I recently received a Daiwa Freams LT 1000s reel. I was looking for a JDM Daiwa reel that was mag sealed and more cost efficient over the Daiwa Luvias. The Freams was $120 shipped compared to the $280 of the Luvias. I did a brief comparison in my office of three JDM Daiwa reels: Presso Limited 1025, Luvias 1003, and Freams LT 1000 s. All three reels are factory stock, I bearing kits installed (yet). All three reels are quality builds but you can see some minor difference as you step up from the Freams to the Presso. The Freams is a little heavier than the Luvias and Presso. This makes me think that the Freams will be a little more durable and capable and handling harder use. All three reels are very smooth but you can definitely detect a little more friction in the action of the Freams. I wanted to quantify this difference but I do not have any meters that measure rotation force (torque) or inertia. I can definitely tell a difference between the initial resistance of the handle turning between the Presso and the other two Daiwa reels. I’m guessing this is because the Presso is not mag sealed like the other two Daiwa reels. I have discussed ways to measure the differences of torque with an engineering buddy of mine and he thinks we might be able to measure the differences with a fine scale electronic torque meter. He said he would look for one for me. Since I didn’t have this kind of meter, I did a simple handle spin test that basically is assessing the friction in the reels. I turned the handle as fast as I could, let go, and counted the number of unassisted handle rotations. Once I felt like I was being consistent, I did five reps. The Freams averaged 12 revolutions. The Luvias averaged 16 revolutions and the Presso averaged 19 revolutions. I know that this wasn’t a reel (pun intended) scientific evaluation but I thought it would give y’all a little insight into the differences. The take home message is that you do get what you pay for. There are some differences in quality and performance in the JDM Daiwa reels. Will these differences help you to catch more fish? It depends on how you fish. If you need absolute control of micro jigs, the Presso might help you keep a very consistent and smooth retrieve. I personally do not think my skill is high enough yet with finesse fishing tactics to fully utilize the Presso. What about the differences between the Luvias and the Freams? There are some differences here as well but the jump from the Freams to the Luvias is less than the jump from the Luvias to the Presso. The average angler (like me) would probably catch just as many fish with the Freams than the other two Daiwa reels in the review. That’s the truth. But as Randy has pointed out in the past, there is just something about the feeling of high end JDM gear. It is hard to quantify and explain. For an average angler looking to improve the quality of their spinning reel, I recommend the Freams. For the avid angler looking to step up their game and fully enjoy the feeling of a high quality JDM reel, I recommend the Luvias. For the enthusiast who likes to use some of the best gear out there, I recommend the Presso. I hope to get out this weekend and test the Freams out and see how it feels in action. Stay tuned.
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