Has anybody had any experience witht these reels? I have never purchased from Orvis and unfamiliar with their reels.
Thanks in advance,
Logan
Logan,
I have been using Orvis Battenkill reels for many years. I started off with the original Battenkill Disc Drag for saltwater fishing and graduated to the Battenkill large arbor and the Mach reel.
Love them all.
Larry 
—sagefisher—
i have 2 and i absolutely love them!
Grand reels. Can’t go wrong.
Logan -
The Orvis BBS reels are a dandy reel and a great value. Same can be said of several other Orvis reels - e.g. the Battenkill Mid Arbor. You won’t go wrong with one of these.
John
Love my BBS. Looking to add a couple more soon. No way can you go wrong for the price. Still think its one of the best values out there to be had.
Leo C
I’ve had my Disk Drag Battenkill for my 5 wt rod for 9 years and really like it. I just got a 3 wt and immediately bought a new BBS for it. Can’t go wrong.
Dennis
I have a BBS and a Battenkill Disc. They are my end all reels. I wouldn’t consider ever trading or selling either. Not only are they priced right, but they sound good with a fish on.
I have a battenkill bar stock BBS and my son has an Orivis Battenkill Mid Arbor. Both are fine reels.
Jeff
I have a BBS II. The reel was recommended by the folks here on the board. Not being sure I would use a 4 wt rod much I did not want to spend the money on an Abel and asked for alternatives. I feel the reel is worth a lot more than what Orvis charges for them. Very well made and with little care it should last a lifetime and then some.
The BBS reels that I own were purchased because of their lightweight and reasonable price.Orvis has been with us for with us many decades for good reason,in my opinion.
Steve
I have 3 Battenkill Reels. Good drag system on them and very reliable and my clients like them. And of coarse you cant beat the price.
I have one, too and think they’re great. And notice people don’t say they’re “good for the price”. They’re just good.
Just saw on the Orvis site that they are running the free spool promo again on the Mid Arbors and i think the BBS reels. Ends 1/31/09
I just got the BBSI
The guys are Orvis are trully amazing. There was a error on their webpage, and as I was placing the order, I noticed the description did not match the price in my cart. They honored the lower price for me, because of the confusion and sent me a spare spool to go with the offer as well.
Great customer service, and their webchat is pretty cool too. 
first impressions of this reel. AMAZING. It’s so small and yet the thing feels well built and solid. just a beauty.
Like everyone else I’m a BIG fan of the ORVIS reels. The link you posted went to the BBS and if I could have only one reel for fly fishing, the BBS would be my choice.
I purchased most of my reel bodies and spools while they were still made in England, but I have gotten several spare spools for a BBS II that were Chinese made. They fit the English reel frames just fine and with the exception of one spool they have been identically finished.
Great reels, you won’t regret having purchased one.
The standard Battenkill is investment cast, and the BBS is forged, which is the reason the BBS is a little higher. A lot of people appreciate forging over cast, but the truth is, cast is just as good (if good metal is used) because a fly reel for fresh water is not exactly taking a lot of structural stress. I have both types, and have a BBS from England now.
We like minutiae in fly fishing, so I will share some with you. I have vacillated in my preference between the Orvis style drag knob and the Ross type. Orvis uses one that is small and compact and the reels are trimmer in a storage case. The small knob and placement make it a little harder to adjust an Orvis on the go. In contrast, Ross uses a big, protruding knob, which is not svelt in appearance and makes the reel very wide for storage. The advantage is with the size and central placement, it is a little easier (for me anyway) to make an adjustment on the go with a fish on. I have fished both in AK catching large bows and dollies, and decided I liked that Ross style a little better for big fish. The Orvis drag still held up well enough, it was just that the interim adjustment demand that you look at the reel and concentrate a little harder on that rather than watching the line and fish. If you’re pursuing standard size trout, the foregoing is of no real concern in reel shopping.
If a person was older and had arthritis or other ailments, he might like the big drag adjustment knob better.
If you look at saltwater reels, you’ll notice that most of them have large drag knobs.
Orvis surprised me moving production of its reels to China. I was not surprised that making them in England became cost prohibitive, but I think that the US would have been a better destination. I’d much prefer to buy a reel made in the US. It probably would have helped Orvis to sell reels that said “Made in the USA” over China, and I’d prefer to be contributing to the economy of someplace, like Mountain Home, AR, which would be a reasonably affordable place to manufacture.
Like you said…it all has to do with the cost of production…and it isn’t any cheaper here than it is in England. If people were less inclined to look for the best “deals” here…and be willing to pay more for American Made, then Ovis and others wouldn’t have to go to China or some other developing nation for product.
But then, this country was built on the “best deals” …it’s just coming back to bite in the fanny.