View Poll Results: Is buying cheap, a good option?

Voters
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  • Buying cheap gear is fine - it works!

    13 13.00%
  • Buy the best quality gear you can afford

    72 72.00%
  • Top shelf (& top dollar) is what to aim for

    15 15.00%
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Thread: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

  1. #76

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    I am not talking about cheap stuff sold on ebay.

    I know much more about the European market than the Australian one but I am talking about, for example, rods sold under different brand names using EXACTLY the same blank. Some are heavily marketed and hyped using such means as product placement (well known angling writers plugging them in magazines etc.), others sold with a less high profile.

    The difference in price can be several hundred dollars.

    The same thing....not copies....just a different name.

  2. #77

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    It’s all going to depend on what type of fish are in the area and what you’re going to target.

    When we talking about spinning reels that will work to the limit and chasing tuna and shark having well known brands like stella and dogfight it gives the angler more assuring chance of landing the fish.

    I would love to have one of each,but not at those asking prices.And prices will be up next year.
    So what about other reels that people have used and landed these freight trains.

    Just in a couple brands come into mind:
    Shimano Fireblood
    Shimano Baitrunner
    Shimano Saragosa
    Shimano Spheros FB
    Shimano Twin Power FC
    Daiwa Catalina
    Banax GT 500
    With some of these if you can upgrade the drag or have to add a bearing or two.
    Even the okuma Vsystem have bought in some big fish.

    ########## are having a go as a challenge and with model changes and improvements over time just like the other well known brands they will get better.

    In the U.S. for anglers that can’t afford a thousand dollar reels the quantum cabo PT is the nearest challenge to a stella or dogfight at one third the price.

    Regardless what is said here people will buy to a spending dollar point.

    As for the el cheapo reel $79.95 it is only designed for the Christmas break angler.
    But some here will see a $400 reel as a cheap product.

    If you’re out there every week fishing hard then spending money on decent gear is a must and everybody gets a choice to how much $.

    IMO the shimano stradic is the best value for money which can be used in a number of situations from fishing light,med, to reasonable heavy fish and affordable.


    Am I right in everything I write and the way I think..?
    It’s all debatable..

  3. #78

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    Quote Originally Posted by finding_time View Post
    Morston

    Cost for all products has little to do with actual manufactoring costs but what the market is prepared to pay for that item!

    Getting back to my industry again those $1800 dollars implant components i was refering to in my earlier post sell in the usa for around $900 and in India for $140. They sell them so cheeply in India because if they didn't they simply wouldn't sell them at all! It's what the market can afford! In the U.S they are used to paying less than we are for most items be those food stuffs, white goods ,cars , boat etc you'll find that there all around half what we pay for goods , but the hourly rate of the average worker is also around half of what we earn, it's all relative. Believe it or not but there is a scale called the Big Mac scale and many companys and ecomomists bass the rate of there goods in a country against the big mac rate. Eg
    say a Big mac in the US is $1.50 and there product sells there for $1500 and a big mac sells here for $3.00 the company will sell there product here for $3000 The reason is Mac Donalds is such a large company and does such high standards of market research and the bigMac is the same in both country's they just piggy back on there research!

    Ian
    I am aware of that Ian....I know about the Big Mac index

    It does, however, stuff the argument that high prices are all down to high costs.

    There is also a lot of truth in the point I made earlier, at least to fishermen

    "reassuringly expensive"

    As far as the UK is concerned...wages are pretty similar to Australia but top end tackle is much cheaper IME.....maybe down to bigger markets....but the market for lure fishing tackle is pretty small in the UK.


    Cahal

  4. #79

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    thats a little different then if i was looking at buying a shimano fire blood rod and i found the exact rod renamed for $100 less then i would buy it , but if i found a cheap imitation with lesser quality components then i would leave it alone .
    quote of the day ( guns don`t kill people fathers with pretty daughters do ) !!:wink:

  5. #80

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    crikey... how did we get from the original question to a pi**ing contest about expensive reels & who knows the most about their manufacture quality of components.. it has nothing to do with the question.

    This whole thread has turned into one of those that pay the big $$s trying to justify their decision to do so, it's not nessecary. Just buy the best you can afford..

    I will agree that the top line reels probably/should have better quality materials & better tolerances, making them a lot better reel. I have seen cheap gear that if you get one that comes off the line early, they can be fantastic, even if the materials quality is ordinary. as time goes on & they push all machinery to the limit to get maximum profit, when it should be re tooled. They become eventually sloppy from overuse & next to useless, so it can be the luck of the draw.
    that's 4 cents worth now..

