Like others here I'm sure, the list of reels that I've owned over the years is long and loaded with brands and models that nearly everyone here would recognize. Of all of those, I've whittled my working collection down to around thirty keepers.
I have two reel cases, each holds ten to twelve reels. One is labeled " A " it's filled with Abel's, the other case is labeled as " B ", it's stuffed with 10 Bauer MSL's and one each Junior Mac and Little Mac in sizes 1 to 5. So I am highly biased.
They've performed flawlessly for me for many years, in both fresh and saltwater. I simply don't give the matter of their performance much thought, I reach for them and they're there, ready to go.
If you're the kind of angler that knows why your backing to fly line connections are important, then I think you'd be pleased with performance of the MSL's. On the other hand, If you view backing as something to fill the gap between your arbor and your fly line or if the most fly line you ever have off the reel at one time is during your cast, then those reels might be more than you need.
That's not to say you wouldn't appreciate their smoothness, aesthetics, etc., beauty being in the eye of the beholder and all that.
One thing I should confess about my reel usage, I don't as a general rule buy spare spools. There's a reasoning behind this, but that's a discussion for another day. So in the case of both Abel & Bauer, I don't concern myself with the idea, that those parts which would be removed during spool changes could get lost while performing that function over water ( tubing, pontoon boat, etc. ).
There are a few other reels that I have that work just fine but don't do much for me aesthetically, or they look nice but excel only as paperweights. One in particular I keep around to remind me, that I too am occasionally vulnerable to a sales pitch.
Dave
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