I really enjoy your videos Victor. I like how you dissect and breakdown all aspects of the reels, pretty thoroughly, at least I feel that way. Hope you keep your videos going. Be well
You're welcome. It was interesting to hear his thoughts on the reel. The reel is 586 shipped on digitaka not 7 or 800. Still expensive for sure but 600 is not 800.. I have a airity st sf 1000. This exist is noticeably better feeling in my hands. Obviously Victor didn't think so. But maybe his airity is nicer than mine. As far as the esthetics go.. I really like the way it looks 😊..anyway I enjoyed the review.
@@benllucas3934 I thought it looked great and Victor always says to each his own when it comes to matching! I picked up the new C2500S Vanquish and have it on an Expride 6’10 ML but the previous version, it loads and handles the lite weight lures just fine! Again thanks for sending your reel in!
thanks for the great comparison and review. although I'm dealing with a price range between 100 and 150 dollars for a reel/rod, it's nice to hear an opinion from someone experienced that will save us money in the future! thanks Victor, cheers!
I bought the Vanquish in Japan last month, it’s my first premium reel. And OMG, first few times I cast I could not feel the line going off the reel. It was so smooth I had to look at the reel to see if the line was going or not. I paired it with a Zenaq SNIPE 72SXX with the proprietary RG guide system. Incredibly smooth and yes, it matches nicely, color wise with the rod. Extremely different feel than my previous Starlite rod and Pflueger President reel which now feels like a kids toy.
Another nice review. For me it’s Vanquish for the win. I can’t wait to see a review on the new 2024 Vanford, it seems to have all of the same internals (minus a few bearings) as the current vanquish. I’ve also noticed that Shimano is releasing an updated Soare Limited rod series that has a full monocoque grip as well as the butt - truly a work of art, I’d love to see a review of that
I am willing to grant that, but u could have done the same with a Twinpower, Vanquish, or even Vanford. They have same weight and resistance as Exist and cost much less
@@ifishcatfish I tried the Stella, Van Staal. The mag seals makes it easier to wind, putting less pressure on the shoulder 😁 Lol all is good I like the Daiwa better.
Magseal does the opposite of easy to wind. This is why ultralight reels don't have magseal, because it creates too much resistance. Van Staal is the worst reel in the whole world for resistance, i could barely turn it. It is all good, of course, but its good to know what is ACTUALLY happening inside
Just picked up the 2500s FC Esmeraldas RX from Digitaka and my first thought was "This is the best drag of any of my Daiwa reels." I wish they could all sound as good and I own most of their range.
Hi! I have a Graphiteleader Corto Ux 2,08m 0,5-8gr. Can you recommend a reel? Shimano Vanquish FC c2000s, c2500s, 2500s, or Daiwa 24 Airity ST LT2000S-P, Certate 2500? Mainly zanderfishing from waterfront (1-5gr jighead+2-4”plastic)a little bit longer casts.
Which of the 24 airity do you recommend for freshwater crappie and bluegill? I want the 1000 size body. I currently have a 2000 kage and tatula. Looking to buy a made in Japan jdm reel. The other reel I was looking at was the 21 presso. Is the airity a upgraded luvias?
Good video as usual Victor. I was thinking about buying the new 2024 Vansford as my high end UL reel for fishing your bf-1 and z man larvas for bluegills on beds. After short research on various TH-cam videos it seems to be the same reel as the Stradic fm, just MGL rotor and Ci4 body. Also noticed no 1000 size in the Vansford anymore this generation. Only 500 then skips to 2000. I don’t understand why 500 over 1000 but who knows their thinking. 500 doesn’t even get all the technologies. I also noticed the 2000 is a little heavier than last generation 1000-2000 reels. 5.5 oz instead of 5.3 I’ll wait for your review before I purchase. Who knows what it will cost now.
Hi mate, I recently spoke to the Daiwa rep in my local area and asked him if there is any significant difference between the 22 Exist and 23 Airity, as I’m considering buying one or the other. Apparently 22 Exist has an upgraded Duralumin main gear. 23 Airity has the same gears as 18 Exist, which is still a high end material. Anyway, perhaps that gives one reason to buy 22 Exist over 23 Airity!
