what are the main differences between the two reels? is there an 80$ justifcation in those differences?

also alot of pros turn of their magnet brakes all the way off. when pitching especially which is what i'm referring to. is this common? cause if i turn mine completely off, along with very little spool tension, i birdsnest. what is the optimal brake setting (magnetwise) when trying to pitch efficiently?

anybody

The Premier is a lighter reel. They are both built on the same fram with the same basic design. The premier uses less bearings, less drag washers and a lighter spool to decrease the weight by 2 oz. I don't think thats worth any extra money, unless the 2 oz's makes a huge difference to you. The set up on every reel is different and the experience level with that reel will dictate how much tension and brakes you need. Try setting the mags at zero, then set the tesion to a medium drop speed and then put the mags back at about a 3. try that. remeber to always set the mags at zero or off spot before you adjust the tension. then set the magnets after the tension has been set.

In my opinion the STX is a smoother reel. The Premier is light, but almost feels like it could fall apart (I'm sure it won't). I prefer the STX unless you need the 2oz difference.