Tibor and Abel for me! Used to be a fan of the sealed drag system until I had one fail whilst fighting a fish. Went with open drag and never looked back.
I have the Tibor Everglades and Riptide, and glad I chose them over a "sealed" drag. I use them in saltwater and just like any good angler, I rinse them with freshwater at the end of the day...same as you would with a sealed drag reel. I only tear it down before and after the season to check for adequate lube (I've never had to lube either of my Tibors,) and ensure there's no rust anywhere...and there hasn't been. The bottom line is that I've never heard of anyone complain about the operation or maintenance of a Tibor reel, while there are enough stories about failed alleged "sealed and waterproof" drags that have leaked and ruined the drag. Why take the chance?
I wouldn't hold Hatch's sealed drag as an example of the pinnacle of drag technology. I've seen a lot of modern Hatch reels go down, while those technologically "old" Tibor reels keep winching in big fish. In fact, most Tibor reels in use have outlasted 3 generations of Hatch Saltwater reels.
I agree. I own 4 Hatch reels and 3 have required a visit to the factory at my cost. My unsealed Pates are flawless. Just add a bit of grease before a trip and you are guaranteed a perfect reel
I fish a little of both, but I will say this, I'm turning 44 this year and I'm fishing an Abel 3N on my 8wt that was made 30+ years ago, maybe before I even knew fly fishing existed. I just installed new pawl springs and greased it and that thing is as smooth as silk. I'm curious to see which of my sealed drag reels will still be kicking in 30 years when I finally have to hang up my waders.
I’m going on 74 been fishing 100 + days a year for over 40 years . I have owned 8 Able super series reels for the past 24+ years never have had an issue . My friends alway tell me there heavy and old school but they always want to try them . I had them all custom anodized in multiple colors, not only do they look cool they work flawlessly. I have the 50th anniversary Greatful Dead reel on my 5wt and when people see it they go WITF did you get that . I’m sure when I die there will be some happy people at the garage sale :-)
Awesome review. I wouldn't argue owning any high end reel, sealed or non-sealed. All of them I'm sure have a good warranty. If not, they would be out of business.
I have both sealed and unsealed personally I’ve had more failures with the sealed . And when they fail there’s no fixing it . That being said I’m not a guide I fish a 100+ days a year on average both salt and fresh so do get enough time on them to test there reliability. I currently have three Danielsson sealed drag reels and have had them for over 6 years and they have worked flawlessly on the other hand I have two Hatch sealed drag reels and have multiple drag failures. I have eight Able non sealed drag reels and have never had a failure but do maintain them once a year , takes like 10 minutes. I’m a mechanic by trade so when I hear they never require maintenance I think sure until they break . The trend has been sealed drag systems and as you say along with that comes a price . Look at the Mako starts at $1,300 up to $2,400 . Tibor has been around for going on 30 years unsealed and you can get them for under $800 and when you are salt water big game fishing you see a lot of them . Then you have the Nautilus which is a sealed drag reel and they are fantastic, and another reel you see a lot for big game salt $800+ . It boils down to how much do you want to spend and are you comfortable having a reel you can’t repair if something should happen. Thanks for sharing
I’ve had my Tibor Everglades for 22 years. Have only ever had 1 issue - had a small amount of corrosion on my spool. Tibor fixed my spool for free and gave me an extra spool with an apology letter. Have had my Tibor riptide for around 20 years. Have caught 1000’s of cobia and tarpon and never had any issues at all. Have never even heard of these new reels until recently when I was looking to add a 12wt to my arsenal for bigger tarpon. Pretty sure I’ll be sticking with Tibor but maybe try one of their newer signature reels.
Imo and experience if you fish every weekend or are a guide, reels like the tibor are great because with about 10 minutes of maintenance every year the reel will be good for a lifetime. Also the drags stay smooth and there’s no better sound in the world than one. From my experience with sealed reels they’re okay if you use them not so often but in the end seals will fail eventually and the reel will go with them.
