Saltist 20H / Penn 525 Mag

[Persues]

This has probably been done to death already but assuming money was not an influencing factor in the decision making process:

To those who have used both reels, which is your preferred and why ?

To those who have used one of them, if you have also used the other was there anything that would tempt you or are you still firmly in one particular camp ?

If you had the choice of either, which would it be and why ?

I'm curious about the views of those who have used either/both and would appreciate honest pros/cons feedback, without the marketing nonsense you would typically see in your average mag review...

Note, this is not intended to be a which is best/better so much as a gathering of opinion from those who have used one or both reels in anger. I'd very much appreciate your honest and objective opinions.

Thanks in advance

 

[phill_itofish]

I have a old Mag525 and a Saltist30,, the Saltist is a stonking reel but i've got to say i love my Mag more.

 

[<(Andy2009)>]

Speaking on level terms here, I have had both the Penn 525 mag and Daiwa Saltist 20H, and both reels are fantastic.

They both have the same gear ratio, same 'tank' like toughness, and same drag power. What let the saltist 20H down for me (this happend in the earlier models), was that after around a dozen sessions with it, the drag packed up on me, the star drag component threaded the post it was on. In newer models, I believe this problem has been fixed. I had two last year, sold both on to get more Penn reels!

As for the Penn 525, what more can I say... I have 4, including two original mags, a gs version, and the new 525 mag2. All are mint, cannot rate them highly enough, cast very well, easy to maintain, built to last if taken care of, they are probably 'the' shore reel of all time.

I hope to get more, once am sorted with other gear supplies I need at the moment.

 

[g-force]

I'm going to kind of go against the grain here by saying I never really liked my 525's - I've still got one left lurking at the back of the drawer somewhere but sold the others; I much prefer my Saltists! I like the all metal construction (had a few issues with cracked side plates & broken cages on the Penn reels) and they are soooo smooth - the Penns felt like a bucket of rusty spanners by comparison.

If you like mag brakes then the 525 obviously has the edge but I prefer old fashioned brake blocks; the only mag reels I like are my 7HT mags.

However, if you compare the Saltist to the new Penn Fathom 15 I'd be harder pushed to choose - they're like the 525's size-wise but with an all metal cage & centrifugal brakes instead of mags. Price wise the Saltists seem to be getting out of control & the Fathom seems much better value as far as I'm concerned (cheaper than the 525 too). I haven't had a go of the Fathom, but am considering getting a few of the bigger 25 size for my heavy-line fishing - we'll see.

Gary

 

[Ian Alexander]

Hello,
It's all a matter of personal preference and most people will go for the Penn 525.....and they are excellent reels. Whichever one you choose you will be happy with but I have both reels and I prefer the Saltist.
The Penn 525's are great but for me the Saltist 20H just feels better. It holds a bit more line and although the retrieve ratio is the same on both reels the narrower spool on the Saltist makes for a better retrieve. I tend not to use lines below 20lb b.s. and I think the Saltist handles the heavier lines better too.

The Penn has the advantage of having the mag brakes, whilst the Saltist uses conventional brake blocks. If the magnetic control is important then go for the Penn 525 mag. I find the brake block system is fine for me.
You can get an after market mag kit for the Saltists but on most of them you have to do away with the ratchet to fit them and you end up with the control knob sticking out of the left hand side which is great for catching on your coat sleeve and generaly getting in the way. Some people like them but I don't.
Again though it's only my opinion.

 

[bigandy]

I have old mag 525's and saltists. I have tried the new 525 mag 2 and I did not like. I sold it after a couple of weeks. I love the old 525 with the mag control and use it a lot. However if I had to choose 1 it would be the saltist, this is a personal opinion, I think the saltist build quality is superior, I also think the reel is smoother. personaly i did not think the new mag 2 qaulity was very good.

 

[<(Andy2009)>]

personaly i did not think the new mag 2 qaulity was very good.

I found the new 525 mag2 quality to be much the same as the original 525 mags, but I find the new mag setup to be much more responsive and easier to use, especially since you cannot accidently knock to magnets onto '0' or full on ('8') like what happens on the older mags.

All personal preferences though, it all depends on what we like and what we want from our gear.