But what advantage is that for ultralight fishing? The airity feels just as nice, if not nicer. Then advantage is theoretical. Maybe durabity but i doubt that. Also people dont buy these reels for durability. People buy the certate for durability
Виктор, Airity LT или ST SF - что бы Вы посоветовали выбрать, в размере 2000 под Aji? С одной стороны - нагрузки минимальны, с другой стороны - хочется запас моторесурса, 500 размер механизма смущает... Палочка - Gamakatsu Hana 2 S62UL-Solid.
I like only the ST SF. Yes, you are right, the 500 size is not for heavy lures, or big fish. Once in a while a big fish is fine, but take your time playing it. But don't pull heavy lures with it as the lures can wear out the drive train faster than fish. If you want a proper 2000 size reel, i recommend Vanquish.
@@ifishcatfish Got it, thank you! Actually I don't like modern Shimano reels, so my choice is only between different reels from Daiwa. By the way, something told me that you understand Russian. Sorry if I guessed wrong...
It doesn't REALLY bother me either, but i could get without it, i would. But i agree about chrome in vehicles, window trims, front grills, and worst of all - wheels..
Great video review Victor. I bought the 23 Airity over the 22 Exist because of the handles. The fat LEG lady handle just turns me off. Much prefer the 18 Exist Lt's original handle. Can't wait for the new 24 Vanford even though there's not much changes in performance besides the better looking cosmetic.
Great review as always Viktor, I am currently running my Exist SF on the presso air ags and it's quite an amazing combo, perfect for almost all sorts of finesse styles targeting perch. I have an unrelated question, currently I'm running my vanquish on a Zodias rod with the new J-braid expedition 0,06mm 11,5lbs line, a very nice line honestly, good protective coating, no water absorption which aids finesse lures in their sinking capacity. I will however move the Vanquish to the Presso rod when my Poison Ultima arrives (next year......) as the Exist SF was acquired specifically for the Ultima >:) QUESTION: Do you think there is any downside or even harm in using a line test that's slightly more than DOUBLE the recommendation on the Presso 61L (5lbs). I mean as long as I don't crank the drag all the way down, things should be fine right? The problem here in Sweden is that there really are no high quality lines with good features in the 2-5lb range. NOTE: I have used the Varivas superester and it's great, sensitivity, smoothness and cast range is awesome, however with the type of fishing I do the 2,3lb test is just too weak for me. With your fantastic review and recommendation of the presso rods, I chose the most powerful (61L) and to me it has enough power to actually put up enough of a fight and force a rather large perch into my net, as long as the line doesn't break off. And yes, I can play a fish relatively hard with the 2,3lb superester, but the line starts curling and coiling after such force rubbing it against the guides for extended periods. Sorry for the long text, thanks in advance! -Lucas
Breaking strength has no direct connection to rod application. The only thing that matyers is the dismeter of the line. Thick lines will not go through micro guides. If ur braid is that thin, u can run it on any rod in the world. Thay said, if it was me i would still rather use the ester, with some stretchy leader. I catch plenty of black bass with it and channel catfish and what not and … perch is neither too big nor that good og a fighter. As long as u dont get line twist from something ir line should be just fine
@@ifishcatfish Aight, perhaps I'll do some actual testing with the line on the Presso and see how it feels. Cheers man and keep the great content coming! I'm looking forward to seeing your thoughts on the new Vanford ;)
I never understood the point of super high end reels in this size for catching small freshwater fish. A stradic will last indefinitely for this kind of purpose. Bigger saltwater game is where high end reels really shine
@@ifishcatfish I'm just making a price comparison between the stradic and exist... as you mentioned the vanquish and airity are plenty sufficient. Even if they made a SW version of the exist, I couldnt get over the chrome either lol
Not sure if you ever held an old Mitchell 308 / 408, the one made in France in the 70s. That’s the most ergonomic and comfortable handle I’ve ever used in ultralight.
@@ifishcatfish i got a few that I trout fish regularly with now. I’ve been really enjoying them as they feel more mechanical than my normal Shimano & Daiwa reels. Or maybe I caught the bug for vintage overbuilt stuff from Japanese anglers. Happy to ship to you if you wanna do a comparison of old vs new.
