One of my team members I captain came home with one of these combos before our last tournament. He brought it over to my place and we spooled it up and tied on about a 3/8 ounce hookless crankbait and went to work with it. This thing is the smoothest reel I've ever cast and the distances it can lay down are just insane. It cast like it cost many times the price tag. He fished nearly the entire tournament with this combo throwing a crankbait and it performed flawlessly. I own reels that cost a lot more than these do and none of them are as smooth as this reel or have the distance. I get gift cards every Christmas and some of them will be spent on more of these reels for my own personal use and the team as well.

ABU Garcia MAX X Combo

I'm happy that the newer reels are working for you all. They seem to have made some improvements.

I gave up Abu as my primary years ago. Had more than one fail at the handle that I care to relive. I'm not hard on my equipment at all. Most of my reels are 2-3 years old and look new.