Daiwa SLT30 Versus Penn 30S and Shimano Ti30
When you’re out in the ocean in blue water and have a large fish on the line, be confident in the Daiwa SLT 30. It can quickly and easily tame down the largest of offshore fish.
This brawny, gold-colored reel proudly bears a big Daiwa logo, and feels solid with its completely machined frame and spool. The reel looks and feels similar to the Penn 30S and Tiagra Ti30, but I needed to put this reel to the test to really see how well it performed.
The Daiwa SLT30 features a one-piece, machined aluminum frame, sideplates, and spool. The reel has a micro-click drag adjustment, corrosion resistant bearings, and even a machined, oversized, comfortable aluminum knob handle. The Daiwa is completely aluminum and weighs in at 55oz, making it heavier than the Tiagra Ti30 (48oz.) but slightly lighter than the Penn 30S (56oz.).
The SLT30 has a greater line capacity than both the Shimano and Penn reels. It holds 780 yards of 30lb line versus just 700 yards of 30lb line on the competitors.
We got the chance to first test the reel awhile back. Tuna appear around 80 miles of our coast every year. I needed a reel that was capable of putting the brakes on these fast fish, and I needed a reel with enough muscle to hoist one of those up out of the water.
Before heading out make sure to use the included reel clamp; the last thing you want is to have your reel pop loose during the strike. The SLT30 features a clicker that serves the dual function of emitting a loud warning noise when fish. The Daiwa clicker is not as loud as the chainsaw sound from the Tiagra. It’s comparable to the scream from the Penn. Unlike many other reels that use a small round switch on the left sideplate, the SLT30’s has a flip-up switch below the drag lever. This is among the easiest to disengage during a fight.
Tuna have a lot of pulling power, but I was overjoyed that I was using a quality two-speed reel for this fish. With any of my faster single-speed reels, this fight would have turned into a long battle. The SLT30 is very smooth, like the Shimano Tiagra, and quite a bit more smoother and quieter than the Penn International.
According to daiwa.com, Daiwa went so far as to custom tune each reel with a main shaft bearing stabilizer that normally requires costly custom machining with other branded reels. This super-tuning prevents excessive side pressure on spool bearings regardless of drag tension. In high gear, I was able to pull in over a yard of line with every crank.
Quality stainless gearing and a low 1.8:1 gearing gave me the upper hand on these Tuna (my Penn single-speed 30T has a 3.5:1 gear ratio). With the single-speed reel you are working hard to tame the fish and sometimes it’s hard to even make a dent. Two-speed reels like the SLT30 allow you to close the gap with less work and physical exertion. The SLT30 felt extremely stable under the heavy pull. The dual-point gear shaft support delivers more winding power and reliability under stress. Whether its Tuna or Marlin, the SLT30 has the power to keep you making headway.
Big game reels are fairly expensive, but when compared to the competition, the Daiwa SLT30 is cheaper. It is priced less than the Shimano Tiagra Ti 30 and the Penn International II 30S. Furthermore, neither of the other two competitors offers a guarantee like the Daiwa’s 90-day policy.
The Daiwa SLT30 is a reasonably-priced reel that I personally have profound confidence in. It won’t let you down.
