# Daiwa Saltiga knockoff for $100?



## ABombs (Oct 13, 2020)

I noticed some cheap reels on Wish.com recently and have been thinking about them. I would like a big spinning reel with a high max drag force. A few options I have thought about are the Penn Slammer III, Kastking Megatron, and Daiwa Saltiga. Wish.com have a few Chinese no-name brands that look nice. They have some that by specs are similar to the Megatron for $30 delivered (versus $50--which is still cheap, I know). But what really caught my attention is this one here. It's a knockoff of the Daiwa Saltiga. The same reel can be found here on Amazon as well.









The data they provide is as follows:



> Fishing Reels Type: Trolling
> Reel Baits Type: Additive
> Position: Reservoir Pond,River,Ocean Boat Fishing,Ocean Beach Fishing,Ocean Rock Fshing,Lake,Stream
> Model Number: MX
> ...



They are asking between $80-$102 for the varying models. Out of 481 reviews, it gets an average of 4.1 stars. Most people like it, some say it is okay.

Amazon has some more verbose reviews which help shed some light, like this one:


> For the money, 6000 size is a good deal update
> Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2020
> Size: 5000
> The reel I received for Christmas was purchased on Amazon. Supposed to be a Hiumi 6000. Seems to be excellent quality. After doing some research. These reels are what is known as unbranded. If you search Alibab or other sites like that. These are made by a host of companies and can be purchased in large quantities under the name MX6000. The box said metal reel. That's it. And name is different than on the reel, its not Hiumi. I'm telling you all this for 2 reasons. First, if you receive one and the drag is not working correctly. Check to make sure drag washers installed in right order. This a fairly common issue. And easily fixed. Second, it can be a crap shoot on quality. Depends on who made it. So many produced worldwide. That's why I instructed my Dad to buy on Amazon. If I get a bad one send it back. The one I received has very nice blue metal flake paint. Very smooth. Casts a mile. No vibration or noise. I recommend the 6000. Spooled it with 30 lb braid. 250 yards and still way more room. In my research, have found this reel selling for 300$ and more. It's not a bad deal. Hope this helps.
> ...



Anyone have any thoughts or impressions to share? Would you buy one to try out? Worth the gamble? Thanks.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

You might as well just buy a Battle II in the $100 range. Hearing good things about the new Daiwa BGs too, I bought a 2500 but haven't fished it yet.


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## Rougesun (Oct 26, 2020)

I’ve been a big fan of the Daiwa SS Tournament reels for like 20 years. A little out of date with no instant anti-reverse. However, they are a workhorse. They cast wonderfully, have a great drag and are almost indestructible. Cheap, too. The best $100 reel made today, IMHO. I’ve got a few that are 20 years old and still preform like champs. I prefer a Stradic, especially for the faster fish, but the SS Tournaments are a fantastic reel.


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

weekend reels. or loaners for friends.
for 30-50 bucks. cant complain.
with some care before use and maybe a grease pack. they could last quite a bit as long as you dont stress it too much.
you cant get high drag on a cheaper reel. just not happening.
you can however buy like 2 or 3 or 4. torture one until it poops out. recycle it.
that use the second, then third. youll still be like $100 out of pocket for a 1-4 year span.

for an avid fisherman, ya that reel might be like crap.
but not everyone has a high budget for things that might only use once in a while.
id say, go for it. try it out.


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## slosh (Jul 1, 2017)

To me, high capacity, high drag reel means you're after big fish, not somewhere I like to cut corners. How much do you value thrift over reliability? Think about cost of just getting on the water to use the reel. Still make sense to cut corners and take a chance with it? 

Don't get me wrong, 90% of my fishing, hunting gear, tools, even clothes are 2nd hand purchases because I'm a cheapskate. Some of my reels are absolute clunkers, which is fine for kids and friends on the beach/pier pan fishing. The clunkers are old Mitchells and Penns that will not let me down, even when they get tested by bigger fish once in awhile. The no-name reel doesn't inspire that sort of confidence for me. 

