Lock and Load with the Daiwa T3 T-Wing System (continued)

Ergonomics: The T3 is very sleek and yet it palms very well in hand because it is such a low profile. The T-Wing design makes the center of the reel look slimmer but there is plenty of space for your thumb to feather the spool during casts. Weighing in at 6.5oz. the T3 feels lightweight and balances out well with most of the rods we tested including Daiwa’s own Steez and Zillion rods as well as the new GLoomis GL2 series sticks. The one anomaly I encountered during testing was on Daiwa’s own Steez Flex-Lite where at full lock the reel’s feet was so small that I could detect some noticeable give in the seating when there was a fish on the line. I don’t know if mass production will address this on the reels or there is a tolerance issue on our Flex-Lite rod, but we didn’t experience this on other Steez rods or any rod equipped with a Fuji seat.

A look at the RCS spool

Overall the T3’s ergonomics are excellent and the urethane covered cork grips used on this reel are still my favorite Daiwa implementation, and the reel features all the clickies allowing for quick and easy adjustment on the fly. The only setting that requires anglers to turn the reel over is the Magforce 3D master switch, but most anglers will likely leave the reel set on a particular setting all day long and just tweak the more detailed MagForce setting. 

The T3 palms easily thanks to the low profile and ergonomic sideplate design

Price and Applications: The T3 offers anglers plenty of performance but at a price, $429.95 to be exact. That’s certainly not chump change but there are a lot of justifications for the premium price including the innovative T-Wing system which not only delivers on both short and long distance casts but the sheer level of refinement that the T3 exhibits, and let’s not forget the indefinable fun factor here, just flipping the T-Wing open is enough motivation to keep casting all day long.

The pad on top of the T-Wing provides anglers with a more positive tactile surface when palming or resetting the reel into retrieve position

The use of Zaion also makes the T3 extremely corrosion resistant, and the reel can easily pull double duty as an inshore reel. The T3’s CRBB bearings are designed to take on the elements and remain smooth over the long term, and the tournament drag is capable of taking on bigger and harder fighting fish without breaking a sweat.

A better look at the Zaion constructed clutch bar

For those anglers that want the T-Wing feature and are willing to sacrifice refinement Daiwa’s T3 Ballistic reel exhibits the same form factor and basic functionality in a 5BB+1RB configuration, weighs in at a heavier 7.8oz., and will retail for $249.99. The T3 Ballistic is also available in 6.3:1 and 7.3:1 gear ratios and right and left hand retrieve. Styling-wise the Ballistic reels look very similar and the main differences are a black finish on the T-Wing opening and a more traditional, less ported, swept handle design.

An anodized aluminum cast tension knob with clickies is a nice touch

As of today the T3 is still not available in the U.S. but shipments are looming and the reels will be available mid November. A number of e-tailers have begun taking pre-orders and the waiting list is already building up for this reel. The Ballistic model will likely far outsell the premium T3 but only a side by side comparison can really quantify if the price delta is worth the difference in performance and refinement.

The T3 features a swept handle design and urethane coated cork knobs for comfort

Ratings: (We've re-calibrated our ratings standard for 2008 and have included a key at the bottom of the following matrix as a guide):

Pluses and Minuses: