5 minutes ago, MIbassyaker said:

I agree: The Tatula is over. Please send them to me and I will dispose of them properly.

Same, I'll even cover your shipping cost.

I've had several KK reels and rods. They're decent and get the job done, but I've never had one that blew me away and they always felt "loose" and geary. I think I still have a couple that I've tried to sell multiple times but never had any takers. FWIW, I've never fished one of their real, high end reels, a Speed Demon Elite I think was the highest end I tried, but it was underwhelming to say the least and no way I'd drop Tatula money to try their top of the line models.

2 minutes ago, Micro Module Police said:

He bashes them constantly. Uses Temu brands, and tries to make his viewers believe that it's smoother than a zillion, or a steez tw is as goofy as it gets. He is incapable of making a single video without mentioning Daiwa in bad light. That doesn't bother me, though, it makes me giggle instead because i know that the extreme popularity of the Zillion and the Tat made his Curado/SLX and the Metanium significantly less relevant than what they were prior to 2021.

First things first, I think the "Temu Brand" thing needs to be more specific and is also a blanket term for inexpensive reel brands from a company you haven't heard from. Its also an uninformed term becuase there is a difference between Billings/Proberos and Seasir/DMK. For example Seasir is CDM brand that is sold on Temu and Amazon. I forgot to list them but I bought 2 Seasir M1s based off of his review and they are great. Honestly they are 70 percent of a Zillion for an 1/8th of the price. Also there are some legitimate CDM reel manufacturers. DMK is a large manufacturer of reels and make a lot of good stuff as an OEM that gets rebadged as other CDM brands. Bates is made by Loongze and Ark partners with Haibo. Right now there are some legitimate CDM reel manufacturers offering some good stuff at great prices. You can choose to buy it or don't, but to call it trash or label it Temu Brand is unfair and again keeps people from getting the best possible tackle for their budget. As far as the TheReelTest goes saying that something is not as good or pointing out a flaw in something is not bashing it. I have watched a lot of his videos and I dont ever recall him referring to Daiwa as garbage or anything approaching that. If anything I have felt that he uses the Tatula as a measuring stick. I have never heard of a product being the standard that others are judged on being a bad thing. Daiwas are the Toyota Land Criusers of reels. I think that's a great thing. They are dependable and don't do anything great, but do everything really well.

Edited March 24Mar 24 by Glenn
Edited by moderator for policy compliance

55 minutes ago, MIbassyaker said:

I agree: The Tatula is over. Please send them to me and I will dispose of them properly.

This whole thing makes me laugh becuase he TheReelTest is getting the last laugh on this. Ya'll labeled him a troll and Daiwa hater and he is just playing into it. It's obviously working because you all watch his videos and run out and share them with everyone all upset about it 🤣. I should message him to make a video telling everyone sell their Daiwas for scrap metal and buy Sougayilang reels..

48 minutes ago, CaughtMeABiggun said:

This whole thing makes me laugh becuase he TheReelTest is getting the last laugh on this. Ya'll labeled him a troll and Daiwa hater and he is just playing into it. It's obviously working because you all watch his videos and run out and share them with everyone all upset about it 🤣. I should message him to make a video telling everyone sell their Daiwas for scrap metal and buy Sougayilang reels..

People watch his videos because he covers new releases. He trolls Daiwa or not, those who care what's coming out will watch his stuff. Too bad Tackle Advisors isn't posting, he actually is on the water more than 5 times a year.

3 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

FWIW, I've never fished one of their real, high end reels, a Speed Demon Elite I think was the highest end I tried, but it was underwhelming to say the least and no way I'd drop Tatula money to try their top of the line models.

I think this sentiment potentially explains why Kastking would be willing to undercut the sales of their own reel with an alternate version.

If they believe they have a good product here that the market just won't currently accept at it's premium price point then it makes sense to try to lower that price. If everything is what it looks like, that this is just a change in frame material and some cosmetic changes, then I'm not sure why anyone would buy the MG version now. The AL version is effectively a replacement as I see it, but now at a price point more people may be more willing to take a flier on.

On 3/23/2026 at 7:33 AM, Big Swimbait said:

I have 2 MG Ti's. I bought the 2nd one after the first one blew me away. I fished them both hard last year with zero issues. The AL looks to be on sale right now.

I thought about getting the Mg Ti but I already had the MG12. I like the drag star better in the AL Ti and that lower price.

6 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Same, I'll even cover your shipping cost.

I've had several KK reels and rods. They're decent and get the job done, but I've never had one that blew me away and they always felt "loose" and geary. I think I still have a couple that I've tried to sell multiple times but never had any takers. FWIW, I've never fished one of their real, high end reels, a Speed Demon Elite I think was the highest end I tried, but it was underwhelming to say the least and no way I'd drop Tatula money to try their top of the line models.