For your purpose, if you want a lot of reel for cheap, get a big Daiwa BG, or a Spheros. I'd take one of those over 10 of the no-names.


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## Rougesun (Oct 26, 2020)

Spool diameter is the difference in casting distance. The SS Tournament has a lager spool and will outcast any of those reels with a smaller diameter spool.


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## mdsurffishing (Dec 31, 2013)

If you want a big reel that has great drag and hold a ton of line that is almost indestructible for $105 look at the Fin Nor Lethal LT100 just don't get the smaller lethal reels because they are crap.


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## 9rock (Apr 3, 2020)

I have 2 Kastkings my friend has 2 and his son has 3 ,and we have yet to have a problem with them check out some of thier videos and they are American made


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## Fish'n Phil (Nov 11, 2002)

I’m suspicious of any reel with an over the top number of bearings. Probably cheap for a reason. I would take that money and get a Penn Battle 2 6000 for $79...for that price I recently saw a rod and reel for the same amount


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## Matey (Oct 27, 2011)

i have a couple okuma trio rex arena spinners that are designed for surf with a tall shallow spool. can find them for about $90 if you shop round on the net. i have had them for a couple years and they lay braid real well and no issues so far. even have a metal reel seat and stem then composite body.


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## slosh (Jul 1, 2017)

Shallow spool/casting distance is not the draw when considering these high end spinners. These reels are for jigging and tossing lures for amberjack, tuna, etc. 

These reels are made to handle high drag force. 

The knock off might nail the design, but it won't have the metal quality to keep intact under high pressure. 

Alan Tani dot com will guide you well on that topic.


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## ABombs (Oct 13, 2020)

Hello fishing reel people, and anyone interested in this reel.... I have some feedback on the Hiumi MX6000 after about 11 months of regular use. I ended up buying one to try out around March of 2021, and yesterday I took it apart for servicing for the first time. This reel performs pretty well, is smooth, and I will use it until it dies, but honestly I would NOT buy this again for the following reasons.

1). The manufacturer claims of 30-40kg drag force are extremely exaggerated. I have tested it with a suitcase scale over and over, including after servicing, and I cannot get more than 9kg (~20lb) of drag out of this reel, even clamped down uncomfortably tight. Bogus claim--totally bogus. I wish someone else had done a review and found this sooner, because it was the main selling feature for me. I was really hoping it would come closer than 1/3 or 1/4 the label claim. I am led to believe they are deliberately saying this to make people think this is a Daiwa Saltiga clone. It is not at all.

2). The clicker tab broke off after the first run by a 6 foot shark. Not unusual, nor heavy conditions. The drag was pretty loose, and the bait was taken and it got ran pretty fast, and by the time I picked up the rod it had gone silent. I've been meaning to make a new one from a sheet of aluminum. But it's super annoying to fish bait-and-wait and not have a working clicker when fishing multiple rods at once. It broke way too fast and easy. Basically, it was never going to hold up at all.

3). I was concerned about the seals on this because there is a gap between the handle stem and reel body where a small gasket is, but is not thick enough to fill the gap. Turns out the seals suck, (even though it is made of well-machine parts that fit very well overall). I never dunked this reel, and I religiously and carefully rinsed this reel every single time out and somehow at the time of first service it had a relatively large amount of sand inside. Yes, sand. Took forever to clean out and it was a disappointing shock. This reel never got dunked and never got laid in the sand. Not even sure which way it came in. Probably had small amounts "rinsed in" over time while I was trying to care for it.

4). Saltwater splashes on the exterior finish have ruined the paint. The paint is coming off and leaving behind surface corrosion. It isn't dead yet, and most other components are corrosion free thus far, but I am afraid in time the body will be damaged by corrosion.

5). Bail arm screw and the crosswind block screws work themselves loose and need tightening/servicing pretty often. I might need Locktight to make this more durable. I don't have this problem with other reels.

