Personally, I think the Avet Raptor is more versatile and is in a league of its own. It functions as a casting reel and jigging reel and for light trolling. Given a scenario where you’re jigging for BFT in the Northeast and fish are blowing up 40 yards from the boat. Rather than reach for a spinning set up, I can cast the 4-5oz jig to the blow up without worry about backlash.
I have the PENN Fathom 20 w/line counter, star not lever... Love my reel . pulled a 7' seven-gill shark in SF bay last month with ease, 60lb braid w/30lb Berkley big game mono leader line.
I have been using two Fathom II 60. 2 sp for a few years now in Baja Sur, Sea of Cortez. No complaints. Great reels. They work for trolling marlin, other big fish and even speed jigging. The drags system are easy to work and they do work. I’m considering getting a third one to run shotgun. I do have two AVETS for primarily jigging. No complaints there either. For trolling I prefer the Penn Fathoms. They ARE proven AND I fish regularly.
Pretty vague not very in depth review... There are a few huge things to clarify between the two. First: the drag itself on the Avet Raptors is a much better design than the fathoms, it has 2 plates that pushes from both sides of the carbon washer which reduces load on the pinion allowing higher drag settings without much sideload. The fathoms drag is a pull system which is pretty much the staple design on lever drags, it will get a bit more sideload than the raptors and not as much drag, but is very reliable and proven. Two: Bearings, the fathom utilizes a thust bearing on the belleville side of the reel, this was incorporated to reduce sideload by reducing axial load, but honestly it doesnt seem to make much of a diffeence, it does take a lot of the axial load off the spool bearings though so the pinion does most of the work as it should. The Avet raptors utilize an oversized spool bearing on the same side, which handles axial load better than a standard size spool bearing. It does the job more effectively, much less noticable sideload while cranking. Another important thing to consider is the anti reverse, the avet uses one dog which is activated with a "arm" attached to the gears which moves back and forth with the handle. Its pretty reliable but i have seen the rachet teeth snap off since its more load on each tooth with one dog. The fathom uses double ambassador style dogs with "arms" on the dog itself that grips the ratchet. This is pretty much the staple anti reverse design which hardly ever fails. It also catches much faster than a single dog since there are 2 and there is no chance of slipping, also providing less playback. The MC design on the avet is also a pretty controversial feature, it would have been far better suited on a star drag since lever drags arent the ideal casters, in the west coast fishery we usually use live bait for bluefin and the magnets can restrict the bait making it swim less naturally. I have taken a step back from the fathoms, even though they have caught plenty of fish for me and hardly ever failed, i find the best preformance in the new shimano speedmasters which are unbelievably underated, out of the box the fathoms overall preform better, achieveing much more drag much easier than the fathoms. Only issue is out of the box preformance which has poor freespool, but if you open the spool bearings and lube them eith tsi 321 you got a very nice reel. Anyways, In this review the raptor takes the lead in preformance but the fathom is better suited all around for west coast anglers.
Thank you Soul. Great info, thanks for sharing. We tried covering some basic features of these two reels to start a comparison, however, as you pointed out there are a few other things to consider we did not go into. Both are great reels and definitely worth a look for anyone looking for a 2-Speed reel.
FUNNY and a HUGE Wrong Comparison…. like comparing apple 🍎 to to oranges 🍊 …It should have been Penn FATHOM vs. REGULAR Avet (known as bearing eaters & binds on high drag)…..hence the release of Avet G2 series….for RAPTOR …then compare it with the Penn TORQUE instead both are Medium Frame & Made in USA reel and you will know which is a better reel…..and forget about the Shitmano Speedmasters…they’re just trying to play catch up the Fathoms & Regular Avet…jmho.
