a polymer worm shaft IMO. 18 Bantam has the first Gen silent tune, 22 Bantam has the second gen silent tune, Infinity drive and MGL 3 spool and yes, the 22 Bantam is over all better than the 18 Bantam. I still have two 18 Bantam and I still love both.

5 hours ago, MiceNReets said:

Was there that much of a change in the 2018 and 2022?    I thought they just fixed the line guide issue by pushing it back a bit. And also gave it just a different paint job but everything else was the same?   How much lighter is it than the 2018? On Right rod, the weight of the 2018 isn’t even noticeable. 

 

just curious because my 2018 bantam is one of my fav reels and I always wonder if I should just get a ‘22 as well.  
 

They weight is the same but 22 is noticeably better than the18 in terms of casting and smoothness at least in my experience with both.

11 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

No, it a 100.

 

No, it's a 70.

17 hours ago, T2DM said:

Chronarch MGL has a plastic line guide pawl with a metal worm shaft and it's fine, not sure yet, but most likely newer Shimano reels could have metal guide pawl and plastic worm shaft nothing and nothing wrong with a polymer worm shaft IMO. 18 Bantam has the first Gen silent tune, 22 Bantam has the second gen silent tune, Infinity drive and MGL 3 spool and yes, the 22 Bantam is over all better than the 18 Bantam. I still have two 18 Bantam and I still love both.

Yes, nowaday all shimano have polymer worm shaft, so you have to be carefoul to not work it dry. I know from somes guys that fish curado, slx, slx xt, etc., without grease it properly and literally burned the worm shaft, something that dont happen inmediatelly with the metal worm shaft.
Just my two cents.

10 hours ago, Rockhopper said:

No, it's a 70.

The 20 MetB?

USDM is 150 JDM is 100

No, youre right according to 

I was always told it was 100, by a few different people.  

I stand corrected, my apologies.