I have decided to upgrade the reel for my 9wt. Choice has been narrowed down between the Lamson Konic 4 and the new Orvis Access Mid Arbor V. Both are within my price range and both have more than enough backing capacity. I am a big Orvis fan but yesterday I went to Lamson's website and watched their video about their reels and especially their drag system. I was very impressed that they use the same drag system in all their reels no matter what the price point. The Orvis is machined and the Lamson is pressure injected. Lamson is about $20 cheaper. I really don't think I could go wrong with either one.