 

[Ian Alexander]

I'm going to kind of go against the grain here by saying I never really liked my 525's - I've still got one left lurking at the back of the drawer somewhere but sold the others; I much prefer my Saltists! I like the all metal construction (had a few issues with cracked side plates & broken cages on the Penn reels) and they are soooo smooth - the Penns felt like a bucket of rusty spanners by comparison.

If you like mag brakes then the 525 obviously has the edge but I prefer old fashioned brake blocks; the only mag reels I like are my 7HT mags.

However, if you compare the Saltist to the new Penn Fathom 15 I'd be harder pushed to choose - they're like the 525's size-wise but with an all metal cage & centrifugal brakes instead of mags. Price wise the Saltists seem to be getting out of control & the Fathom seems much better value as far as I'm concerned (cheaper than the 525 too). I haven't had a go of the Fathom, but am considering getting a few of the bigger 25 size for my heavy-line fishing - we'll see.

Gary

Yeah I agree, you're right they feel smoother aswell.

 

[g-force]

Slightly off topic but years ago (about 1982) I bought one of the first Penn mag reels, the 970....

At the time it seemed well ahead of the Abus I was using and would chuck for miles with 15lb line on it. Had to adjust the mag with a coin or a screwdriver, but then there was non of the fad for fiddling with mags mid cast (always seems daft to me in a fishing situation, although obviously vital to the tourney boys) - having learned on birdsnest machines like the Mitchell 602 the most important thing to acquire was an educated thumb!

When I got back into fishing after a long absence I bought the Penns largely on the basis of my experience with the earlier reel, but to be honest I just never really took to them - even the slosh 20 seemed better to me.

Gary

 

[Davey-m]

I have Penn mag 525 extras and I do like the reels they do everything I've asked them to do.

Am not mag mad so bought the Penn fathom 15 as it looked the bizz and it hasn't disappointed me and dare to say its my first choice when targeting bigger fish from clean to mixed ground cast and retrieve is very smooth and I've had fish to 7 and half pound and its handled them no problems.

 

[Persues]

Thanks everyone for the very considered opinions offered.

Mag brakes are largely academic to me - like many I learned on brakeless Mitchel 602 multipliers, and you had to develop a very educated thumb pretty sharpish

The magged reels I do own are set to a certain position and left there

The Fathoms look very interesting - I will investigate further. If they are effectively a mag-less 525 (a gross oversimplification I know, but I mean the core gearing and overall size/dimensions/profile) then that could be a way forward. The lower retrieve ratio appeals to me for starters.

I recently saw a fully stripped out 525 and was amazed at how strongly built the internal components are - the gearing makes an Abu look like a child's toy

I'll pop into Sport & Leisure some time next week and have John get a Saltist and 525 out for comparison.

Might be the only way to really know is to get both...

 

[Ian Alexander]

Hello,
Go for the Saltist.....you won't regret it

Regards Ian

 

[g-force]

Hello,
Go for the Saltist.....you won't regret it

Regards Ian

I bet that codling did though

Seriously though, yeah, the 525's have extremely strong internals, but then again so do the Saltists; they're a big improvement over the sloshes. One criticism you might hear of the Saltists is that the paint scratches easily, and it's pretty true - but as far as I'm concerned, like rods, they're tools for catching codlings and I don't particularly care what they look like. You can get new Saltists in black & gold, which are supposed to have a tougher anodised finish, but they're more expensive again (do look quite sexy though!)....

Gary

 

[Davey-m]

First thing I done was take mine apart the internals on a fathom 15 are basically a mini version of the bigger fathom reels apart from it has a speed shaft for casting like the 525 and 6:1 gear ratio for reeling, but like the boat reels where the pinion connects to the spool is a hexi-block, which handles the higher torque due to the higher maximum drag and oversized power handle, which is different on the 525 which has the pinion gear interlocking a washer on the spool with 2 dog teeth and smaller handle they are a good designed reel.

 

[Persues]

Hello,
Go for the Saltist.....you won't regret it

Regards Ian

That's just showing off...

 

[clarky]

I have Penn mag 525 extras and I do like the reels they do everything I've asked them to do.

Am not mag mad so bought the Penn fathom 15 as it looked the bizz and it hasn't disappointed me and dare to say its my first choice when targeting bigger fish from clean to mixed ground cast and retrieve is very smooth and I've had fish to 7 and half pound and its handled them no problems.

Av got both n they great, I used to prefer the 525 but now av got the saltist mag'd n faster bearings in its fantastic