  6. #81

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    Quote Originally Posted by MONOSTRETCHO View Post
    thats a little different then if i was looking at buying a shimano fire blood rod and i found the exact rod renamed for $100 less then i would buy it , but if i found a cheap imitation with lesser quality components then i would leave it alone .
    The only way you would know that though is to have the information and that can be hard to come by......but it is all out there

  7. #82

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce_Bogtrotter View Post

    This whole thread has turned into one of those that pay the big $$s trying to justify their decision to do so, it's not nessecary. Just buy the best you can afford..
    Not necessarily. My point is that you can buy the top quality but don't always have to pay the top price.

    I will spend what is necessary but will not do so if I can find the same thing cheaper. This is far more the case with Rods than reels, but also with other items.

    For instance....there are only a handful of line manufacturers in the world but how many different brands are there?

    For me it is a matter of principle

    Cahal

  8. #83

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce_Bogtrotter View Post
    crikey... how did we get from the original question to a pi**ing contest about expensive reels & who knows the most about their manufacture quality of components.. it has nothing to do with the question. .
    Hang on wasn’t you that baited everyone with your comment below.

    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce_Bogtrotter View Post
    I personally feel a lot of people are caught up in the marketing of the 'Name' product & spend way more than they need to just so they can be one of the 'gang' & say" i have a 4-6kg youbeaut floppycastor" too..."with matching reel" my 2cents..
    Bloody good read and had me LOL at times though.

    There have been some interesting points brought up I personally have learnt a bit about tackle and personalities.

    JIm

  9. #84

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    Quote Originally Posted by ########## View Post
    For 4 x Penn (copies) is 1 x penn W 80 really worth 4 x the price, if it is 4 x more reliable (which I doubt)
    For myself I'd rely on 4 x Penn 80w copies than one Penn brand 80w

    I .
    Ok so i'm out at the shelf for the 4th time in the last 2 weeks i've finally got a handle on where the fish are holding and have tagged 2 small blues on say 110kg and one a bit bigger at say 175 kg but today i've decided to work wider and see what happens! The spreads been out 45min and by my estimations the bites about to happen when the Bart's Big Breakfast in blue over black on the short corner goes off and i mean really goes off!!!!! The blue is that bloody big it can only get it's shoulders out of the water and it's more than a little unhappy that it's tasted the 14/0 owners! You clear the spread and think to your self that the 1400 litres of fuel you have burned over the last 4 trips has finally paid dividends Your clipped into the Black magic stand-up harness and the skipper got the the boat humming backwards but line still screaming off the reel like it's been attached to the back of a semitrailer on the M1 but you couldn't be happier. Not even the waves comming over the transom and half filling the cockpit and saturating you can dampen your your spirts!!! This is what it's all about! Then your thoughts turn to the reel instead of going with a known brand that has done the job many many times before you decided to spend 1/4 the amount on the reels so you could have more fuel money Will the reel go the distance? Will it take the sunset setting if need be ? Will it sieze up on sunset? This is not how it's supposed to be, i should be enjoying the fight not worried about the bloody reel!!! Why did i do it , i know the big reels are expensive , but so is everything else in the sport of heavy tackle! Shite i hope the reel makes it, man i'm a idiot! I hope the crew don't give me to much crap if the reel fails? 2 hours later we tag a 350kg blue but i cant remember to much about the fight i was so worried about the reel the whole time, as soon as i get home i'm putting them on ebay, i never want to worry like that again it really spoilt a great day!!!

    Ian
    Alcohol doesn't agree with me, but i sure do enjoy the argument!!!

  10. #85

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    I am fussy about my fishing tackle and will not buy cheap stuff just to line the pocket of some bloke who says its the same as top end stuff .
    Because i know its not just the parts used but also the way its put together as well .

    DO YOU SELL SHIMANO , DAIWA , PENN , VAN STAAL , DUEL , ACCURATE, MEGABASS , FISHERMAN , SEED , LOOMIS , SEEKER , CAPE FEAR , ST CROIX OR ANY TOP END STUFF ???.

    I don`t know the answer but i think i have worked that one out for myself , i think not .

    what i think is you are trying to justify the quality of what you are retailing .

    I wonder what your opinion would be if you where selling top end brand name stuff im sure you would not be saying its not worth it then would you ?
    I am not interested in trying to sell to the market that buys top shelf brand items, "If you're in the market for a Ferrari, your're not going to consider a WRX"

    I sell enough of my own brand, to make a good honest living, to the same customers over and over, and their mates.
    Sure some have had a faulty product, same chances as buying a big brand, and sure you bought cheap gear on ebay and got stung with rubbish made by back yarders, like the LD 9000 etc, made by Golden.
    But For a similar price to the cheap stuff on ebay ( my stuff is a little higher in price) I get a wholesale price paid for, no checks in the mail excuses, like wholesaling, which I do, but limit to locals I can hassle if I need to chase my money.
    Incase you hadn't noticed most of my stuff is totally different to the cheap ebay stuff.
    Checkout SPRO, and look at their products , then tell me again, it's cheap crap.