@@ifishcatfish I know what you mean. Well, with modern greases and felt washers, these old Mitchell’s and Abus can be exceptional for ultralight. Very little startup inertia
The airity existing (pun intended) really messes up the exist sf. I've seen another person say the same thing now how its just not worth the price hike for the exist sf. I wonder why they decided to release a reel so close to their flag ship reel? Only thing maybe is that drag noise which is a beauty on the exist
I admire the COURAGE to say that : ). Not many have that kind of courage in my comments section : ) That reel can be bought for $60 at times, and for that price u have to go with it to match the Presso rod
It's a totally piece of industry garbage man don't buy it. It's total trash except the advantage of its lightness. There are some gaps between the reel parts which makes it really comfortable to use.
@@ifishcatfish a famous Japanese angler has compared de sensitivity of the high end reels for ajing. He said that Exist SF is the most sensitive reel nowadays 🤷🏻♂️
It makes zero sense for same company to make two very different price products that are practically the same in terms of performance. It is bad for the business. Unless you aim to maximise the sales of cheaper one and make more expensive one just to make cheaper one more appealing. If one considers that I cannot be smarter than the daiwa market experts, the second conclusion seems only realistic one and your review contributes to that notion.
@@ifishcatfish Ah, so the newer cheaper reel made older more expensive one redundant. This just shows that exist was overpriced in the first place compared to vanquish and they could not simply lower the price of exist to compete with vanquish because it would not be fair to the "existing exist" :D owners... damn. Well now everyone benefits with new airity.
Check this guy out I fish. He's used to write for In Fisherman strictly pan fish articles. He has written several books he's retired now. Lives near me . Jim Gronow. youtube.com/@fishinwithjimgronaw6224?si=kmo8RynOQ8C9Q_5k
Check this guy out I fish. He used to write for In Fisherman Magazine strictly panfish and he has written books on panfish. He's retired now and lives near me. youtube.com/@fishinwithjimgronaw6224?si=kmo8RynOQ8C9Q_5k
Popcorn in one hand, credit card in the other. That's how I watch Victor's reviews, sitting on a bench across the road from Digitaka's.
😎🫶
I really enjoy your videos Victor. I like how you dissect and breakdown all aspects of the reels, pretty thoroughly, at least I feel that way. Hope you keep your videos going. Be well
Again thanks Ben for sending in the reel for Victor and his subs to look at! Always enjoy when Victor chats about rods and reels!
Thanks dave
You're welcome. It was interesting to hear his thoughts on the reel. The reel is 586 shipped on digitaka not 7 or 800. Still expensive for sure but 600 is not 800.. I have a airity st sf 1000. This exist is noticeably better feeling in my hands. Obviously Victor didn't think so. But maybe his airity is nicer than mine. As far as the esthetics go.. I really like the way it looks 😊..anyway I enjoyed the review.
@@benllucas3934 I thought it looked great and Victor always says to each his own when it comes to matching! I picked up the new C2500S Vanquish and have it on an Expride 6’10 ML but the previous version, it loads and handles the lite weight lures just fine! Again thanks for sending your reel in!
thanks for the great comparison and review. although I'm dealing with a price range between 100 and 150 dollars for a reel/rod, it's nice to hear an opinion from someone experienced that will save us money in the future!
thanks Victor, cheers!
It is shorter, but certainly more interesting than the final of the European Championship. Thanks for your diligence!
Was it? Im fishing roght now. Dont spoil it for me!
I bought the Vanquish in Japan last month, it’s my first premium reel. And OMG, first few times I cast I could not feel the line going off the reel. It was so smooth I had to look at the reel to see if the line was going or not. I paired it with a Zenaq SNIPE 72SXX with the proprietary RG guide system. Incredibly smooth and yes, it matches nicely, color wise with the rod. Extremely different feel than my previous Starlite rod and Pflueger President reel which now feels like a kids toy.
i was waiting this video long time😂, i have both exist and airity reels and enjoy both of them, thanks Victor.
Well they both great..
vanquish for me always!
Great comparison video Victor!!!
@@davidung4054 hi Dave!
Another nice review. For me it’s Vanquish for the win. I can’t wait to see a review on the new 2024 Vanford, it seems to have all of the same internals (minus a few bearings) as the current vanquish. I’ve also noticed that Shimano is releasing an updated Soare Limited rod series that has a full monocoque grip as well as the butt - truly a work of art, I’d love to see a review of that
I will be at icast next week..