6). Bearings are nice quality and very smooth, but I have no idea how they count 12+1 bearings..... After servicing, I count 6, (not including the anti-reverse system). There is a little one in the power handle, another little one on the bail arm roller, 2 on the main shaft, and 2 on either side of the main gear. Another bogus claim, in my humble opinion (unless they are counting all the parts of the anti-reverse system). It is a buttery smooth reel, but it doesn't make me feel good when the claims don't match reality.

7). No idea where to get parts. Probably no parts are available...



Good news about it: 

After hooking and fighting some very large fish, both on boat and in the surf, I have to say the gears all look great. No signs of wear yet in this regard. No signs of anything mechanical failing. After servicing it is buttery smooth again. I trust it, and it performs pretty well for what it is. I am sure I will get plenty more seasons out of it if I continue to service it frequently. The gears are machined well, fit well with minimal play, and it works well as a unit. If I can somehow keep the body from corroding, I am sure it will go beyond 5 years of regular use. It is built pretty tough.

It isn't the lightest reel, but sometimes I still use it to throw big swim baits. As far as casting goes, I would rate it medium/medium-long casting. It DOES cast pretty well, but not the best. My most similar reel for comparison is DAM Quick Super 270, which I also use in the surf for targeting the same species. Line comes off the DAM Quick Super more smoothly, it has a couple more pounds of drag (measures ~22lb), much higher quality steel gears, and offers a much better seal. Go figure! Old, obscure German reel outperforms this shiny new CNC machined reel in pretty much every capacity.... Not to get down on the Hiumi. I still enjoy using it and will for some time, not to mention the rate of retrieve is higher on the Hiumi, and the power handle feels better in my hand.

Take-apart for servicing is easy. It is very similar to other reels like Penn Battle. One screw for the side plate is hidden under the rotor, so you have to loosen the rotor nut, take the hidden screw out, then remove the plate, then remove the crosswind block screw before it all comes apart. But it's easy to get into if you know about that one hidden screw. It's a shame no one stocks parts for this reason.

Another thing that is nice is the line lay. The line is consistently even across the spool and packs in tight. Not all reels lay the line down this nicely.

I conclude this reel is socially engineered to capture the large market of infrequent, occasional fisherman that may never get enough fishing time to discover it leaves a lot to be desired. Considering the fact a Penn Battle or Daiwa BG can be found for a little bit more money, (but almost same price point), I would venture out on a limb to say it would be stupid not to get one of those and avoid this one. They both would produce more drag, are sealed better, hold up better, and parts can be found easily, offering a much longer service life.

I want to thank everyone for your feedback. I felt like I had to try this one out, but pretty much everyone was right about what I would get out of it. Thanks again.



Last, here are some photos from yesterday's take-apart.


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## jahtez (Aug 29, 2021)

Geeze, it looks like pot metal with a cheap coat of paint.


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## ABombs (Oct 13, 2020)

jahtez said:


> Geeze, it looks like pot metal with a cheap coat of paint.


Yeah, pretty much. I am sure this is pretty common practice for reels under $100... I am disappointed in the paint pealing so fast though.


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## Catch This (Nov 19, 2005)

hate to be the one to say it, but you get what you pay for...


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## slosh (Jul 1, 2017)

jahtez said:


> Geeze, it looks like pot metal with a cheap coat of paint.


yes it does. I would have guessed it to have lived on the porch of a beach house 5 or 6 years based on appearance.


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## ABombs (Oct 13, 2020)

I have been thinking about the metal a little more.... Magnet test reveals nonferrous material. I do believe the body is cast aluminum alloy as the manufacturer claims. Not sure if this qualifies as pot metal or not. If the paint held up there wouldn't be much of a problem, IMHO.


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## jahtez (Aug 29, 2021)

ABombs said:


> I have been thinking about the metal a little more.... Magnet test reveals nonferrous material. I do believe the body is cast aluminum alloy as the manufacturer claims. Not sure if this qualifies as pot metal or not. If the paint held up there wouldn't be much of a problem, IMHO.


