Daiwa UK 2015

Sadly my life these days revolves around fishing tackle (I love it really). Whether I have my sensible head on, placing orders for the shop or I'm drooling and filling my own holdall with new stuff, I have an in-built interest in the latest and best new items each year.

The new Daiwa trade catalogue arrived with me only 24 hours ago, and I must admit that I've thought about almost nothing else ever since! Daiwa have been a company that I've grown up with really. Them, Shimano and Shakespeare in particular have been with me since I was a kid. I think I mentioned previously on the blog that I used to run through catalogues from about 12 years old, making wish lists of all the stuff I wanted, and adding up the completely unaffordable costs. My £5 a week wasn't going to cut it! Weirdly, this is exactly what I'm still doing today, but owning the shop means raft very occasionally, Jo, my business partner, actually let's me buy the stuff! That doesn't stop a completely unnecessary and unaffordable number of lists being made though! It's still fun.

Anyway, this is a very exciting time of year in the tackle industry. Trade shows (I'll be reporting back from Tackle & Guns next week), new products and new catalogues are starting to show. It is a difficult period at the same time though. I'm impatient and want to see what ALL of the manufacturers have to offer RIGHT NOW!!! It will be a couple of months yet before one or two finally show their hands.

Right, Daiwa 2015! It looks to be a good year for them in a lot of ways. A lot has stayed the same (why release new models when you don't need to, eh?!) but there are some very sweet looking new bits as well. It's those I'll concentrate on here.

 

Starting with the reels, the one that really, really stands out at me is the new Ballistic  EX. As a big fan of the previous Ballistic model (which I think was hugely under-rated in general), this new one not only has upgraded features like the Mag-Seal and a solid aluminium handle, but I think it looks even better as well! The tart in me says that any match angler using the Tournament rods has just found the perfect colour match! I appreciate that match anglers may prefer a folding handle for easy transportation in a ready-rod case, but the lure angling side of me knows for an absolute fact that the solid handles are nicer to fish with. The RRP on these is £189.99 but expect them to sell for as little as £160 once the discounters get their hands on em! That is a bargain to be honest, considering the features.

 

Keeping with the reels, next one to catch my eye for features and value for money is the new Exceler. RRP is £99.99 (expect to pay as low as £74.99). With Daiwa's Air-Rotor style that they've been bringing down through the range from their very top models, again it's a really nice looking reel. A bonus for the dropshot/LRF lure guys as well is the fact that they're doing it in a 1500 size too!

The new Caldia looks lovely as well, and the new Matchwinner model catches my eye too. Match anglers will find the various features very appealing. I don't think the catalogue does this one justice actually. I'm sure I've seen more attractive images on the internet a few days ago. 

I think it's great that Daiwa are now offering 1500 or 2000 size options through a lot of their models. That's only really happening from this catalogue (2015). We've been pushing them for years to make it happen. They were initially bringing the Gekkabijin MX in from Japan especially for us!

Overall, some great looking, new reels throughout the range!

Rod wise, 2015 appears to see the introduction of a TDR range of match and feeder rods! TDR reel owners will love matching up the name and blue livery! Mostly commercial style rods with a more traditional 13' waggler rod in there as well. Bound to do well! RRP's on all models are £225. Discounts will have em selling for £199.

 

 

I'm also drawn to their good looking, good value, new Yank N Bank range! Again commercial orientated there are 3 waggler and 3 bomb rods. Can't wait to see them at their south west trade show in November! £74.99 each. The new Harrier range below them (the Harrier name takes me back!) look lovely rods as well. Understated, classy and only £49.99 retail.

 

There's a new Tournament Pro X 16m pole which looks good on paper. You get stacks of buying options, from 16m pole only to a 13m European package (with top 5's) to two full 16m packages with either match or power kits. These wider options seem to be featured on a few of their new poles, including the Connoissuer G50 with replaces the '20'.

 

More replacements come in the shape of the new (and lovely looking) TDZR range - which obviously supersedes the XR. These run from £199.99 upwards. 

I feel like I'm mentioning every pole in the catalogue but there are loads more, including the new "Multi Margin". This is a 9m power pole, built with sections that will interchange with all of Daiwa's current, UK built poles. A very useful addition! In fact, it's probably only really this interchangeable nature that justifies it's price tag. I'm sure it's going to be amazing, but £599 for a 9m margin pole?!... Luckily you'll 'only' pay £525 for one in reality. I can see their benefit but you'd have to be a current Daiwa owner to go for one.

Here she is...

 

Pole floats. A tiny thing but it's worth mentioning that they've increased their range. Nothing too out of the ordinary, but as an angler the range does look more appealing to me now than it did before!

 

I'd only heard a new seatbox from Daiwa being mentioned about half an hour before the catalogue was on my desk. ...and here she is! The Tournament 500.

 

 

I feel a bit like Harry Potter dreaming of a Nimbus 2000. This is just more fishing geek than flying, wizard geek. I feel a bit inferior, but I do want a Tournament 500! In blue, please. 

I use a Daiwa box already, a Team Daiwa 302. I absolutely love it to be honest, but it doesn't have the winder space I want and the tray configuration just doesn't suit me. The Tournament 500 looks to be everything I'm after though, with its numerous and removable shallow trays. I've been looking at both Sensas and Rive lately, but we shall see! I'll try one out at the trade show. They're £599 worth (expect approx. £525) but that seems fairly normal for a top end box these days. They look amazing if you ask me. 

If there was one thing I'm not keen on (because I totally love the look of the kit in this catalogue), its the luggage. Well designed and constructed I'm sure, but I'm not completely in love with the bland, all black colour schemes these days. Brand identity is good with the classy new logo, but it's all very, very plain. As an angler buying this kit, I want to be drooling! I'll save my plain clothes for work. When I let my hair down I want things a bit more exciting, and it's the same with my fishing kit. I know some are different and will buy the plainest stuff they can find, but in a modern match fishing world, kit like this has to stand out (and make you stand out!). The Daiwa brand logo is a strong one, but there's a certain over-confidence when you remove all styling and just rely on your logo alone. At least one of the ranges could have been a more interesting mix of red/blue and black?! Surely?! They're all just black!.... (with some red piping on the TD stuff).

The Daiwa clothing for example is looking better all the time but the luggage doesn't ooze the same appeal, to me.

 

 

 

Overall, I'm excited about the prospect of stocking and using more Daiwa kit this year. Studying the catalogue has been an inspirational experience in a way. They've certainly got my attention! There are an equal number of lure related products that will also go down well in the shop. I just have to wait till November now to see some of it in the flesh. I'll report back then!