@@johnsmith-xd9ej Very true regarding the avet raptor/fathom. The raptors have much better drag, the dual drag effectively cuts a lot of the axial load from the pinion. Honestly the avet raptors are better than the torques as well, my torques got quite a bit less drag with way more sideload than my raptors, they are smooth and light but not very powerful. Regarding the speedmaster, shimano really went right with these reels.. I have the 12ii and its honestly a much more impressive reel than my fathom 30ld2, in fact i ended up selling my fathom i liked it so much. Out of the box the fathoms get much better freespool, but man after opening the spool bearings and lubing with TSI 321 its game over. The speedmaster 12 has the 40nld2 drag in a 30ld2 package. Let me break drag settings down so you get a good idea of what i mean. Fathom 30ld2 Max drag with FULL freespool 13lbs STRIKE 18lbs FULL 23lbs SUNSET At 23 lbs the fathom gets a tremendous amount of sideload, very noticable crank resistance. The lever is also very tight and hurts your fingers to move at these settings. Speedmaster 12ii Max drag with FULL freespool 18lbs strike 36lbs full Very minimum sideload at 18lbs, although 36lb gets around the same sideload as the fathom at 23lbs. The lever is very surprisingly free at these settings and feels much more like a makaira than s fathom. 18-36lbs on the speedmaster is absurd, it blows through the drag requirements needed for 30lb, 40lb, 50lb, 60lb, and even light 80lb. The fathom, which gets 23 at Sunset struggles to get to the 50lb requirements, and these settings have the reel maxed out. The thrust bearing on the fathom everyone raves about saves the spool bearings from axial load but doesnt seem to reduce sideload as well as the speedmasters oversized spool bearing and pinion. If they included a much larger spool bearing and the thrust bearing, that would be a very interesting reel. And no my fathom was not a defect, lots of buddies of mine found the same exact drag ratings on their fathoms. It seems like penn boasts higher specs than the reels can actually acheive. Maybe they test drag off the arbor? Who knows. Here is a review that gets the exact same results that i got. www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/shimano-speed-master-12ii-review.725113/ Anyway, point is the speedmaster 12-16 sizes are the most kick ass reels on the market for the prices, definitely a reel worth checking out.
I’ve primarily used avets so other than some jig fishing with penn senators. I love avets on the boats I’ve commercially fished on we use them as jig set ups I like to think they are premium reels for a specific type of fishing more off shore and inshore fishing for California. Though they are adaptable reels for elsewhere since they are conventional reels weather your in the gulf or Florida. I do have a bias since I’ve primarily used them and abused the hell out of them they are great and I have no complaints. Penn has always seemed like a market brand but they do have a legacy and as of late I have been looking at Penns and diawas. I do want a penn for a halibut set up since I fish a lot of halibut and other bottom fish like long cod in Alaska. I’ve handled one and I like it for the price. It seems to have good reviews and it’s in the price range I’m looking to spend for that set up I’m going with. I’d go with diawa but I don’t want to spend the saltist price.
I just subscribed to your channel. I thought you handled the review extremely well. There's no way to get everything looked at so the basic comparison was a good choice for those just started to learn about what gear to purchase.
You mean Chris that comparing an Avet RAPTOR with Okuma CAVALLA & conclude that the former is way better is fair? Would it be Raptor vs Alijos instead…
I'm replying that i thought this comparison fair as it's only those 2 reels & i forgot to mention educational as well on the features. I have the Raptor but not the Penn. @@johnsmith-xd9ej
Penn torque made in USA and costs ~the same as Avet. I would get an Avet, the factory is literally 20 minutes from my location but the reels are hard to find at the shops
Avets are great reels with major water ingress problems. Ive had several penn fathoms recently they are excellent. Both avets ive had have had bearing grind, and water ingress. I use a much shorter rod, 6' 3" for slow pitch, and 5 ' 6" for mechanical jigging
The avet raptor and the fathom are uncomparable. The avet raptors get much higher drag output with much less sideload than the fathom and even torque counterparts. However the fathoms are a better option overall when compared to the Avet Gen 1 and even the G2.
@@fadelover123 The side loading isn't much of an issue when you have a thrust bearing. How long do the bearings last in non Raptor Avets? The Avet Raptor is a better reel, but it better be for twice the money.
