Qualia reels are built to a standard, not a price
point
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Date: |
8/1/09 |
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Location: |
Orlando,
Florida |
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Admission: |
Buyers &
Press only |
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Manufacturer: |
Qualia |
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Reviewer: |
Team
TackleTour |
Introduction: Qualia aims to become a leader in value when it comes to
delivering reels that are built to a standard, not a price point. For the coming
season Qualia continues their efforts at providing modest product lines that
offer a higher level of value per dollar within each fishing category.
The Advanz single-speed features a
CNC billet machined frame and spool
Advanz: Qualia may be a new name to some anglers but the company has been
in the business of manufacturing tackle for 39 years. This year they continued
to refine their saltwater reels starting with their all aluminum Advanz single
speed reels. The Advanz single speed is designed to be a dependable trolling
reel and makes use of nano treated Tenex bearings for extra corrosion resistance
over traditional stainless steel bearings. The reel is constructed with a CNC
billet machined frame and the sideplates are cold forged. All of the gears are
machine cut from stainless steel and the drag system makes use of a combination
of carbon and stainless steel. There are four sizes available from the Q12
(20/350) to the Q30 (30/720). So what will the Advanz set you back? At only $199
the Q12 is an exceptional value and the massive Q30 retails for a still
reasonable $325.99.
Advanz two speed reels offer
straight forward dependability at a reasonable price
Advanz 2-Speed: Qualia also offers a straight forward 2-speed version of
the Advanz. These reels have oversized machine cut gearing and the same
nano-treated Tenex stainless steel bearings as the single speed Advanz. The mid
sized Q16-II weighs 28oz. and has a high speed gear ratio of 4.2:1 and a low
speed of 1.6:1. A rod clamp and wrench is included and the Q16-II retails for
$329.99.
The Advanz Hi Speed reels are
available in both single and 2-speed
Advanz High Speed: Rounding out Qualia's high end saltwater offering is
the Advanz High Speed series. These reels feature a distinct blue and gold motif
and is available in both single and two speed versions. The single speed Q12HS
and Q16HS both have a gear ratio of 6.2:1 while the two speed Q12-IIHS and
Q16-IIHS have a high speed of 6.2:1 and a low speed of 3.1:1.
The sideplate is cold forged and
bears the company's brand and logo
All of the gearing in the Advanz high speed reels
are machine cut from stainless steel and the transmissions in these reels are
over-engineered to handle massive loads. A instant-stop anti reverse system is
backed up by a double-pawl system to give the reel lots of system redundancy.
Advanz reels all make use of a
Comfort-Touch fighting grip
Like the other Advanz reels the high speed models
feature a comfort touch fighting grip that is shaped and angled specifically to
provide maximum comfort and winding leverage. The single speed versions retail
for $299-$329 and the two speed versions cost $369-$399.
The team at Qualia show us their
rugged, dependable and reasonably priced reels
Conclusion: The Advanz series of reels from
Qualia represent the company's high end big water offerings and are the most
refined saltwater reels from the company yet. With a philosophy that is centers
around delivering exceptional value to customers these reels offer plenty of
performance without the premium price that usually accompanies offshore reels of
this grade of material and quality level.