Basically, a pot metal is any blend of metals with a low melting point that can be cast easily and cheaply. Here's one definition: _There is no scientific metallurgical standard for pot metal; common metals in pot metal include zinc, lead, copper, tin, magnesium, aluminum, iron, and cadmium. The primary advantage of pot metal is that it is quick and easy to cast. Due to its low melting temperature no sophisticated foundry equipment is needed and specialized molds are not necessary. Examples of items created from pot metal include toys, furniture fittings, tool parts, electronics components, and automotive parts._
Because iron has a fairly high melting point, most pot metals have a low iron content.


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## ABombs (Oct 13, 2020)

jahtez said:


> Basically, a pot metal is any blend of metals with a low melting point that can be cast easily and cheaply. Here's one definition: _There is no scientific metallurgical standard for pot metal; common metals in pot metal include zinc, lead, copper, tin, magnesium, aluminum, iron, and cadmium. The primary advantage of pot metal is that it is quick and easy to cast. Due to its low melting temperature no sophisticated foundry equipment is needed and specialized molds are not necessary. Examples of items created from pot metal include toys, furniture fittings, tool parts, electronics components, and automotive parts._
> Because iron has a fairly high melting point, most pot metals have a low iron content.



Okay, but without knowing more about this alloy, how can we say anything about it's properties in this application? Even cheap(er) pot metals, if well chosen, can have characteristics that make them suitable and potentially long-lasting. It seems secondary to the quality of paint finish, (and label claims about drag, number of bearings, as well as the bad seals). The clicker breaking seems to be a fluke, perhaps a bad design just like the seals. Not that I want cheap pot metal in a reel targeting big fighting fish, but if the characteristics are comparable to other common, strong, versatile aluminum alloys... I dunno.... That's not the breaking point for me... Like I said, I wouldn't buy this again, nor recommend it, but I can still catch some big fish on it, and it is better in my hands than other reels I currently own. I have some other reels that are highly rated but are made of plastic or graphite and flex under pressure. I feel much more confident with this one under load than some other reels. But this is pretty silly analysis if you have actual money to spend on quality gear. I bought this one as a budget option to expand my fishing targets as a pandemic lock down hobby. I wasn't starting a commercial operation, nor did I think it would be the last reel I ever bought. It meerly expanded my fishing hobby. I got started down this path when I rebuilt/serviced/upgraded a lot of vintage and neglected gear from family storage. This reel feels pretty solid and nothing about its operation has prevented me from landing a fish yet.


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## Rich60 (Apr 11, 2010)

Save your money and buy a decent reel from a respected manufacturer. I fish the same Shimano reels I bought years ago that have lasted with proper care and maintenance. They have served me well and I will continue to get more years of service out of them. Buy once - cry once.


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## ABombs (Oct 13, 2020)

Rich60 said:


> Save your money and buy a decent reel from a respected manufacturer. I fish the same Shimano reels I bought years ago that have lasted with proper care and maintenance. They have served me well and I will continue to get more years of service out of them. Buy once - cry once.


Not sure why you are jumping in at this point to, more or less, to echo my conclusions as if I didn't already... This is a review, and a discussion/analysis. There are pros and cons to everything, even expensive stuff. Design and engineering is worth discussing. Materials are worth discussing. Application is worth discussing. Care and longevity is worth discussing. Manufacturer claims are worth discussing. Even a Van Staal will leak and rust over time, (despite what the manufacturer will have you believe). We wouldn't engineer better products if we didn't do analysis and testing and review results. Even a cane pole, or homemade reel is worth fishing. To simply say "you get what you pay for" or "buy from a respected manufacturer" is overly simplistic and misses the point. 

For the record, I am not a big fan of Shimano reels. I have a couple. They are well serviced and in good shape. They are not as smooth as this reel. I don't like the flex of the body, nor the noises they make, and the gear design seems overly complicated without benefit to me. I've had to replace more parts in them then 60 year old Penn gear. What's wrong with a round main gear, anyways?


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