I purchased several AVET 2-speed reels and eventually sold them. I just wasn't very keen on them. They were great for fighting a fish but not as good as I would have liked for casting.
Not a fair comparison. Raptor is fully machined, much heavier drag, cast control, hard anodize, Made in USA, etc. Might have been better to compare Avet Raptor MC to Penn Torque. Fathom is a cheap import w/ cast aluminum
I prefer made in America. I have three Raptors one Tern a Torque 25N and a Seigler SG reel. Don't buy a fathom, have some dignity and by the Torque instead. And while you're at it don't buy a PCH rod or a phenix rod stick to UC, CalStar, Seeker, and St Croix.
@@pan8a , I would definitely say superior. I personally don't buy American for the sake of buying American. If someone makes a better product elsewhere, I'll get it. I bought my now 10 year old LX 6/3 because I wanted a bigger left-hand retrieve reel and it was a reasonably priced. It is a good, solid reel but it just hasn't held like my 15 year old Daiwa Saltiga 30Ls and Shimano Calcutta Conquest 401s I have. The Avet has a beautiful frame but some of it looks cheap and same goes for the inside. Seriously, anyone can make winch of a reel but I prefer a little refinement. I wonder if the Raptor variants are smoother.
@@bladeduffer well I definitely buy specifically cuz it's made in USA and I'm very proud of that. Superior is a bit of a foolish word because the fact is they're all great and they all get the job done. Saying that they're superior is like saying a Lamborghini is faster than a Ferrari. Saltigas, talicas and trinidads are fantastic reels, as are the valiant and the torque which are made in the USA. I got to be honest, a reel holding up for 15 years is cool but there's no way I'm going to fish one reel for 15 years. Part of the fun of fishing is buying tackle. Out with the old and in with the new, It's good for the economy.
almost all my stuff is penn, have an old truly "made in usa" version that's still going strong. couple newer "all metal" ones are nice, but not the same. few conventionals and kids battles. all nice, function fine, build quality decent enough, FOR THE PRICE. that's the big thing. i have an avet exw 50/2, and they really don't compare. they both can catch fish and reel up line, sure, but the avet is really another planet compared to penns. international more comparable, i just don't have one of those. love the avet, and the penns too.
Such a bold statement. Do you own both to make that comparison? I like Penn myself but the Avet Raptor is beefy baitcaste which makes it in a class of its own. Does the Torque have any brakes?
Personally, I think the Avet Raptor is more versatile and is in a league of its own. It functions as a casting reel and jigging reel and for light trolling. Given a scenario where you’re jigging for BFT in the Northeast and fish are blowing up 40 yards from the boat. Rather than reach for a spinning set up, I can cast the 4-5oz jig to the blow up without worry about backlash.
Fathom is cast aluminum and the paint flakes off. Avet are anodized and much harder wearing.
I have the PENN Fathom 20 w/line counter, star not lever... Love my reel . pulled a 7' seven-gill shark in SF bay last month with ease, 60lb braid w/30lb Berkley big game mono leader line.
They are very nice reels. Great catch and setup for it too.
I have been using two Fathom II 60. 2 sp for a few years now in Baja Sur, Sea of Cortez. No complaints. Great reels. They work for trolling marlin, other big fish and even speed jigging. The drags system are easy to work and they do work. I’m considering getting a third one to run shotgun. I do have two AVETS for primarily jigging. No complaints there either. For trolling I prefer the Penn Fathoms. They ARE proven AND I fish regularly.
The most important difference is the thrust bearing on the Fathom preserving free spool and limiting bearing wear at high drag settings.
Pretty vague not very in depth review...
There are a few huge things to clarify between the two.
First: the drag itself on the Avet Raptors is a much better design than the fathoms, it has 2 plates that pushes from both sides of the carbon washer which reduces load on the pinion allowing higher drag settings without much sideload. The fathoms drag is a pull system which is pretty much the staple design on lever drags, it will get a bit more sideload than the raptors and not as much drag, but is very reliable and proven.