From what I understand there is Kastking before they got their own factory and Kastking after they got their own factory. They are still made in China but from what I understand they have their own facility now. I think the big separation in quality started with the Bassinator. Then the MG12 solidified that direction. The speed demon was before the MG12 and Bassinator. You are not the 1st person that I have heard was not impressed. I think that you would be really impressed with one of these higher end new releases. I had two of the original mega jaws and they were OK but the elite they make now is a much different reel in terms of materials and build quality.

I don't own any KastKing reels, but would like to try the MG Ti Elite. It looks to be a very good reel. I wouldn't think it would be fair to compare it to a Tatula. My Tatula which I consider an SUV of reels, is priced on TW at $229. Far under the price of the MG Ti Elite at $299. I would assume a reel that is one dollar shy of $300 would be better than most of the Tatula line. A JDM Zillion is $225 on Digitika, and would be more of a fair comparison. If the KanstKing is better than the JDM Zillion, than the Bait Monkey will not be letting me get much sleep. I will be keeping track of opinions of those that have both reels, and may have to cave in to the Monkey and give the MG Ti Elite a try in a year or two. Only time will tell, but for now I wouldn't sell the tried and true Tatula short.

You also have people who do the math.

You recognize them on the forum because they post the math.

deleted

1 minute ago, brophog said:

The entire thread is about Kastking making an AL version of this reel to compete at this price point. How in the world do you miss that fact?

I only looked up the versions that were on TW. I did miss the AL distinction, and wrongly assumed everyone was talking about the MG Ti elite. My bad, I should have read the posts more carefully, and am more than a little embarrassed for my mistake. In my defense, it was not a difficult mistake to make. A more polite way to point my mistake out would have been to only mention the fact that I made a mistake. Adding how in the world to your correction, only made you post condescending, instead of a positive correction for an honest mistake,

I know, I felt bad and deleted it but you replied too quickly. My apologies.

11 hours ago, Micro Module Police said:

People watch his videos because he covers new releases. He trolls Daiwa or not, those who care what's coming out will watch his stuff. Too bad Tackle Advisors isn't posting, he actually is on the water more than 5 times a year.

Always wondered if TheReelTest actually fishes or not.

3 hours ago, king fisher said:

I don't own any KastKing reels, but would like to try the MG Ti Elite. It looks to be a very good reel. I wouldn't think it would be fair to compare it to a Tatula. My Tatula which I consider an SUV of reels, is priced on TW at $229. Far under the price of the MG Ti Elite at $299. I would assume a reel that is one dollar shy of $300 would be better than most of the Tatula line. A JDM Zillion is $225 on Digitika, and would be more of a fair comparison. If the KanstKing is better than the JDM Zillion, than the Bait Monkey will not be letting me get much sleep. I will be keeping track of opinions of those that have both reels, and may have to cave in to the Monkey and give the MG Ti Elite a try in a year or two. Only time will tell, but for now I wouldn't sell the tried and true Tatula short.

Unless you have to have that Drag Star save the money and buy the AL Ti over the MG Ti. The weight difference is so small its negligible as a deciding factor. Other than the frame material, handle material, and star drag they are the same reel. You could take the 80 to 100 bucks you save and apply it towards a rod upgrade.

24 minutes ago, MiceNReets said:

Always wondered if TheReelTest actually fishes or not.

I hope so becuase he's got a lot of reels collecting dust if he doesn't. I would imagine he does, but his channel is about 1st impressions so we don't get to see what happens afterwards. He's definitely the unbox therapy of fishing.

I think asking enthusiasts to consider a $299 KastKing Mg-Ti Elite is a bit of an ask, even if it is a high performer. In the AL-Ti Elite, they have a reel that should have the main performance characteristics of the higher priced unit, but at a price that may tempt people to give it a go.

Some of the differences are more aesthetic like the carbon fiber handle and star drag design, while others like the drag material and minor bearing quality differences may affect performance, though I would think not to a great degree. Also, if you want an 8.2:1 gear ratio, only the more expensive MG-TI Elite offers that. . . . at this time.

I have tried three different KastKing BFS reels that have ranged from $70 to $120, and I can say that each of them has been at least solid value for what they cost and two of the three punch far above their weight. I would heartily recommend the Kestrel BFS that can be had for right around $100 and performs similarly to my Aldebaran BFS that cost four and a half times as much.

I've mentioned before that the intent of the MG-Ti Elite is a bit ambiguous to me. The AL-Ti is no different in that respect that I can see. All things being what they are to me, the Al-Ti (at $200 currently) is a lot more tempting if/when I feel like taking a chance. It's good to have choices, and competition tends to keeps the big dogs on a shorter leash.

9 minutes ago, Big Hands said:

I've mentioned before that the intent of the MG-Ti Elite is a bit ambiguous to me.

Can you elaborate?

5 hours ago, brophog said:

Can you elaborate?

The specs list line capacity at 100 yards of 12 lbs mono and a little less of 14 lbs mono, and then state it can easily cast 1/16 to 1/8 oz lures, and all the way up to 1 oz lures.

