Are you searching for a new fishing reel? Well, then you might be looking for a Quantum reel. Quantum Fishing has been around for decades, and they make reels that are of excellent quality. But they also make some low-quality products. So, should you consider them?
Are Quantum fishing reels any good? It depends. Quantum has two different lines. One of the lines features regular low-cost reels. And the second line, the PT line, offers their more expensive reels. Quantum’s regular reels are okay, but their PT line is outstanding.
We highly recommend Quantum’s PT line. In a minute, we’ll go over seven of the best reels that Quantum has to offer. But before we get to the reels, let’s discuss some of the things that you should look for in a good fishing reel.
What to Look for in a Good Fishing Reel
There are several factors that you need to consider when you’re searching for the perfect fishing reel. First, do you plan on fishing in saltwater or freshwater? You can use a saltwater reel in freshwater too; however, you can’t use a freshwater reel in saltwater because it will corrode.
Next, you need to find out if the reel has bearings or bushings. All the Quantum reels that we recommend use multiple bearings. You will also need to consider the gears. And finally, you should look at the spool capacity and drag adjustment.
Let’s dig in a little deeper.
Saltwater or freshwater
When you’re trying to choose the right reel, it’s essential that you know how you plan to use your reel. Are you planning on fishing in a lake? Or are you planning on fishing in the ocean? That will make a difference in the reel that you get.
Freshwater reels don’t need the extra protection against aggressive corrosion that saltwater reels require. You will find that saltwater reels are more expensive. This is because saltwater reels use corrosion-resistant materials like bronze bearings or shielded stainless steel, forged aluminum spools, and anodized aluminum.
If you’re going to use your reel for both freshwater and saltwater fishing, then you should go with a saltwater reel.
Bearings or bushings
Whether your reel uses bearings or bushings depends largely on the quality of the reel. Small, cheap reels tend to use bushings on all the rotating parts. Manufacturers use bushings because they are easy to produce, they’re cheap, and they don’t require close tolerances.
If you get a quality reel, like a Quantum PT reel, it will use sealed ball bearings. The ball bearings make the reel’s action dramatically smoother. And they can handle heavy loads brought on by big fish. More ball bearings generally mean a higher reel quality.
Single or multiple gears
Reels come with individual gear ratios. The gear ratios measure how many times your spool turns to equal one revolution of the crank. Reel gears are similar to gears on a bike. It’s easier to crank a lower gear ratio. However, it will need more turns.
You will find that the gear ratios of baitcasting and spinning reels vary somewhere between 4:1 and 6:1. The 6:1 ratio is generally used for casting and retrieving lures that require speed to reach their action. Some heavy saltwater, big game reels allow you to switch between a superfast take-up and the power to crank a huge fish.
Adjustable drags
Every reel has adjustable drags. The drag is a friction feature that lets you adjust the resistance you need to pull line from the reel. When you adjust the drag, you can use different line weights to pressure the fish while you’re fighting him.
Some reels have drag systems that let you set a “strike” tension for setting the hook, and then switch to a separate preset tension while you are fighting the fish.
High-quality reels like Quantum PT reels use unique materials to create drags that work smoothly without any binding that can break your line. This lets you use the perfect amount of resistance to bring the fish in.
Spool capacity
One of the things you should take a closer look at when you’re choosing a reel is the weight and capacity of the line that you will need for the particular fish that you want to catch.
Skirted or V-shaped spools can use heavier or longer lines. With shallow spools, the line comes off much more easily, making them easier to cast. When you look for a reel, you should pay attention to the listed line class and capacity. You can use most reels with the next heavier and lighter line than what is listed.
Watch this short video to get more information on choosing the best fishing reel.
The Difference Between Baitcasting Reels and Spinning Reels
Beyond choosing between a freshwater and saltwater reel, you also need to decide whether you want a baitcasting reel or a spinning reel.
Fishing reels come in three general styles: spinning, baitcasting, and fly fishing. Quantum reels come in spinning and baitcasting. Let’s pause for a moment so that we can take a closer look at each of them.
Baitcasting reels
Baitcasting reels will work with the weight of your bait or lure as it pulls the line and turns the spool. Anglers who are more experienced tend to prefer baitcasting reels. This is especially true for fishermen who use heavier lines and lures to catch big game fish. The handle for this reel is typically located on the right side of the reel.