Two:
Bearings, the fathom utilizes a thust bearing on the belleville side of the reel, this was incorporated to reduce sideload by reducing axial load, but honestly it doesnt seem to make much of a diffeence, it does take a lot of the axial load off the spool bearings though so the pinion does most of the work as it should. The Avet raptors utilize an oversized spool bearing on the same side, which handles axial load better than a standard size spool bearing. It does the job more effectively, much less noticable sideload while cranking.
Another important thing to consider is the anti reverse, the avet uses one dog which is activated with a "arm" attached to the gears which moves back and forth with the handle. Its pretty reliable but i have seen the rachet teeth snap off since its more load on each tooth with one dog.
The fathom uses double ambassador style dogs with "arms" on the dog itself that grips the ratchet. This is pretty much the staple anti reverse design which hardly ever fails. It also catches much faster than a single dog since there are 2 and there is no chance of slipping, also providing less playback.
The MC design on the avet is also a pretty controversial feature, it would have been far better suited on a star drag since lever drags arent the ideal casters, in the west coast fishery we usually use live bait for bluefin and the magnets can restrict the bait making it swim less naturally.
I have taken a step back from the fathoms, even though they have caught plenty of fish for me and hardly ever failed, i find the best preformance in the new shimano speedmasters which are unbelievably underated, out of the box the fathoms overall preform better, achieveing much more drag much easier than the fathoms. Only issue is out of the box preformance which has poor freespool, but if you open the spool bearings and lube them eith tsi 321 you got a very nice reel.
Anyways, In this review the raptor takes the lead in preformance but the fathom is better suited all around for west coast anglers.
Thank you for the great reviews
Thank you Soul. Great info, thanks for sharing. We tried covering some basic features of these two reels to start a comparison, however, as you pointed out there are a few other things to consider we did not go into. Both are great reels and definitely worth a look for anyone looking for a 2-Speed reel.
Hey Soul, we'd like to go over a few things with you. If you're interested please shoot us an email to chad@tackleexpress.com
FUNNY and a HUGE Wrong Comparison…. like comparing apple 🍎 to to oranges 🍊 …It should have been Penn FATHOM vs. REGULAR Avet (known as bearing eaters & binds on high drag)…..hence the release of Avet G2 series….for RAPTOR …then compare it with the Penn TORQUE instead both are Medium Frame & Made in USA reel and you will know which is a better reel…..and forget about the Shitmano Speedmasters…they’re just trying to play catch up the Fathoms & Regular Avet…jmho.
@@johnsmith-xd9ej Very true regarding the avet raptor/fathom. The raptors have much better drag, the dual drag effectively cuts a lot of the axial load from the pinion. Honestly the avet raptors are better than the torques as well, my torques got quite a bit less drag with way more sideload than my raptors, they are smooth and light but not very powerful.
Regarding the speedmaster, shimano really went right with these reels.. I have the 12ii and its honestly a much more impressive reel than my fathom 30ld2, in fact i ended up selling my fathom i liked it so much. Out of the box the fathoms get much better freespool, but man after opening the spool bearings and lubing with TSI 321 its game over. The speedmaster 12 has the 40nld2 drag in a 30ld2 package. Let me break drag settings down so you get a good idea of what i mean.
Fathom 30ld2
Max drag with FULL freespool
13lbs STRIKE
18lbs FULL
23lbs SUNSET
At 23 lbs the fathom gets a tremendous amount of sideload, very noticable crank resistance. The lever is also very tight and hurts your fingers to move at these settings.
Speedmaster 12ii
Max drag with FULL freespool
18lbs strike
36lbs full
Very minimum sideload at 18lbs, although 36lb gets around the same sideload as the fathom at 23lbs. The lever is very surprisingly free at these settings and feels much more like a makaira than s fathom.
18-36lbs on the speedmaster is absurd, it blows through the drag requirements needed for 30lb, 40lb, 50lb, 60lb, and even light 80lb.
The fathom, which gets 23 at Sunset struggles to get to the 50lb requirements, and these settings have the reel maxed out.
The thrust bearing on the fathom everyone raves about saves the spool bearings from axial load but doesnt seem to reduce sideload as well as the speedmasters oversized spool bearing and pinion. If they included a much larger spool bearing and the thrust bearing, that would be a very interesting reel.
And no my fathom was not a defect, lots of buddies of mine found the same exact drag ratings on their fathoms. It seems like penn boasts higher specs than the reels can actually acheive. Maybe they test drag off the arbor? Who knows. Here is a review that gets the exact same results that i got. www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/shimano-speed-master-12ii-review.725113/
Anyway, point is the speedmaster 12-16 sizes are the most kick ass reels on the market for the prices, definitely a reel worth checking out.
These reels are not in the same price category so its not a fair or good comparison. But some good info about the reels, thanks
I’ve primarily used avets so other than some jig fishing with penn senators. I love avets on the boats I’ve commercially fished on we use them as jig set ups I like to think they are premium reels for a specific type of fishing more off shore and inshore fishing for California. Though they are adaptable reels for elsewhere since they are conventional reels weather your in the gulf or Florida. I do have a bias since I’ve primarily used them and abused the hell out of them they are great and I have no complaints. Penn has always seemed like a market brand but they do have a legacy and as of late I have been looking at Penns and diawas. I do want a penn for a halibut set up since I fish a lot of halibut and other bottom fish like long cod in Alaska. I’ve handled one and I like it for the price. It seems to have good reviews and it’s in the price range I’m looking to spend for that set up I’m going with. I’d go with diawa but I don’t want to spend the saltist price.
I have had them both, sold my Avets and kept the Penns. The Avets just felt strange to me. Good video.
I just subscribed to your channel. I thought you handled the review extremely well. There's no way to get everything looked at so the basic comparison was a good choice for those just started to learn about what gear to purchase.
I appreciate that!
You mean Chris that comparing an Avet RAPTOR with Okuma CAVALLA & conclude that the former is way better is fair? Would it be Raptor vs Alijos instead…
I'm replying that i thought this comparison fair as it's only those 2 reels & i forgot to mention educational as well on the features. I have the Raptor but not the Penn. @@johnsmith-xd9ej
Awesome vid and breakdown 🤙
Great explanation
Thanks
Not having the left hang option is a problem
Thanks for watching! We can't figure out why they don't make left hand in everything. We have a lot of left handed customers.
Penn torque made in USA and costs ~the same as Avet. I would get an Avet, the factory is literally 20 minutes from my location but the reels are hard to find at the shops
So much help this made my day thank you !
I just quit using a Penn two speed am now using Avet raptor 2 speed no comparison avet so much better
Avets are great reels with major water ingress problems. Ive had several penn fathoms recently they are excellent. Both avets ive had have had bearing grind, and water ingress. I use a much shorter rod, 6' 3" for slow pitch, and 5 ' 6" for mechanical jigging
Are you talking about Gen 1 models? I use my Gen 2 MXL reels for surf casting and on inshore boats. Three years in. No corrosion problems.
Avet much better reel. Made in USA not China!
They’re actually just assembled in the us but the parts are made in china. Which is why getting parts for any avet reels rn is kinda hard.
@@codywilliams7308 No they not!
@@Jessica37323 Do some research it’s pretty common knowledge. They make good reels but they aren’t made in the USA
The avet raptor and the fathom are uncomparable. The avet raptors get much higher drag output with much less sideload than the fathom and even torque counterparts. However the fathoms are a better option overall when compared to the Avet Gen 1 and even the G2.
@@fadelover123 The side loading isn't much of an issue when you have a thrust bearing. How long do the bearings last in non Raptor Avets? The Avet Raptor is a better reel, but it better be for twice the money.
I purchased several AVET 2-speed reels and eventually sold them. I just wasn't very keen on them. They were great for fighting a fish but not as good as I would have liked for casting.