    Am I trying to convince you to buy off me ? NO.

    Have I provided some of my hard earned knowledge to help anyone answer the question for themselves (is El-cheapo going to do the job)

    Take it or leave it, but don't take it personally because you got ripped when you bought the cheapest you could buy probably from Bluewater.
    And target me because I sell on ebay also, when you've never used my rods or reels.

    Simon

  11. #86

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    Quote Originally Posted by finding_time View Post
    2 hours later we tag a 350kg blue but i cant remember to much about the fight i was so worried about the reel the whole time,
    One of the most cynical forms of marketing is to raise doubts, in the consumer's minds, about the reliability of the competitors products.

    I have seen this this used so many times in the highly 'tackle fixated' world of European Carp fishing where there is a market far bigger than the whole Australian tackle market.

    It is not usually done by direct advertising (except in the US) but by 'product placement' in the fishing magazines etc. by sponsored anglers under the guise of fishing articles, videos etc.

  12. #87

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    Very well said - finding time

    So i fly to nz to chase trout.....drive 1300k round trip to the barra lake.....make those trips off shore.....................
    only to be let down by a poor decision made in a tackle shop 6 months ago.

    The are 2 things i have 100% control over when i go fishing.

    The quality of gear i use and the quality of the knots i tie.

    Jim

  13. #88

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jungle Jim View Post

    So i fly to nz to chase trout.....
    I have never paid more than $200 for a fly rod or $120 for a fly reel and have caught thousands of trout over the years and never been let down by my tackle.

    And I can cast far better than most despite my cheap (but good quality) gear.

    The fly fishing market is probably the most over hyped of all.

  14. #89

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    Quote Originally Posted by Morston View Post
    One of the most cynical forms of marketing is to raise doubts, in the consumer's minds, about the reliability of the competitors products.

    I have seen this this used so many times in the highly 'tackle fixated' world of European Carp fishing where there is a market far bigger than the whole Australian tackle market.

    It is not usually done by direct advertising (except in the US) but by 'product placement' in the fishing magazines etc. by sponsored anglers under the guise of fishing articles, videos etc.

    I totally agree!!!! And you will notice that in my mock artical that the cheap reel caught the fish! But when your on a fish it's amazing what goes through you mind, how are the crimps on the lure, the leader was alittle scrubed, i hope i did that aussie plait tight enough! The last thing you want on your mind is more doubts! And of course manufactors of well know products that have earned respect in a industry will play on that against new players! It's up to the new players in the market to prove there stuff is good and will be up to the task!

    I run Alutecnos reels and when i was looking at new reels i hadn't heard of them but after a bit of research and seeing one pulled apart ( I think you should see a reel in pieces , specially if your buying 5 at once ) i dont think there is a finer game reel being made anywhere in the world!!! The Italians can engineer I have never seen on of ##########s reels i'm sure i will one day and they'll probably be pretty good but it will take time to earn respect!

    ian
    Alcohol doesn't agree with me, but i sure do enjoy the argument!!!

  15. #90

    Re: Does el-cheapo do the job..?

    Quote Originally Posted by Morston View Post
    I have never paid more than $200 for a fly rod or $120 for a fly reel and have caught thousands of trout over the years and never been let down by my tackle.

    And I can cast far better than most despite my cheap (but good quality) gear.

    The fly fishing market is probably the most over hyped of all.
    It probably is.

    I run Sage rods. Am i a sucker for buying them? -probably. Do i care? -nup.

    As i mentioned earlier i appreciate it for more than just it’s casting ability.

    I like the warranty. I like the rod tubes that come with them i like the build quality and yes i even like the brand.

    Most of all i like the fact that when i have flown to nz driven hours into the Jungle (lewis pass for those in the know) hiked for hours sometimes over night to get to the most least pressured bit of water i can find- i have confidence that i have given myself the best possible chance to do what i came here for.

    Next time i'm 15 foot above the river on a bluff less than 12 inches wide casting to a trout the size of a salmon, into a genuine 15+knot nor-westor..... I don’t think i will care whether i could have bought a cheaper rod than the one in my hand.

    Mind you casting-to and landing are 2 different things and all the confidence in the world won’t catch me that fish.

    Jim

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