Thanks for the video once again.
9:11 The same way my wife and I hold discussions. Thanks for the review.
😆
I went from penn spinning reel to daiwa Exist LT5000
" LET ME TELL YOU!" my pain across my neck to shoulder has gone away.
It a miracle
I am willing to grant that, but u could have done the same with a Twinpower, Vanquish, or even Vanford. They have same weight and resistance as Exist and cost much less
@@ifishcatfish I tried the Stella, Van Staal.
The mag seals makes it easier to wind, putting less pressure on the shoulder 😁
Lol all is good I like the Daiwa better.
Magseal does the opposite of easy to wind. This is why ultralight reels don't have magseal, because it creates too much resistance. Van Staal is the worst reel in the whole world for resistance, i could barely turn it. It is all good, of course, but its good to know what is ACTUALLY happening inside
@@ifishcatfish I hooked a Bluefish, and a cow nose ray and it came in pretty easy for me 😁
Can't wait to try it on another big game fish.😁
In Japan exist users have a unique support program, unique knobs only for exist users and more.. This affects the price difference
What was the rod the existing was on? Its stunning
Belezza UX. Reviewed on the channel.
Some reels have a PC designation, what does PC stand for? thx
It says on their website but i forgot. On daiwa japan website
Power Custom model
SF stands for Super Finesse.
LT stand for Light and Tough
What else do you know? I want to learn.
he said SF stand for SIZE FIVE
Just picked up the 2500s FC Esmeraldas RX from Digitaka and my first thought was "This is the best drag of any of my Daiwa reels." I wish they could all sound as good and I own most of their range.
i know that reel... interesting.. i would get one if they cam in ultralight sizes
Hi! I have a Graphiteleader Corto Ux 2,08m 0,5-8gr. Can you recommend a reel? Shimano Vanquish FC c2000s, c2500s, 2500s, or Daiwa 24 Airity ST LT2000S-P, Certate 2500? Mainly zanderfishing from waterfront (1-5gr jighead+2-4”plastic)a little bit longer casts.
Both good. Vanquish a little better but both great and about the same
@ Thanks! Is the 2000 size enough for this longer rod, or the 2500 better?
@@tamasronyecz935 this rod has tiny guides... it till not go well with big 2500 spool. Its not just about the weight. 2500 would be too much
@ Many thanks!
Which of the 24 airity do you recommend for freshwater crappie and bluegill? I want the 1000 size body. I currently have a 2000 kage and tatula. Looking to buy a made in Japan jdm reel. The other reel I was looking at was the 21 presso. Is the airity a upgraded luvias?
it is a significant upgrade over luvias. just get the 1000 ST, not SF
@@ifishcatfish so it is better than the 21 presso reel? Which reel do you own?
Good video as usual Victor. I was thinking about buying the new 2024 Vansford as my high end UL reel for fishing your bf-1 and z man larvas for bluegills on beds.
After short research on various TH-cam videos it seems to be the same reel as the Stradic fm, just MGL rotor and Ci4 body.
Also noticed no 1000 size in the Vansford anymore this generation. Only 500 then skips to 2000.
I don’t understand why 500 over 1000 but who knows their thinking. 500 doesn’t even get all the technologies.
I also noticed the 2000 is a little heavier than last generation 1000-2000 reels.
5.5 oz instead of 5.3
I’ll wait for your review before I purchase. Who knows what it will cost now.
i will check it out at icast in a few days
What are your thoughts on the Vanford 500 size? It should match up similarly in size to the Daiwa SF models.
@@TC_Fishing maybe if it had a bigger spool like the daiwas. Right now the way it is its just an ice fishing reel
Hi mate, I recently spoke to the Daiwa rep in my local area and asked him if there is any significant difference between the 22 Exist and 23 Airity, as I’m considering buying one or the other.
Apparently 22 Exist has an upgraded Duralumin main gear. 23 Airity has the same gears as 18 Exist, which is still a high end material. Anyway, perhaps that gives one reason to buy 22 Exist over 23 Airity!
But what advantage is that for ultralight fishing? The airity feels just as nice, if not nicer. Then advantage is theoretical. Maybe durabity but i doubt that. Also people dont buy these reels for durability. People buy the certate for durability
Love the chrome. Especially on ultralight reels. Don’t want chrome? Buy budget.
