Making Victory affordable, Skeet Reese’s signature W&M baitcaster (continued)

There were no parts of the reel that failed during testing and the reel continues to perform well after a season of use. The reel’s finish has also held up well and the only paint that is starting to come off is the actual “Victory” logo on the non-handle sideplate. (Note: To test for long term durability and boat rash we did not use the bundled neoprene reel cover which can be used even when the reel is mounted on a rod. Use this cover and you should experience even better long term durability of the finish.)

The non handle sideplate is made out of plastic

Price and Applications: While the Victory reel is certainly not among the most sophisticated reels it is absolutely on par with the competition when you consider the price. At the $99 dollar price point the major competition comes from the Shimano Caenan 100 which retails fro 10 dollars less but is only available in a 6.5:1 retrieve, the Daiwa Exceler which retails for 20 dollars less, the new Abu Garcia Orra SX which is the same price and is available in 6.4:1 and 7.1:1 retrieves and the equally priced Quantum Accurist PT series which also features two retrieve speed options of 6.3:1 and 7.0:1. When evaluated side by side with rivals the Victory actually has one of the best specifications on paper, and the real world performance confirms that this reel does have what it takes to compete at this very highly contested price point.

Adjustments to the anti-backlash system are made quickly by rotating the dial back and forth

Both the 6.2:1 and 7.0:1 retrieve ratio reels feature the same line capacity and deciding which reel you want really depends on what style of fishing you prefer. There are many anglers that simply stay away from high speed reels opting to stick with the well rounded traditional 6:1 gear ratio and there are others that feel like they can always slow down and prefer to have a higher speed reel to really get reaction baits moving or crank back lures through unproductive water quickly. At the end of the day it really comes down to your personal preference and your preferred applications. 

The reel foot could have been ported for further weight reduction

The Victory reels come backed with a one year warranty and if anglers have any problems they just need to send the reel into W&M for replacement. Note that the warranty only covers workmanship and does not cover damage from wear and tear caused by use under normal conditions.

The reel pairs well with W&M's Skeet Reese signature rods in terms of weight and styling

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: