Field Test Report - Canyon HS- 16

[JerseyCoast]

Originally Posted by njboarder

JC, I was one of those who questioned Canyon a year or two ago.
I see that you are still claiming Canyon is assembled in the U.S. with different internals which makes it far superior than the cheap Chinese knockoffs.

When you initially came to Canyon's rescue, you seemed like a legit guy and I tried my best to believe you.
However, as a frugal buyer, I always do my homework to make sure I am not wasting my hard earned money on garbage.
Unfortunately, the more I looked around, it seemed very obvious Canyon was not 100% honest about their product. Nothing angers me more than dishonesty.

Here is a little reading material. Just one of few I found.
http://www.alanhawk.com/reviews/cny65.html

Now, before you attempt to discredit Alan, note that he's making his claim based on fact and hard data to prove. What have you got besides your same old story?

I am just not sure if you were misinformed, or you are in it together with Canyon, but I suggest you do some research before standing up for a company such as Canyon, as it could taint your reputation.

By the way, since you are so paranoid with competitors trying to hurt Canyon while hiding behine a screen name, my name is Jo J, not associated with any tacke mfg, and if you wanna meet me in person, you'll find me bottom fishing on various sponsor boats as well as tuna/tile fishing on Voyager and Big J. Wish I could stop by the booth this weekend, but can't make it there this week due to other arrangements. And no, I'm not afraid to show my ugly mug..

Let me start here by saying there are 2 reasons I answer these negative Canyon threads.
1- 50% of the public feels that no reply is an admission to guilt
2- My so called "paranoia" is based on facts. Some of which happened before any of you even heard the name Canyon Reels. ( this industry is one of the most "cut throat" industries out there! I have been threatened, denied products because I refuse to back others. ( how many fishermen know that many of the big brands are ALL owned by a single mother company? )

I have a union job that I have held for 23.5 years, so I do not need to sell products to make a living. The truth is, as long as I have this other job, my shop is costing me money, not making me money. This is a poor business plan, but its one that allows me to be an honest person and not have to look over my shoulder. I do not have to lie to pay my bills.

As for being called a liar, I will publicly say that if this is how you feel, I can come up here publicly and say YOU HAVE NO CLUE AS TO WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT! The reason I walked away from Canyon was because my wife & kids were tired of me bringing reels home and not having any time at all for them. I just did not have the time to do my real job, the tackle shop & the reels! So if your going to say I did not spend endless hours assembling reels, well ...... your wrong brother. You have half the facts and no clue as to the real story.

As far as Allan, if you read the post, my issue is with the origin of the products reviewed, not Allan. There are many models available since I left and I do not have ALL of the facts on them, but I defend the products I know. I will say it again, the reels I know about, were and still are assembled here in NJ prior to being sold to the public. Remember, these reels were being used years before any of you even heard the name Canyon Reels. Unfortunately, some of the test reels made their way to people that could send them to others and this caused a bit of an issue.

From the start, there were some very upset people when Canyon was announced. My reason for helping start the company was in part because of another companies rep that threatened me and talked to me like a child! He knows who he is and I am not going to mention the company. The 2nd reason was to offer a powerful reel out of the box, with good service to back it up.

Canyon Reels are not the same OEM reels you guys claim they are. If they were, they would have been out of business, like most of the brands who started up with a similar reel. There were changes needed in these reels and they were made. Any part of business is customer service and to date Canyon has been offering it.

Mixed reviews......absolutely! Just like any other brand! There will be mixed feelings in the future too. No reel can claim they have NEVER had an issue with performance, or a reel break!

Canyon is growing in areas where the US Marketing Money is not spent and theres a reason for that: they work!

Watch Gaff Life each week with Capt. Jimmy Nelson. He has been using Canyon all season long on fish from 1lb to 400lbs.

