Accurate - Fish Hard
Design and Reel Size
Our dual-drag reel design hasn't been compromised for quality because of manufacturing costs. It's been our philosophy in designing reels that "cost follows product," not "product follows cost." We didn't decide on "price points" and then find ourselves forced to design reels within the manufacturing constraints of that price class. Rather, we looked at each integral component of our reels, then designed each part to be of the lightest weight and most "bullet-proof" strength possible.
We also wanted to make our reels smaller than others on the market, while increasing strength, performance and retaining comparable line capacities. Naturally, smaller reels are more comfortable to use. We decreased size by making the spool arbor smaller in diameter -- allowing corresponding diameters of the sideplate and frame to also condense. At the same time, we added strength to the arbor by increasing the arbor's radius near the inner sides of the spool.
Also contributing to a smaller design is our use of smaller ball bearings for the spool; smaller diameter bearings can be used because our twin-drag system greatly lessens bearing "side load." Side load is the worst influence that can be placed on a bearing. (Most other lever-drag reels must use large ball bearings to withstand the tremendous amount of side load exerted while creating drag pressure on only a single side of the spool.)
Materials Matter
Materials play a major role in TwinDrag reel design, so in our design phase we carefully consider how all materials relate to each other, especially after introduction into a saltwater environment. You won't find die-cast parts anywhere on our reels. We produce our ATD reels from solid-bar, aluminum stock, using 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum for all major components such as sideplates, frame, spool, handle and base clamp. This ultra-high-grade aluminum is superior for several reasons: (1) it can be anodized for corrosion protection; (2) it has great heat "sink" (loss and transfer) for drag heat dissipation; (3) it is very light weight, while offering very high strength; and (4) its machinability for holding close tolerances is excellent.
To make our drag-friction washers, we've selected titanium, because it is also very light, super strong and does not shed any part of itself onto the drag washer material (the friction washers create pressure on the drag washers to, in turn, produce drag). By not shedding, titanium keeps the drag washer material free from foreign material contaminants which can cause rough, intermittent drag application.
At-sea performance shows that our drag washers last incredibly long. Laboratory testing is important, but ultimately, there is no truer testing facility than the deck of a boat. Our first production, demo reels have been in rugged use for nearly 40 months now and we haven't needed to change a single drag washer so far! And these are reels seeing duty aboard multi-day, big-game fishing trips in Mexican waters, where the reels have caught literally thousands of game fish, including giant yellowfin tuna weighing up to more than 300 pounds. These reels have also been "overboard" and retrieved many times -- after huge tuna being battled stand-up style made it necessary for a backup rod-and-reel rig to be attached -- and the reels continue to perform flawlessly.
Our dual-drag reel design hasn't been compromised for quality because of manufacturing costs. It's been our philosophy in designing reels that "cost follows product," not "product follows cost." We didn't decide on "price points" and then find ourselves forced to design reels within the manufacturing constraints of that price class. Rather, we looked at each integral component of our reels, then designed each part to be of the lightest weight and most "bullet-proof" strength possible.
We also wanted to make our reels smaller than others on the market, while increasing strength, performance and retaining comparable line capacities. Naturally, smaller reels are more comfortable to use. We decreased size by making the spool arbor smaller in diameter -- allowing corresponding diameters of the sideplate and frame to also condense. At the same time, we added strength to the arbor by increasing the arbor's radius near the inner sides of the spool.
Also contributing to a smaller design is our use of smaller ball bearings for the spool; smaller diameter bearings can be used because our twin-drag system greatly lessens bearing "side load." Side load is the worst influence that can be placed on a bearing. (Most other lever-drag reels must use large ball bearings to withstand the tremendous amount of side load exerted while creating drag pressure on only a single side of the spool.)
Materials Matter
Materials play a major role in TwinDrag reel design, so in our design phase we carefully consider how all materials relate to each other, especially after introduction into a saltwater environment. You won't find die-cast parts anywhere on our reels. We produce our ATD reels from solid-bar, aluminum stock, using 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum for all major components such as sideplates, frame, spool, handle and base clamp. This ultra-high-grade aluminum is superior for several reasons: (1) it can be anodized for corrosion protection; (2) it has great heat "sink" (loss and transfer) for drag heat dissipation; (3) it is very light weight, while offering very high strength; and (4) its machinability for holding close tolerances is excellent.
To make our drag-friction washers, we've selected titanium, because it is also very light, super strong and does not shed any part of itself onto the drag washer material (the friction washers create pressure on the drag washers to, in turn, produce drag). By not shedding, titanium keeps the drag washer material free from foreign material contaminants which can cause rough, intermittent drag application.
At-sea performance shows that our drag washers last incredibly long. Laboratory testing is important, but ultimately, there is no truer testing facility than the deck of a boat. Our first production, demo reels have been in rugged use for nearly 40 months now and we haven't needed to change a single drag washer so far! And these are reels seeing duty aboard multi-day, big-game fishing trips in Mexican waters, where the reels have caught literally thousands of game fish, including giant yellowfin tuna weighing up to more than 300 pounds. These reels have also been "overboard" and retrieved many times -- after huge tuna being battled stand-up style made it necessary for a backup rod-and-reel rig to be attached -- and the reels continue to perform flawlessly.