I have both styles, Hatch and Tibor. Hatch 7+ and 9+. Tibor Freestone and Everglades. To me maintenance on the Tibor is overstated. Once a year I take it apart clean it and lubricant the cork. Cleaning should be done for both styles. If you are on a trip of a lifetime, you could just bring some extra lubricant, for peace of mind. Other than that there should be no reason to take a Tibor apart, on a trip. On the other hand o rings can and will fail, then the reel is done. There is nothing you can do, until you get home and send it in. Every sealed drag system will eventually fail, some sooner then others. If you buy a quality reel, you should get many years of service from it. My Tibor’s are around 25 years old and work as good as the day I bought them. I hope the Hatch reels have the same longevity, time will tell.
Respectfully, I own a few different fly reels and when fishing the flats and wading in a saltwater environment like Xmas Island or the bahamas, I fish my sealed-drag nautilus reels with confidence. A pal of mine fishes with a hi end reel with an open drag system and dropped it in the SW water like we all do..... he spent a lot of time dis-assembing, oiling, re- assembling until we got back home, then sent it in for some needed maintenance. Not all sealed drag sytems are the same so I stick with what i know works best for me after 7 years of use and logical maintenance its been great.
My Tibors and Abel supers have been to Xmas Island 8 times (in addition to countless other tropical destinations). I have never disassembled one during a trip, and have never seen anyone need to do that. You dunk them under freshwater after a day of fishing like any other reel. Sounds like you encountered a newb.
no smoother drags than my old cork drags, Tibor, Islanders, Pates, Abels.....and they never failed me........they are just a bit heavy for modern graphite rods......nice video!
If sealed disc drags were the answer, doesn’t it make sense that we would see them on cars, planes, etc.? A new roof doesn’t leak until it does. A sealed drag won’t leak until it does. Unfortunately a person won’t know the reel is leaking until the drag and clutch escapement system fails. Yeah, most sealed drags have lifetime warranties so a person can send it in to get fixed, but if a person is in the middle of the Seychelles just beginning a 2 week trip or the middle of a week long Alaska float trip, that lifetime warranty isn’t much of a benefit. And, a person won’t need to take parts for the Tibor because it won’t fail. They just don’t. And, who has ever had to do “field maintenance” on a Tibor, Abel, or Islander? The only time I see that need is when a person fails to ensure the cork drag is well lubricated before heading out on a trip. Saw that once on a Bauer during a Christmas Island trip; the fly fisher had borrowed the Bauer and didn’t check the cork drag, which was dry and grabby. Fortunately we had grease at camp. The easy answer is attempt to minimize dunking a reel in the water. Simple. I know folks like hero pictures with their reel underwater with a just-caught fish as the backdrop, but just don’t do it.
A properly greased draw bar cork reel is like a colt 1911, its simple, durable, and works every single time. Sealed drags are cool tech but essentially a gimmick for most of us. I've got a pile of reels, sealed and unsealed, and the only ones id never get rid of say Tibor on them
My experience say, that for trout fishing you don’t need even the drag, enough to be click and pawl system. For sea fishing I prefer sealed drag, that is help save your reel from corrosion.
Seems to me that if the only advantage of a sealed drag over an unsealed one is maintenance, I see no advantage. I’m personally unacquainted with the type of angler who doesn’t maintain their fishing equipment. It’s part of the enjoyment of fly fishing, and fishing in general to personally maintain our gear. What sort of angler would be put off by this?
And how many saltwater world records have been set with Tibors and Abels? If you’re the kind of angler who routinely drops their reel in the sand or sticks it under water, then by all means get a sealed drag. If you take simple care of your reels, don’t drop them in the sand and don’t try to submerge them in saltwater, then rinse them off at the end of the day and clean them when you get home, you can happily fish with an unsealed drag for years or decades.
