Choosing the right fishing reels is one of the important things when you’re planning on going fishing. Luckily, there are many brands like Abu Garcia available in the market that ensure anglers with durable products. So, you shouldn’t worry about a lack of variety or quality while choosing the ideal fishing reel for your rod. Recently many people have been comparing the Lews vs the Shimano fishing reels to decide which one better suits their style. Let’s go over a few aspects of both of these brands to help you make a better purchase decision.
Breaking Down the Main Points of Lews vs Shimano
Lews Reels
As far as the durability and price range is concerned, both Lews and Shimano bring a similar range of products to the table. Customers have nothing but good words to say about both of these brands. So, you can’t go wrong purchasing the fishing reels from either one of these brands. With that said, some people have pointed out that setting up the braking system on Shimano reels is relatively easier. If you’re a beginner, then it will be comparatively harder to accurately manage the braking system on the Lews reels for you.
However, as far as the performance of the braking system is concerned, both these reels provide similar results. So, once you get experienced with the management of the braking system, it shouldn’t be a problem to use the Lews reel. Aside from that, the design of Lews reels is somewhat superior as it brings more color options to the table. On the other hand, the Shimao reels look classier with their limited range of vintage colors. It all depends upon your preferences about the design of the fishing reels.
The primary area where Lews is superior to Shimano is affordability. You can easily buy a Lews combo for under a hundred dollars while there are no such options available at Shimano. So, if you’re on a budget and don’t want to spend more than a hundred dollars on a fishing reel and a rod, then Lews is the better option. However, if you don’t have a budget problem, then Shimao brings relatively nicer mid-range and premium reels.
All in all, Lews is a solid brand that brings a complete solution to anglers in all price range. It should be your primary choice if you’re looking for a variety of reels that can be used on your fishing rod.
Shimano Reels
Shimano reels are primarily known for their exceptional braking system and durability. You can catch relatively larger fish without worrying about the reel snapping or straining too much. The price point for these reels is higher by a little margin. Additionally, there are not many affordable combos available at this brand. So, if you want a rod and reel combo within a hundred dollars, you should go with Lews as they bring the better variety to the table. With that said, Shimano has some of the most easy-to-use reels on the market.
The digital braking system mechanism makes it easy to tweak the setting according to your preferences. On the other hand, you might have to struggle with the Lews reels for a while before you can adjust to the system settings. Along with the braking system, these reels bring long-term smoothness and ease in castability to the anglers. So, aside from being easy to use, they provide consistent results daily.
Many experts have pointed out the castability of the Shimano reels covers a substantial distance and can’t be compared with the Lews reels. They are quite easy to cast and make it easy for even beginners to maximize efficiency. There are many varieties available on this brand. If you have a large budget, it shouldn’t be that difficult to buy a mid-range Shimano reel with a reliable fishing rod.
It is a great investment if you’re planning on keeping one reel on your fishing rod for a long time. These reels might be a bit more expensive, but the added quality and smoothness justify the price increment. So, you should have around 300 dollars price range, including the fishing rod budget to use Shimano fishing reels. Overall, both reels are quite reliable and bring unique advantages to the table. Hopefully, this helps you decide which fishing reel you’d like to go for.