- Most baitcasting reels use a drag system that adjusts the drag or resistance on your spool. The drag system controls how much resistance you need to pull the correct length of line from the spool.
- Baitcasting reels are generally used for stronger, larger game fish like smallmouth bass or musky. They’re also used by saltwater fishers to catch species like the striped bass.
- You can find baitcasting reels that come in one piece. This design lessens the corrosive effects of the saltwater.
Spinning reels
Spinning reels are excellent for novice or beginner anglers. They’re easy to use, and they mount on the underside of your spinning rod. The spinning reel’s handle is usually found on the left side of the reel.
- Spinning reels are ideal for smaller baits and lures.
- These reels usually come with an anti-reverse mechanism. That means that you can set it by releasing the bail arm after you cast. This design will keep your line from spooling off every time a fish bites it.
- Another option you have is a skirted spool. This is great for saltwater environments. Skirted spools offer increased line capacity. That means that you will have longer casts and fewer tangles. This type of spool will also protect the mechanisms inside of the reel from moisture and salt.
What’s the Deal with the Reel Gear Ratio?
While we’re discussing fishing reels, it’s important that you understand what the reel gear ratio means. Your gear ratio is the number of times the bail goes around the spool with a single turn of the handle.
So, for example, if you have a reel with a 4:1 gear ratio, that means that the bail will rotate around the spool four times for every turn of the reel’s handle. A gear ratio of 4:1 is considered a slow-speed reel. This is because only a small amount of line is picked up with the cranking process. The benefit of this type of ratio is that the reel will provide more torque. That matters when you’re trying to reel in a big fish.
Now, if you have a 6:1 ratio, that is considered a high-speed retrieve. Whether you use a low, medium, or high-speed retrieve depends on what type of fishing you are doing.
If you can afford it, you’ll do yourself a favor by purchasing more than one reel at different speeds. That way, you will always be covered in any situation. But if you can only get one reel, then go for a medium speed like 5:1.
Performance Tuned
As I mentioned earlier, Quantum’s regular reels are okay. They’re not the best, but they’re not the worst either. If you really want an excellent high-quality reel that will last you for years, then you want Quantum’s PT line. The PT line costs quite a bit more than Quantum’s regular reels, but they’re also much better reels.
Quantum’s PT stands for Performance Tuned. This incredible line of reels represents the very best that Quantum Fishing offers. They have spent more than 30 years working on perfecting their products. And the end result is unrivaled performance and innovation in their reels.
Iron-clad warranty
Quantum stands by their reels too. They promise equipment that delivers unbeatable performance day in and day out. And they back that promise up with an equally unbeatable three-year warranty. You can also purchase the PT Protection Plan, which will give you extra peace of mind that Quantum will fix any problem and get you back on the water with minimal hassle.
Some Quantum Baitcasting Reels That We Recommend
Here are three of our favorite Quantum baitcasting reels.
Tour S3 PT
The first reel that you should consider is the Tour S3 PT (click to see price on Amazon). Quantum calls this reel the very best baitcasting reel that they’ve built in the company’s 30-year history. This reel features one roller bearing, two speed bearings, and eight anti-corrosion bearings. This reel is built for both big bass and tough saltwater conditions.
The oversized spool design on this reel will give you higher retrieve speeds. It will provide you with effortless casting performance. And the spool tension washer is sapphire jeweled, which means more super smooth control.
- Weight: 6.5 ounces
- Gear ratio: 7:3:1
- Bearings: 10+1
- Mono capacity: 170/12
- Braid capacity: 210/30
- Max drag: 25 pounds
Accurist S3 PT
The Accurist S3 PT (see on Amazon) is another of Quantum’s best fishing reels. This reel features a rigid, one-piece aluminum design that is coated to protect against corrosion from saltwater. It also offers a continuous anti-reverse stainless-steel clutch.
Another thing that we love about this reel is that it is designed with the Quantum Flippin’ Switch technology. This feature allows you to release the line and re-engage the reel without having to turn the handle – giving you faster reaction time and hookup on the drop. Friction is virtually eliminated with this reel. And if you use Quantum’s famous Hot Sauce lubrication, you will get a longer life out of the reel.
- Weight: 7.8 ounces
- Gear ratio: 7:0:1
- Bearings: 8+1
- Mono capacity: 135/12
- Braid capacity: 170/30
- Max drag: 18 pounds
Energy S3 PT
The Energy S3 PT (click to check out on Amazon) is another excellent baitcasting reel worth your time. Like the Accurist, the Energy features stiff, one-piece aluminum construction that is coated with Saltguard Protection to prevent corrosion.
