A look inside the design of the
Quantum Aruba PTs (continued)
Dual
speed: When
fishing for offshore game fish, a multi-speed reel is a must. The Quantum Aruba
PTs trolling reels are all two speed reels each with different gear ratios. The
ALD20PTs, ALD30PTs, and ALD30WPTs are all 3.2:1 or 1.7:1. Quantum recently
introduced two higher speed models, the ALD20PTsX and ALD30PTsX. Both these
reels share a gear ratio of 4.2:1 or 2.7:1. The ability to choose a robust
conventional reel with a different set of speeds to match the targeted fish is
definitely a plus.
Just a push of
a button will engage or disengage the different speeds
Maintenance:
While freshwater
anglers can lube and grease their reels annually, saltwater anglers need to be
more committed when it comes to maintenance. After each trip out in corrosive
enviroments, saltwater anglers must perform a good cleaning, simple lube with both
oil and grease, and a good wipe down before the next outing to ensure proper
performance and durability of their reels. In most cases, an angler needs a good
supply of quality tools to take apart their reel which can be a chore especially
if you fish a lot and use many reels per trip.
Tool-less
takedown makes maintenance simple. Pictured with the clamp nut assembly with the
side ring tucked away
The clamp nut
assembly with the side ring out and ready to be turned to takedown
When Quantum designed the
Aruba PTs they wanted to differentiate themselves from the competition. One of
the ways they accomplished this goal was to make maintenance "hassle-free." The
Aruba PTs can be broken down without the need for any tools. This translates
into quick and easy routine maintenance. To take apart the reel, simply unscrew
the body via the ring on the non-handle sideplate and then gently slide the
spool and handle assembly out. At this point, you have access to all the
components you need to reach for basic maintenance and cleaning. All achieved
without the use of a single tool.
When you start
unscrewing the side ring the reel will begin to disassemble
After a while
the entire spool and handle-side assembly will slide right out
Now you have
easy access to do the most basic maintenance and wipe down after each trip
For those anglers who want
to go one step further and break the entire reel into its individual components
for full maintenance and rebuild, Quantum also makes this very simple to do. All
you need is one tool, either a flathead screwdriver or a needle nose pliers to
undo an e-clip, then every thing else comes apart by hand. Now you have full
access to every component for oil, lube, and wipe down.
Notice the red
tag inside the frame. You must align the tab between the two posts when
assembling the reel
This is how it
looks after you have removed the frame from the rest of the reel
A look at the
spool and the spool shaft
Conclusion:
From what we have seen thus far,
Quantum has done a fine job with the design and construction of this conventional trolling reel. The machined
frame and sideplates are executed precisely, internal parts are high quality,
and of course, the new bearings. Too bad we couldn’t get more information on the
proprietary Nitrogen-Alloy PT bearings but with what our bearing expert was able
to discern and from the basic information available from Quantum, it seems these
bearings will hold up nicely against saltwater
corrosion. One element we really like about this reel is that
it requires zero tools to breakdown for basic maintenance and cleaning. This
innovative feature will make oil, lube, and wipe downs less of a chore
increasing the possibility basic maintenance will actually be performed post
every trip to ensure the reels are ready for that next adventure. Next up for
the Aruba PTs is our actual in-depth report on how this reel handled intense
field tests with saltwater big game.