I cant lie.......every time a negative Canyon thread appears, I also get hit with a rush of people who want to buy them too. Yes I admit that. But thats not the reason I defend them.
I defend them because I have been using them 5+ years and will look anyone of you in the eye and tell you that my 2 favorite brands are Canyon & Daiwa! ( aside from a few models made by other companies, Canyon & Daiwa are the 2 that I will use and suggest to my customers, for just about everything )

As for people doing their homework....... go back and look at how many of these "other brands" no longer sell the same reels. Yet Canyon continues to come out with new models. Like I said before...... I knew all of this would surface and become an issue. That's why Canyon does it the way they do. If they were to announce every detail, they would only be helping their competition build a better reel. Who in their right mind spend years of work and money, only to help another company out?

I can send out a look alike of just about 85% of the reels made to somebody and find something wrong with them. Things as simple as a bearing, drag, grease, screws, alignment, all make a difference when a reel is put to the test. Simply weighing parts and measuring parts is not the only way to evaluate a reel! You have to use it and compare it! Unfortunately, there is nobody who does that today! We base all of our trust on measurements, not performance!

I am not calling anyone a liar. I will question your facts, but I am only defending the facts when I defend Canyon. Its not a contest. It would be easier for me to sell the latest & greatest that you all see on the magazine covers if it were all about money! How many dealers stick with their products? How many dealers sell the latest thing made? You get my point here? With me its not about the dollar. I will not be able to run my tackle shop the way it should be run for another 2 years. Its a passion for me, not a business. You are not going to find all of the latest & greatest in my place. You will find mostly custom made tackle and the same products that were there 3, 4, 5 years ago..... because they work and my customers are happy!

I do not have to lie to make money. You can question me as a truthful person all you want, but thats the beauty of the way I am doing things. NOTHING is gonna sneak up and bite me down the road.

I will talk about them privately if you like. If you want to base all of your findings on a review by one person, thats cool...... but its kind of narrow minded. There was a bit of foul play years back with some of that. ( not by Alan, but by others)

[MrAC1980]

I agree with Sportfishing that the MSRP on the real is what turns people away and gets them to knock it. I own the HS-15 and have broke the real down and serviced it. Very similar parts to other reels out there like the Avets, etc. I don't see the value in the extra 100bucks as compared to the Avet SX alone. Only reason I own the HS-15 is because I got an amazing deal on the reel. Haven't fished it yet, so can't compare it to power and reliability of the Avet SX. I've put the Avet up against a Saltist(not saltiga) and the toriums, and the Avet was more powerful in my opinion. This spring will be the test as I put the Canyon up against the Avet... then and only then will I maybe see the extra value. (If I don't sell it first, lol)

[JerseyCoast]

Originally Posted by MrAC1980

I agree with Sportfishing that the MSRP on the real is what turns people away and gets them to knock it. I own the HS-15 and have broke the real down and serviced it. Very similar parts to other reels out there like the Avets, etc. I don't see the value in the extra 100bucks as compared to the Avet SX alone. Only reason I own the HS-15 is because I got an amazing deal on the reel. Haven't fished it yet, so can't compare it to power and reliability of the Avet SX. I've put the Avet up against a Saltist(not saltiga) and the toriums, and the Avet was more powerful in my opinion. This spring will be the test as I put the Canyon up against the Avet... then and only then will I maybe see the extra value. (If I don't sell it first, lol)

I would never argue or defend a product against a statement like this. Its a legit issue and an honest one. My only reason for jumping in here was when I saw the thread heading in a direction I have seen time and time again.

I spent endless hours putting reels together back in the days that I was involved. I get a little upset when I see something suggesting I never did the things that dam near cost me my family. I spent all of my free time on these reels. There's a reason Canyon is still here and other brands have faded away.
I hope you guys understand why I am being a d*ck here and defending the whole topic. Even if they were 110% Chinese made, what difference would it make anyway? Most of the reels we see today are made there anyway.


