Reel Review - Daiwa Lexa 100 101 Product Review

Reel Review

Finally, Affordable Versatility from Daiwa - The Lexa 100

Date:	4/21/13
Tackle Type:	Reel
Manufacturer:	Daiwa
Reviewer:	Cal

Total Score: 7.48 - BEST VALUE AWARD!

Introduction: If there's one thing Daiwa does well, it's produce high end tackle. The words you often over hear in a tackle store when customers are looking over their reel choices are references to Daiwa being too expensive. For whatever reason, they've simply not addressed the mid to entry level market as much as many other competitors. Their last attempt at a mid to entry level product in the low profile baitcasting department was the TD Advantage; a reel that faired reasonably well in our tests, but for some reason just never caught on. Well, last Summer, Daiwa debuted their latest offering in this market segment, and here now is our look at the Lexa 100.

Introducing the Daiwa Lexa 100HL.

Daiwa Lexa 100HL Specifications
Line Capacity (Mftr Rating)	14/120 : 16/100
Retrieve Ratio	6.3:1 (tested) also avail in 7.1:1 & 4.9:1
Weight	8.2 oz (tested)
Bearings	7 + 1
Drag	6.9lb Max as tested
Origin	Korea
MSRP	$139.95

Quality/Construction: The Lexa is a much more refined reel in appearance than previous Daiwa offerings at this same price point. It features a pseudo metallic pewter grey finish that is very smooth and consistent all around the reel. The gaps between the frame and sideplates are very minimal, but the seam at the front plate is just a tiny bit more wide. Overall, the tolerances were better than we expected.

The Lexa is a much more refined reel in appearance than previous Daiwa offerings at this same price point.

On our review sample, there was no play in the handle when trying to wiggle it back and forth, but we found the knobs could be moved in and out a noticeable amount. The reel could be a tighter in this department.

Quality Ratings for Daiwa Lexa 100HL
Finish (1-5)	Frame & Sideplate Tolerance (1-5)	Handle Tolerance (1-5)	Knob Tolerance (1-5)	Total	Possible	Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
5	4	5	3	17	20	8.5

We fished the Lexa on a number of different rods including this iRod Air stick.

Performance: I fished the Lexa 100HL on a number of rods with both braid and fluorocarbon lines to get a feel of how it performs in real world situations. This included trips to what has become our standard testing grounds, Clear Lake and the California Delta.

The Lexa 100HL is surprisingly smooth in retrieve and has a much more refined feel to it than I would have expected.

Retrieve: The Lexa 100HL is surprisingly smooth in retrieve and has a much more refined feel to it than I would have expected save for the afore mentioned loose knobs. That small little play in the knobs serves to make the reel feel like it knocks when you're turning the handle. Hoping to resolve this issue, I popped the end cap off one of the knobs and was delighted to see a screw head rather than a rivet! But when I tried to tighten the knob further I found the screw holding the knob in place was already secured as far as it could go. The only resolution here would be to install a bunch of small washers to eat up that play.

Next Section: The Lexa's "Sweet Drag" profile