I do, i do.. And i know a lot of people like chrome
What do you mean by sensitivity? Why has the Vanquish the best sensitivity? Greetinga
when u twitch a 1 gram jig the Vanquish lets u feel the lure the best.
This as costs as much as one of my mortgage payments, so I'll have to pass. Still, the sarcasm is worth the watch! 😁 Great review as always, Victor!
I wish that was my mortgage payment!
@@ifishcatfish I'm in a condo, and not a house if that makes you feel better!
Виктор, Airity LT или ST SF - что бы Вы посоветовали выбрать, в размере 2000 под Aji? С одной стороны - нагрузки минимальны, с другой стороны - хочется запас моторесурса, 500 размер механизма смущает... Палочка - Gamakatsu Hana 2 S62UL-Solid.
I like only the ST SF. Yes, you are right, the 500 size is not for heavy lures, or big fish. Once in a while a big fish is fine, but take your time playing it. But don't pull heavy lures with it as the lures can wear out the drive train faster than fish. If you want a proper 2000 size reel, i recommend Vanquish.
@@ifishcatfish Got it, thank you! Actually I don't like modern Shimano reels, so my choice is only between different reels from Daiwa.
By the way, something told me that you understand Russian. Sorry if I guessed wrong...
@@alexkryshtopov6919 I'm Bulgaian, i understand. Shimano is much easier to open and service and buy parts. I would not write them off
The chrome on most vehicles looks terrible but I couldn't care less about it on reels. As long as they aren't a loud obnoxious color.
It doesn't REALLY bother me either, but i could get without it, i would. But i agree about chrome in vehicles, window trims, front grills, and worst of all - wheels..
Great video review Victor. I bought the 23 Airity over the 22 Exist because of the handles. The fat LEG lady handle just turns me off. Much prefer the 18 Exist Lt's original handle. Can't wait for the new 24 Vanford even though there's not much changes in performance besides the better looking cosmetic.
Did u say dat lady leg? :)
Great review as always Viktor, I am currently running my Exist SF on the presso air ags and it's quite an amazing combo, perfect for almost all sorts of finesse styles targeting perch.
I have an unrelated question, currently I'm running my vanquish on a Zodias rod with the new J-braid expedition 0,06mm 11,5lbs line, a very nice line honestly, good protective coating, no water absorption which aids finesse lures in their sinking capacity.
I will however move the Vanquish to the Presso rod when my Poison Ultima arrives (next year......) as the Exist SF was acquired specifically for the Ultima >:)
QUESTION: Do you think there is any downside or even harm in using a line test that's slightly more than DOUBLE the recommendation on the Presso 61L (5lbs). I mean as long as I don't crank the drag all the way down, things should be fine right?
The problem here in Sweden is that there really are no high quality lines with good features in the 2-5lb range.
NOTE: I have used the Varivas superester and it's great, sensitivity, smoothness and cast range is awesome, however with the type of fishing I do the 2,3lb test is just too weak for me. With your fantastic review and recommendation of the presso rods, I chose the most powerful (61L) and to me it has enough power to actually put up enough of a fight and force a rather large perch into my net, as long as the line doesn't break off. And yes, I can play a fish relatively hard with the 2,3lb superester, but the line starts curling and coiling after such force rubbing it against the guides for extended periods.
Sorry for the long text, thanks in advance!
-Lucas
Breaking strength has no direct connection to rod application. The only thing that matyers is the dismeter of the line. Thick lines will not go through micro guides. If ur braid is that thin, u can run it on any rod in the world.
Thay said, if it was me i would still rather use the ester, with some stretchy leader. I catch plenty of black bass with it and channel catfish and what not and … perch is neither too big nor that good og a fighter. As long as u dont get line twist from something ir line should be just fine
@@ifishcatfish Aight, perhaps I'll do some actual testing with the line on the Presso and see how it feels.