I was all ears until near the very end when you said you cant get the avet reel in left hand. What a shame !
I thought most avets could be brought in left hand!
Comparing a Avet Raptor he should have a Penn Torque
That's make a great future video, thanks!
Not sure that's a fair fight. Maybe the torque but not the fathom
W Avet, you have to get the Raptor
Raptor is the way to go and now they only make the Raptor+ and the G2. Both are nice!
Not a fair comparison. Raptor is fully machined, much heavier drag, cast control, hard anodize, Made in USA, etc. Might have been better to compare Avet Raptor MC to Penn Torque. Fathom is a cheap import w/ cast aluminum
Orange is almost impossible to find now😢
What size Penn is that?
I prefer made in America. I have three Raptors one Tern a Torque 25N and a Seigler SG reel.
Don't buy a fathom, have some dignity and by the Torque instead.
And while you're at it don't buy a PCH rod or a phenix rod stick to UC, CalStar, Seeker, and St Croix.
Japanese make superior reels, talica, stella, saltiga etc
@@joedennehy386I don't know about superior but they definitely make a fantastic product. I love my calcuttas specifically the 400D
@@pan8a , I would definitely say superior. I personally don't buy American for the sake of buying American. If someone makes a better product elsewhere, I'll get it. I bought my now 10 year old LX 6/3 because I wanted a bigger left-hand retrieve reel and it was a reasonably priced. It is a good, solid reel but it just hasn't held like my 15 year old Daiwa Saltiga 30Ls and Shimano Calcutta Conquest 401s I have. The Avet has a beautiful frame but some of it looks cheap and same goes for the inside. Seriously, anyone can make winch of a reel but I prefer a little refinement. I wonder if the Raptor variants are smoother.
@@bladeduffer well I definitely buy specifically cuz it's made in USA and I'm very proud of that. Superior is a bit of a foolish word because the fact is they're all great and they all get the job done. Saying that they're superior is like saying a Lamborghini is faster than a Ferrari. Saltigas, talicas and trinidads are fantastic reels, as are the valiant and the torque which are made in the USA. I got to be honest, a reel holding up for 15 years is cool but there's no way I'm going to fish one reel for 15 years. Part of the fun of fishing is buying tackle. Out with the old and in with the new, It's good for the economy.
almost all my stuff is penn, have an old truly "made in usa" version that's still going strong. couple newer "all metal" ones are nice, but not the same. few conventionals and kids battles. all nice, function fine, build quality decent enough, FOR THE PRICE. that's the big thing. i have an avet exw 50/2, and they really don't compare. they both can catch fish and reel up line, sure, but the avet is really another planet compared to penns. international more comparable, i just don't have one of those. love the avet, and the penns too.
No
Wow😊. My dreams😟 i want also i have like that for my jigging.huhu. from philippines
Torque is a better reel than a raptor
Chinese made Penns vs American made Avet. Put a decent knob on the Avet. Or man up & buy an Accurate or Alutecnos or Saltiga LD
If the last three fit into your budget, the Penn Torques and Internationals are Made in USA.
Made in USA Avet not china
We like that aspect too. Avet's factory is only about 15 miles from us so if we have an issue we can just drive over.
Peen way way better than Avet reels ,I live in San Francisco and I do big game sharks by the golden gate bridge Penn is better
why?
The “Bearing-Eater” Avet is just being compared to a Penn Fathom says something. It means it’s No Way comparable to Made in USA Penn TORQUE😊
Avet is made in usa????
Bearing issue occurs when the drag is overtightened.
@@andrewmorkeNo biggie replacing bearings. Now if it was Main Gear then that would be a problem
Avet sucks!!! Compare the raptor to a torque!!!
Such a bold statement. Do you own both to make that comparison? I like Penn myself but the Avet Raptor is beefy baitcaste which makes it in a class of its own. Does the Torque have any brakes?
Avet reels are junk accurate reels are the best made reels in America