This reel uses Quantum’s unique Flippin’ Switch for trolling, flipping, and pitching techniques. It also features a ton of Performance Tuned technology, including a sturdy frame and a super smooth ceramic carbon drag system.
- Weight: 7.1 ounces
- Gear ratio: 6:3:1
- Bearings: 10+1
- Mono capacity: 135/12
- Braid capacity: 170/30
- Max drag: 18 pounds
Some Quantum Spinning Reels That We Recommend
We love Quantum’s baitcasting reels. And their spinning reels are just as great.
Cabo PT
One of Quantum’s best spinning reels is the Cabo PT (click to see on Amazon). This fishing reel is loaded with Performance Tuned technology. It features a sealed magnum clutch, sealed magnum CSC drag system, TiMag titanium fail-proof bail system that comes with a magnetic trip, super hard PT gears, and an LMS line management system.
Quantum used a lightweight aluminum alloy to make the Cabo PT. You can use this reel in saltwater or freshwater. Quantum says that the Cabo PT is the number one choice for serious saltwater big game anglers.
- Weight: 13.8 ounces
- Gear ratio: 5:3:1
- Bearings: 7+1
- Mono capacity: 225/12
- Braid capacity: 325/30
- Max drag: 35 pounds
Smoke S3 PT
The Smoke S3 PT (see price on Amazon) is another excellent spinning fishing reel. Unlike many reels on the market that use smaller reels and tiny spools, this one was made with a larger 35.5 mm spool. And it’s all delivered in a very compact frame that provides plenty of line capacity. This reel also offers longer casts and more line pick-up every time you turn the handle compared to smaller spool reels.
The spool size is nice, but it’s practically irrelevant if you don’t have a top-notch braking system. For this reason, Quantum did a lot of research and developed a new cast control. It is lighter, which means that it minimizes the energy it takes to make the spool spin on a cast. It also has additional brakes that maximize distance.
- Weight: 6.9 ounces
- Gear ratio: 8:1:1
- Bearings: 10+1
- Mono capacity: 170/12
- Braid capacity: 210/30
- Max drag: 25 pounds
Vapor PT
You should also consider the Vapor PT (see on Amazon). This spinning reel features an all-aluminum single-body construction. It offers more strength and alignment than standard two-piece models. One of the things that we love about the Vapor PT is that it retrieves super smooth.
This reel also comes with a patented nickel-titanium bail, which is light and thin. And it can still retain its shape even after being bent or dropped. You’ll also appreciate that the spool stroke is optimized. That means that it provides reduced vibration and even line lay. This reel is safe to use in saltwater or freshwater.
- Weight: 6.7 ounces
- Gear ratio: 7:0:1
- Bearings: 10+1
- Mono capacity: 135/12
- Braid capacity: 170/30
- Max drag: 18 pounds
Reliance PT
If you want to experience Quantum’s PT superior performance but you’re not ready to shell out the big bucks, one affordable option is the Reliance PT (link to see on Amazon). This reel holds up great in any fishing environment. It’s very durable, and it performs great in both saltwater and freshwater. This reel features a maintenance-free design and water-resistant sealing that will protect the reel’s gears, bearings, and all of the other components from corrosion and wear.
We also really love the instant anti-reverse roller bearings with this reel. It allows you to get a no-play hookset, and you can retrieve it with either your right or left hand.
- Weight: 21.9 ounces
- Gear ratio: 5:6:1
- Bearings: 5+1
- Mono capacity: 315/14
- Braid capacity: 255/50
- Max drag: 35 pounds
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that Quantum makes some outstanding fishing reels. Unfortunately, they also make cheap reels that are of lower quality. Most people have great things to say about Quantum reels, even their inexpensive line. But if you really want a superior quality reel, then you’ll have to fork over a bit more cash for the PT line.
We recommend all seven of the Quantum reels on our list this year. But if you really twisted my arm and asked me to choose the best of the best, I would have to go with the Energy S3 PT baitcasting reel and the Vaper PT spinning reel. Both of these reels are incredible. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with any of the seven.
Hopefully, we’ve helped you to answer the question of whether Quantum fishing reels are any good. We believe that the PT line is outstanding.
Happy fishing!