Cheers man and keep the great content coming! I'm looking forward to seeing your thoughts on the new Vanford ;)
I never understood the point of super high end reels in this size for catching small freshwater fish. A stradic will last indefinitely for this kind of purpose. Bigger saltwater game is where high end reels really shine
Stradic is not even an ultralight reel. You are are looking only through saltwater lense
@@ifishcatfish I'm just making a price comparison between the stradic and exist... as you mentioned the vanquish and airity are plenty sufficient. Even if they made a SW version of the exist, I couldnt get over the chrome either lol
LT STAND FOR LIGHT AND TOUGH
well this one is SF : )
I think id rather buy the airity and outfit it with carbon fiber slp works parts over buying the exist.
Im still hold mr V1000ssspg for ajing fishing☺️
Chrome attracts fishes,i hope you understand this
😝
With the vanquish and airity existing, I could never justify this reels purchase.
Not sure if you ever held an old Mitchell 308 / 408, the one made in France in the 70s. That’s the most ergonomic and comfortable handle I’ve ever used in ultralight.
i fished with a few back in Bulgaria. I loved them back then .. but i dont know how i would feel about them today
@@ifishcatfish i got a few that I trout fish regularly with now. I’ve been really enjoying them as they feel more mechanical than my normal Shimano & Daiwa reels. Or maybe I caught the bug for vintage overbuilt stuff from Japanese anglers. Happy to ship to you if you wanna do a comparison of old vs new.
@@vladd5291 i have seen those videos but i am busy enough, i don't want to venture into that stuff..
@@ifishcatfish I know what you mean. Well, with modern greases and felt washers, these old Mitchell’s and Abus can be exceptional for ultralight. Very little startup inertia
The airity existing (pun intended) really messes up the exist sf. I've seen another person say the same thing now how its just not worth the price hike for the exist sf. I wonder why they decided to release a reel so close to their flag ship reel? Only thing maybe is that drag noise which is a beauty on the exist
without Airity ST SF there is no competition for Vanquish. But now it is cannibalizing the Exist sales
Not going to lie, the KastKing Kestrel made me a KastKing fan boy
I admire the COURAGE to say that : ). Not many have that kind of courage in my comments section : ) That reel can be bought for $60 at times, and for that price u have to go with it to match the Presso rod
@@ifishcatfish that's exactly what I did. Found one for $65 to go with my presso rod. Match made in heaven
LT = legit trash 😂
If somebody has the abu garcia zenon in 1000 size send it to Ifish so he can review it
Yes please
It's a totally piece of industry garbage man don't buy it. It's total trash except the advantage of its lightness. There are some gaps between the reel parts which makes it really comfortable to use.
@@philyphily7745 i wasn't gona buy it.. but if someone sends it for review..
You can find the Exist for just under $500 online now. Guess still not worth thr extra $100 over vanquish though?
Not for me
@@ifishcatfish I keep trying to understand why the Japanese trout anglers say that exist is the UL feel (even compared to vanquish and Stella)
@@vladd5291 some japanese anglers have been saying weird shit. Im planning a video about that actually
@@ifishcatfish I’ll have to get some popcorn and go on a long roadtrip to thoroughly enjoy that vid
@@ifishcatfish a famous Japanese angler has compared de sensitivity of the high end reels for ajing. He said that Exist SF is the most sensitive reel nowadays 🤷🏻♂️
It makes zero sense for same company to make two very different price products that are practically the same in terms of performance. It is bad for the business. Unless you aim to maximise the sales of cheaper one and make more expensive one just to make cheaper one more appealing. If one considers that I cannot be smarter than the daiwa market experts, the second conclusion seems only realistic one and your review contributes to that notion.
They had to introduce the airity to compete with vanquish, and it does compete, but now killed the exist sf
@@ifishcatfish Ah, so the newer cheaper reel made older more expensive one redundant. This just shows that exist was overpriced in the first place compared to vanquish and they could not simply lower the price of exist to compete with vanquish because it would not be fair to the "existing exist" :D owners... damn. Well now everyone benefits with new airity.
Most reels are high priced junk if you ask me.
Check this guy out I fish. He's used to write for In Fisherman strictly pan fish articles. He has written several books he's retired now. Lives near me . Jim Gronow. youtube.com/@fishinwithjimgronaw6224?si=kmo8RynOQ8C9Q_5k
Check this guy out I fish. He used to write for In Fisherman Magazine strictly panfish and he has written books on panfish. He's retired now and lives near me.
youtube.com/@fishinwithjimgronaw6224?si=kmo8RynOQ8C9Q_5k