In the old days a starter reel for a tenner was a pretty dodgy set up – the bail arm was nothing more than a bit of old coat hanger wire with a kink in it. I remember my old Winfield special had a retrieve ratio of one millimeter per year!
But design and importation from the Far East has radically changed that and this Hyperactive RD Hi Speed is incredible value, so much so I’ve bought a pair for my son for his birthday.
He’s already got an old feeder and float rod of mine, but my Shimano reels are still going so I wasn’t ready to hand those over quite yet.
But what he’s got instead is a cracking reel for the cash, and as he’s got two, he can have dual set-ups permanently ready to go.
The reel has a balanced double handle, decent rear drag, and the line lay – once spooled to the lip – is very even meaning his casting won’t be impaired. It has a bright, rubberized finish on the body and is much more funky than my old black fixed spools.
There are four ball bearings, three spare spools, and a large anti twist roller. I’d recommend it to anyone on a budget or getting into the sport.