Sealed drags do matter if fishing on foot in salt water. Fishing from a boat not an issue. Do t take your Tibor to Christmas Island. Your guide may dunk it for just a few seconds. Guess what you will be wasting your time and money sending your reel to Florida for re build. If I only fished from a a boat I’d own Tibors. But I also fish on foot in the salt and I would not fish anything but sealed reels in those conditions.
I agree 100%. my trips to Xmas Island and other destinations where wading on foot is the staple and dropping my nautilus in the water for photo ops is the norm. A fresh water bath and its ready to go for the next day. My buddy with the super-nice open drag reel spent some evening(s) dis assembling, oiling and re assembling............ not that its a bad thing but I'd rather be having a cocktail and fibbing about the one that got away.
My Tibors have been to Xmas island 8 times. I rinse them off every day after use, just like any other reel. Did you see the vid of the Tibor Pacific that was at the bottom of the ocean for 3 years? The original owner is still using that reel today.
@@desertdogoutdoors1113 hmmmmmmmmmm 3 years at the bottom of the ocean? Sounds like when my Dad would give me **** and say "I used to walk 5 miles uphill to school every day..... both ways!"
No reel is 100% properly fully sealed. Also, a “fully” sealed reel usually results in a less smooth reel. Just maintain your reels, and you’ll be good to go!
This subjective.. If water ingress doesn't get into your drag it's still exposed to pitting, rust and corrosion regardless its age and price range. No point blowing 1k on a reel if it gets hammered in the salt. Temu and aliexpress have made the market way more accessible in the last 10 years, but this artisan high society boys club bs needs to piss right off.. it's toxic and doesn't do fly fishing any justice 😕
The drag on those Tibors are like butter and the sound produce goosebumps.
Tibor and Abel for me! Used to be a fan of the sealed drag system until I had one fail whilst fighting a fish. Went with open drag and never looked back.
I have the Tibor Everglades and Riptide, and glad I chose them over a "sealed" drag. I use them in saltwater and just like any good angler, I rinse them with freshwater at the end of the day...same as you would with a sealed drag reel. I only tear it down before and after the season to check for adequate lube (I've never had to lube either of my Tibors,) and ensure there's no rust anywhere...and there hasn't been. The bottom line is that I've never heard of anyone complain about the operation or maintenance of a Tibor reel, while there are enough stories about failed alleged "sealed and waterproof" drags that have leaked and ruined the drag. Why take the chance?
I wouldn't hold Hatch's sealed drag as an example of the pinnacle of drag technology. I've seen a lot of modern Hatch reels go down, while those technologically "old" Tibor reels keep winching in big fish. In fact, most Tibor reels in use have outlasted 3 generations of Hatch Saltwater reels.
I agree. I own 4 Hatch reels and 3 have required a visit to the factory at my cost. My unsealed Pates are flawless. Just add a bit of grease before a trip and you are guaranteed a perfect reel
Repectfully, I would not use hatch as an "example of the pinnacle of drag technology"...... and i'm a big fan of sealed drag sytems.
I fish a little of both, but I will say this, I'm turning 44 this year and I'm fishing an Abel 3N on my 8wt that was made 30+ years ago, maybe before I even knew fly fishing existed. I just installed new pawl springs and greased it and that thing is as smooth as silk. I'm curious to see which of my sealed drag reels will still be kicking in 30 years when I finally have to hang up my waders.
I’m going on 74 been fishing 100 + days a year for over 40 years . I have owned 8 Able super series reels for the past 24+ years never have had an issue . My friends alway tell me there heavy and old school but they always want to try them . I had them all custom anodized in multiple colors, not only do they look cool they work flawlessly. I have the 50th anniversary Greatful Dead reel on my 5wt and when people see it they go WITF did you get that . I’m sure when I die there will be some happy people at the garage sale :-)
Awesome review. I wouldn't argue owning any high end reel, sealed or non-sealed. All of them I'm sure have a good warranty. If not, they would be out of business.
