Okuma Magnitude

[itchmesir]

Anyone have any experience with these reels? Is there anything I should know about Magnesium before I think about buying a reel made of one? is it durable? I see that they are super light..

I already own a couple of the SLVs and like them a lot.. but am interested in this lightweight reel

[bigjim5589]

I own several Okuma reels, and like them too. I do not own a Magnitude. Magnesium is not a good material to use in saltwater, as it corrodes badly, and it tends to be more brittle than cast aluminum. It's like anything else however, take care of it & use it within the limits of what it's intended to be used for & you should be fine.

[caseywise]

yeah ive had a few okumas(sierras, slv's, vashons and a couple integritys), and thought they were good reels for what they were. never owned a magnitude so can't comment on that particular model.
the slv in particular is a true bargain at about 45-55 bucks, and would be a fine choice for anyone starting out, or for a reliable backup.

casey

[itchmesir]

Yeah I own 2 SLVs.. great reels.. the drag is pretty touchy though... I was just curious about the Magnitude.. Also thinking about getting an Integrity.. I hear those things are built like tanks

[wabi]

I've owned a few magnitude reels. My only complaint is line/backing capacity is very limited for the size indicated. The next size up (or even two sizes) works much better if you want to spool any backing on the reel.

[mrfzx]

I've owned one Magnitude, and several other Okuma reels including and SLV, and two Integrity's. In a nutshell, stay away from the Magnitude. The difference in weight is not enough to justify the "cost". By "cost" I mean total lack of durabilty. Any contact with stones/rocks will have consequences. The one I did own was ruined when my daughter dropped it on a hardwood floor. She was only 11, and the dop was only about 2 and a half feet, but the rim was bent and cracked. I probably could have cantacted Okuma, and I think they would have stood behind the reel, but honestly, it was a cheap reel, and the shipping would have cost almost as much as I paid for the reel. I simply "round filed" the reel, and bought something else to replace it.

Note: I do not fish the other Okumas anymore. I gifted them out to friends over the years who needed starter gear. The Integrity and one of the SLV's is still being fished.....I've lost track of the other Integrity...and the guy that I gifted it too.

[zug buggin]

The Integrity is a heck of a good reel for the money. It's like a timex watch "takes a beating and keeps on ticking", the drag is surprisenly good for an inexpensive reel. The Magnatude is too brittle and I also broke mine with a minor drop of about 3 feet from the tail gate of my truck.

[moucheur2003]

Do you mean the standard-arbor or the large-arbor Magnitude? I've got a standard-arbor that I use as a backup reel (which means, not very often). It's the same design as the Okuma Sierra, except that it's made of magnesium rather than aluminum, and has a different porting pattern and a different paint job (grey rather than black). It's also a lot like the SA System 2L, with a similar caliper brake system.

I haven't had any trouble with it, but I haven't used it hard. One thing you may or may not like is that there's no click when you rewind the line. I have also used the Sierra and find that the magnesium makes hardly any noticeable difference in performance in the trout sizes -- you notice the cosmetics more than the performance.