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Reel Preview


World's first look inside the Team Daiwa Pluton
 

Date: 9/17/08
Tackle type: Reels
Manufacturer: Daiwa
Reviewer: Zander








Introduction:
So far, details of the new Daiwa Pluton have been hard to come by, but we managed to get our hands on one of the very first reels to roll off the Daiwa line and are able to bring to you this exclusive look into the makeup of this new, highly anticipated round reel from Daiwa.

 


We take a look at one of only three Pluton's that currently exist, the reel will be made available in December later this year

 

Just what is a Pluton? The dictionary defines it as: plu·ton  /ˈplutɒn/ Pronunciation Key - [ploo-ton] –noun Geology. any body of igneous rock that solidified far below the earth's surface.

 


The Pluton may be a compact round reel but Daiwa has designed it to tackle big inshore and saltwater fish

Or perhaps Daiwa named the new reel after "Pluto" the Roman god of the underworld, or even the dwarf planet that orbits on the outskirts of our solar system. The theories surrounding the naming of this reel can be argued either way as it certainly looks and feels as solid as a rock, yet has a subdued, almost ethereal look (no flashy color here) as one would expect from any product associated with the Roman deity of the underworld. But enough about that, let’s get into the details.


The tension knob is machined and features an audible click

We were lucky to get the very first reel to come off of Daiwa's production line, one of only three of these reels in existence. Daiwa is prepping for a hard launch sometime in December of 2008 and when the reel will begin shipping to retailers and e-tailers around the country.


The black ring on the sideplate is actually the cast control for the magnetic system completely housed within the sideplate

The first thing that struck us about the Pluton was how solid it felt - not just examining the reel in hand but also when cranking its handle. Cal remarked that the reel reminded him of the import ITO Monoblock. The Pluton feels like a cross between the Luna and the Saltiga, and the gearing feels extremely precise delivering a more connected overall feel. It is smooth, but not buttery smooth, there is no doubt that when you crank on this reel the gearing is matching up tooth to tooth. From a cosmetic standpoint the Pluton has very clean lines, and fans of the Saltiga’s appearance will surely be fond of the Pluton’s utilitarian facade.


A closer look at the Pluton's machined spool and inductor. The spool weighed in at .6oz in our lab

The Pluton was designed by Daiwa to be a multipurpose reel, one that can be used for tossing big freshwater baits, targeting inshore species, or loading up with light line to target serious big game. It is designed to handle superlines as well as monofilament, and the spool and cast control system can accommodate both big baits and lighter lures - something we will certainly verify and evaluate in our field tests.


A look at the inside of the sideplate

Since the Pluton is designed to operate in saltwater applications and not just freshwater, Daiwa put extra emphasis on properly sealing the reel taking liberties to outfit it with eight corrosion resistant CRBB bearings plus one roller bearing. The entire frame is machined out of a single piece of aluminum and the subtle branding is burned into the reel with three point laser engraving.


The Pluton's frame is machined from a single piece of aluminum and you can see the machining marks inside on the frame

The Pluton’s magnetic cast control system is housed entirely within the removable sideplate that features an external adjustment dial. We assumed the black ring that encircles the non handle sideplate was purely cosmetic when we first saw the reel, but what we came to discover is his ring is actually the mechanism by which the user can adjust the cast control as it rotates back and forth with an indicator that lines up with similar marks engraved on the sideplate. The ring rotates easily with pressure from only one finger and all adjustments are positively reinforced by an audible click facilitating even the slightest on the fly adjustments.


Time to remove the handle side and see what is underneath

On the business side of the reel we find a swept handle, a newly designed drag star, and a massive tension knob. Detailing of all these items is superb and audible click adjustments are features of both the drag star and tension knob. The Pluton’s knobs are also more subdued than the other mid-range Daiwa reels, and somewhat of a cross between what we normally find on reels like the Luna and the Steez in terms of design and feel. The infinite anti reverse is superb on the Pluton, absolutely no backplay was detectable (and I mean absolutely NONE).


The Pluton features Daiwa's swept handle design which is designed to reduce handle wobble

Next Section: A look inside the guts of the Pluton

 

   

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