Unsealed cork drag, islander lx for stripers. My orvis hydros sl was one of those not so sealed sealed drags
I have both sealed and unsealed personally I’ve had more failures with the sealed . And when they fail there’s no fixing it . That being said I’m not a guide I fish a 100+ days a year on average both salt and fresh so do get enough time on them to test there reliability. I currently have three Danielsson sealed drag reels and have had them for over 6 years and they have worked flawlessly on the other hand I have two Hatch sealed drag reels and have multiple drag failures. I have eight Able non sealed drag reels and have never had a failure but do maintain them once a year , takes like 10 minutes. I’m a mechanic by trade so when I hear they never require maintenance I think sure until they break . The trend has been sealed drag systems and as you say along with that comes a price . Look at the Mako starts at $1,300 up to $2,400 . Tibor has been around for going on 30 years unsealed and you can get them for under $800 and when you are salt water big game fishing you see a lot of them . Then you have the Nautilus which is a sealed drag reel and they are fantastic, and another reel you see a lot for big game salt $800+ . It boils down to how much do you want to spend and are you comfortable having a reel you can’t repair if something should happen. Thanks for sharing
I’ve had my Tibor Everglades for 22 years. Have only ever had 1 issue - had a small amount of corrosion on my spool. Tibor fixed my spool for free and gave me an extra spool with an apology letter. Have had my Tibor riptide for around 20 years. Have caught 1000’s of cobia and tarpon and never had any issues at all. Have never even heard of these new reels until recently when I was looking to add a 12wt to my arsenal for bigger tarpon. Pretty sure I’ll be sticking with Tibor but maybe try one of their newer signature reels.
Imo and experience if you fish every weekend or are a guide, reels like the tibor are great because with about 10 minutes of maintenance every year the reel will be good for a lifetime. Also the drags stay smooth and there’s no better sound in the world than one. From my experience with sealed reels they’re okay if you use them not so often but in the end seals will fail eventually and the reel will go with them.
I have both styles, Hatch and Tibor. Hatch 7+ and 9+. Tibor Freestone and Everglades. To me maintenance on the Tibor is overstated. Once a year I take it apart clean it and lubricant the cork. Cleaning should be done for both styles. If you are on a trip of a lifetime, you could just bring some extra lubricant, for peace of mind. Other than that there should be no reason to take a Tibor apart, on a trip. On the other hand o rings can and will fail, then the reel is done. There is nothing you can do, until you get home and send it in. Every sealed drag system will eventually fail, some sooner then others. If you buy a quality reel, you should get many years of service from it. My Tibor’s are around 25 years old and work as good as the day I bought them. I hope the Hatch reels have the same longevity, time will tell.
Respectfully, I own a few different fly reels and when fishing the flats and wading in a saltwater environment like Xmas Island or the bahamas, I fish my sealed-drag nautilus reels with confidence. A pal of mine fishes with a hi end reel with an open drag system and dropped it in the SW water like we all do..... he spent a lot of time dis-assembing, oiling, re- assembling until we got back home, then sent it in for some needed maintenance. Not all sealed drag sytems are the same so I stick with what i know works best for me after 7 years of use and logical maintenance its been great.
My Tibors and Abel supers have been to Xmas Island 8 times (in addition to countless other tropical destinations). I have never disassembled one during a trip, and have never seen anyone need to do that. You dunk them under freshwater after a day of fishing like any other reel. Sounds like you encountered a newb.
@@desertdogoutdoors1113 hmmmmmm ................ when you mention "NEWB" does that mean New England Wanker Baitfisherman?
no smoother drags than my old cork drags, Tibor, Islanders, Pates, Abels.....and they never failed me........they are just a bit heavy for modern graphite rods......nice video!
If sealed disc drags were the answer, doesn’t it make sense that we would see them on cars, planes, etc.?
A new roof doesn’t leak until it does. A sealed drag won’t leak until it does. Unfortunately a person won’t know the reel is leaking until the drag and clutch escapement system fails. Yeah, most sealed drags have lifetime warranties so a person can send it in to get fixed, but if a person is in the middle of the Seychelles just beginning a 2 week trip or the middle of a week long Alaska float trip, that lifetime warranty isn’t much of a benefit.