I’m trying to imagine a 1/16 oz lure on 12 lbs mono.

Why do I need 300 feet of 12 lbs mono to do whatever I would do with a 1/16 oz lure?

Could I get the slack out of 12 lbs mono so that I could have any idea what is going on with a 1/16 oz lure?

How many rods can cast 1/16 oz, yet still have the backbone to deal with 12 lbs mono?

I could put lighter line on it, but why would I go to the expense of having a titanium spool that weighs 7g only to put a crapton of line on it?

What am I missing here?

Side by side comparisons of new reels are valuable.

Side by side comparisons of five year old, heavily used reels would also be of value to me.

I know that is silly for new models, but thankfully I've never been an early adopter of anything. I'd not bash anything I haven't personally used, but I think (perceived?) longevity can have value.

Unfortunately, brands can be weakened by single, inferior models, even at the lowest end. I completely wrote off two mid-major brands because my first ones were the cheapest models and both failed me very early. Years later, both brands now comprise some of my favorite gear. Some new brands come out firing with low end product at appetizing price point and have trouble recovering for a while.

58 minutes ago, Big Hands said:

What am I missing here?

Thanks.

Those are the same points I made earlier in this thread.

1 hour ago, Choporoz said:

Side by side comparisons of five year old, heavily used reels would also be of value to me.

I know that is silly for new models, but thankfully I've never been an early adopter of anything. I'd not bash anything I haven't personally used, but I think (perceived?) longevity can have value.

That would be nice. Unfortunately, companies are coercing reviews about 3 seconds after a product is bought nowadays and you can find loads of reviews from people that readily admit they haven't actually used the product yet. Finding information on a product 5 years old basically takes an enthusiast site like this one. I remember several years ago we had a thread here where someone bought a BPS Pro Qualifier reel (I think that was the model) and used it a great deal and documented it. Very useful review.

The other problem is companies that once were quite good about supporting models for a number of years aren't doing that so much anymore. They're turning over models faster and not keeping parts around for as long.

12 hours ago, MiceNReets said:

Always wondered if TheReelTest actually fishes or not.

Its a couch fisherman. There's a reason why he is insanely excited to catch even a crappie during his tests. He doesn't service his reels, and they're always perfectly clean. I take care of my gear much more than the average person would, so my reels are also "scratchless", but with all the gunk you'll catch over a season, they simply cannot be clean, and his are factory clean.

If i had to guess, and i'd put money on it, he is on the water, for the sole purpose of fishing, about 15 times a year, for no more than 4h at a time. As i said, a couch fisherman.

On 3/23/2026 at 10:37 PM, CaughtMeABiggun said:

13 Fishing

Concept A2

ARK

Gravity G8

ABU Garcia

Zenon MG LTX

REVO gen 4 SX

REVO gen 4 X

Max STX

Bates

GOAT 150

EDC 150

Daiwa

Steez A2

Zillion SV TW

ALPHAS SV TW 800H

Tatula 100

TATULA X

FUEGO CT

Fuego SV CS

Kastking

Mg12

AL Ti

Kestrel Magnesium

Zephyr BFS

Crixus Armor X

Mega Jaws Elite Shallow spool

Kistler

Chromium 200

Chromium 150

Lews

LFS

OKUMA

Helios

Hakai

Serrano

Piscifun

Torrent

Shimano

2025 Antares

Calcutta Conquest 30 SE

Metanium 100

Curado 150 MGL

JDM SLX 70 DC 2023 edition

SLX XT

SLX

CURADO 200D

CASTAIC super free

JDM Bass One XT

Quantum

ICON PT

Wow. I thought I had a lot of tackle, but you own a tackle shop.

32 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

Wow. I thought I had a lot of tackle, but you own a tackle shop.

What can I say... Im a Tackle Junkie. In all seriousness with the exception of a Kestrel SE. I'm done buying reels for a long time. Maybe ever.

34 minutes ago, CaughtMeABiggun said:

What can I say... Im a Tackle Junkie. In all seriousness with the exception of a Kestrel SE. I'm done buying reels for a long time. Maybe ever.

we need photos...

31 minutes ago, Eric 26 said:

🤣 it wasn't until I got my Antares. I immediately realized that there is not another reel that I could buy that could beat that reel in any way. If you have one you know what I mean. If you don't have one I hope you someday do. There is a jewel quality to that reel that is really indescribable. It's the only reel that my jaw dropped on the first cast and stayed dropped through the retireve. The best way I can describe it is that my Steez is a Seiko, my Zillion is a Citizen, and my Antares is a Rolex. And that is no exaggeration. If I do buy a reel now it is more about a curiosity but it has to be something really worth checking out.

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

we need photos...

That's a lot photos, but here is a taste.

I have lots of reels and don't frustrate myself comparing brands; if it's not a Daiwa I'm not interested.