To my buddy NJB,
I would expect you to react the same way if I called you out and claimed you were a liar. We can agree to disagree on this one and get back to talking fishing. Your opinion of me is made, its not going to change and I am sure your not alone. It is what it is, not much we can do about it. I am offering to answer your concerns about things I have said over the years.
If not, good luck on the many trips you make.

The bottom line with Canyon is:
-They are still here, after so many said they would not be.
-They have a worldwide following.
-They have won some big tournaments, with some big names.
-They have pages of happy customers with pictures of fish caught on the reels.
- The competition will forever try to discredit them.
( I think spreading lies about a competitor is disgusting, but I guess its a way of life for some)

[mark b]

Meet Don at the show on friday great guy and had to go back and get a 15 in gunstock. Show price too good to pass up, gonna be my new tog reel.
Can't wait to try it out!

[arat]

Originally Posted by sportfishingusa

I have not fished them, i think they look good, but i heard mixed reviews, i for one can only say from looking at price and specs that they do not work for me on a MSRP basis, for the price of that hs 16 i can get two sx or mxl avets that will do the same amount of things.

I know that the bulk of people buy these reels for the drag and weight, 66lbs of drag is by no means necessary but some people do like it. I for one would not need anything with that much drag.. And i feel two speed on these little reels is a little much, i have fished offshore a lot, spent a lot of time inshore as well, and i have rarely hit that button to turn on the second speed, it has happened but with a reel like this, you can not put it on a rod that is going to handle 66lbs of drag, or a big fish that you are trying to winch up, just not gonna happen. For inshore it is completely overkill, for offshore it is ok but im not one to fish small reels on small rods, i do not need to go out and prove myself with a small set up catching big fish, i rather put the heat to a big yellowfin or bluefin on a 50 wide and get the catch, not play back and forth all day.

I am not being controversial here just figured i would throw up my two sense from where an avid fisherman is coming from.

I will not knock a product one bit i will just put my input out there. There is an ass for every seat, i do not know why people complain about overseas, the truth of the matter is that if they work, if people buy them, if the owners can turn some coin and make a living, you are stimulating the USA economy.. People shop toys r us and US companies where all of their personal brand lines have been and continue to be made over seas, so anyone who wants to cry about that is just uneducated with nothing else to do but bitch.

Maybe one day i will fish with your alex, lol, and maybe you can change my mind, but for now i and most people just fish what they know and what they like.

OK so you can get Avet SXs or MXLs. That would be great if they equal but they are not. The HS16 is more like the SX raptor try getting two of those for the price of a HS16.

All I know I have dealt with many reel companies. And have never gotten service like I have with canyon. I have fished my 15s and ex16s hard and have not yet had one issue. And I'm not easy on my gear.

[arat]

Originally Posted by MrAC1980

I agree with Sportfishing that the MSRP on the real is what turns people away and gets them to knock it. I own the HS-15 and have broke the real down and serviced it. Very similar parts to other reels out there like the Avets, etc. I don't see the value in the extra 100bucks as compared to the Avet SX alone. Only reason I own the HS-15 is because I got an amazing deal on the reel. Haven't fished it yet, so can't compare it to power and reliability of the Avet SX. I've put the Avet up against a Saltist(not saltiga) and the toriums, and the Avet was more powerful in my opinion. This spring will be the test as I put the Canyon up against the Avet... then and only then will I maybe see the extra value. (If I don't sell it first, lol)

First of all I work part time at a tackle shop and what I can tell you based on fact is that there is no way the avet or torium is more powerful than the canyon. And the most common reel that comes back broken is the avets. With out question. mostly bearing issues.

[triangler]

you are right,the pinion bearing is the problem.this is the problem in all lever drag reels.the main factor in this is people push the drag over the rated drag. No reel is bullet proof,if you push the drag over the rated lbs.... you can read a lot of this in ALLAN TANI web site..so that being said unless they have a super bearing all lear drags pinion bearing can blow-up.