And, a person won’t need to take parts for the Tibor because it won’t fail. They just don’t. And, who has ever had to do “field maintenance” on a Tibor, Abel, or Islander? The only time I see that need is when a person fails to ensure the cork drag is well lubricated before heading out on a trip. Saw that once on a Bauer during a Christmas Island trip; the fly fisher had borrowed the Bauer and didn’t check the cork drag, which was dry and grabby. Fortunately we had grease at camp.
The easy answer is attempt to minimize dunking a reel in the water. Simple. I know folks like hero pictures with their reel underwater with a just-caught fish as the backdrop, but just don’t do it.
A properly greased draw bar cork reel is like a colt 1911, its simple, durable, and works every single time. Sealed drags are cool tech but essentially a gimmick for most of us. I've got a pile of reels, sealed and unsealed, and the only ones id never get rid of say Tibor on them
My experience say, that for trout fishing you don’t need even the drag, enough to be click and pawl system. For sea fishing I prefer sealed drag, that is help save your reel from corrosion.
Tibors will have less corrosion issues than the Hatch reels in this review.
Seems to me that if the only advantage of a sealed drag over an unsealed one is maintenance, I see no advantage. I’m personally unacquainted with the type of angler who doesn’t maintain their fishing equipment. It’s part of the enjoyment of fly fishing, and fishing in general to personally maintain our gear. What sort of angler would be put off by this?
And how many saltwater world records have been set with Tibors and Abels? If you’re the kind of angler who routinely drops their reel in the sand or sticks it under water, then by all means get a sealed drag. If you take simple care of your reels, don’t drop them in the sand and don’t try to submerge them in saltwater, then rinse them off at the end of the day and clean them when you get home, you can happily fish with an unsealed drag for years or decades.
Like the difference between an AR and an AK.
Propaganda. Fake news. Tibor caught more fish and its the most reliable reel in the world and they are not sealed.
laughter!!! I love the fake news part. Anyways, Both tibor and abel's latest and most expensive offering on their sites show a sealed drag system.....
Unsealed , Tibor or Shilton !!!
Sealed drags do matter if fishing on foot in salt water. Fishing from a boat not an issue. Do t take your Tibor to Christmas Island. Your guide may dunk it for just a few seconds. Guess what you will be wasting your time and money sending your reel to Florida for re build. If I only fished from a a boat I’d own Tibors. But I also fish on foot in the salt and I would not fish anything but sealed reels in those conditions.
I agree 100%. my trips to Xmas Island and other destinations where wading on foot is the staple and dropping my nautilus in the water for photo ops is the norm. A fresh water bath and its ready to go for the next day. My buddy with the super-nice open drag reel spent some evening(s) dis assembling, oiling and re assembling............ not that its a bad thing but I'd rather be having a cocktail and fibbing about the one that got away.
My Tibors have been to Xmas island 8 times. I rinse them off every day after use, just like any other reel. Did you see the vid of the Tibor Pacific that was at the bottom of the ocean for 3 years? The original owner is still using that reel today.
@@desertdogoutdoors1113 hmmmmmmmmmm 3 years at the bottom of the ocean? Sounds like when my Dad would give me **** and say "I used to walk 5 miles uphill to school every day..... both ways!"
@@joeblo5804 A scuba diver recovered the reel and tracked down the owner using the name plate.
No reel is 100% properly fully sealed.
Also, a “fully” sealed reel usually results in a less smooth reel.
Just maintain your reels, and you’ll be good to go!
This subjective.. If water ingress doesn't get into your drag it's still exposed to pitting, rust and corrosion regardless its age and price range. No point blowing 1k on a reel if it gets hammered in the salt. Temu and aliexpress have made the market way more accessible in the last 10 years, but this artisan high society boys club bs needs to piss right off.. it's toxic and doesn't do fly fishing any justice 😕