Penn 525 Super Mag review
(User comments below)

Deciding on reels is important and often tricky because there are so many options to choose from. This review, by Simon Day, is from a couple of trips out (It really is that new) using the new Penn 525 Super Mag.

First thing you notice is that there isn't much difference between the new super mag and the old 525 mag. The main changes have happened inside the reel.

First of all the changes:

The SuperMag has two additional magnets, ABEC 5 bearings filled with Red RF which in our terms means they are a much better quality bearing. There are two extra rare earth magnets making a total of 6 in all.

So what Penn have done is changed the bearings to make it faster and added 2 magnets to make it slower. There was a certain amount of feedback – both from the US as well as the UK – that the 525 Mag was a tad quick for some. Penn have tried to combat this. More about it below.

Now for some confusion. I know that there are at least 2 versions of the Penn 525 Super Mag already (The shop I bought the newer one from actually said three but I can't confirm this). The older version had the gold handle and the 2 new magnets are located in the center of the photo above (Below the two magnets you already see in the centre). Some people complained that the magnets were coming out and also that the gold anodised handles version may be a bit to weak or prone to rust quicker so they changed it so the two new magnets are located on the outer edges and replaced the handle with chromed brass.

I bought both types and I honestly can't find any noticeable difference in either but maybe time will tell. What I don't like is the fact Penn hasn't told anyone this. When I bought the first super mag I was worried that it might be the old 525 with a super mag badge stuck on. I looked carefully at photos on the net of the inside of the reel and to my horror I discovered my first Penn (the latest version) didn't look anything like the photo's I'd seen (of the older version). I instantly thought it was a fake but as it turns out (after speaking to Penn and the designer Neil Mackellow) it is just a new version. I can really see this causing Penn lots of problems. First off they issued thousands of badges but only sold a few hundred reels. To be fair to them they really are on the ball watching out for any fakes that surface but had I known there were two different versions of the same thing I wouldn't have been so worried. So remember this if you buy one!

The 525 Super Mag's only real problem I could see was even on the slowest setting the line shot out like lightning so I'd put the 525 super mag firmly in the field of moderate to expert level non-level wind casters.

I've only tried it a few times so far so it's still way to early to give a very detailed report but I've tried them both in daylight and at night and both outcast my Daiwa Sealine SL30SH with ease. I'm not sure how much distance I've gained and I don't really want to guess in a review. All I will say is it went further.

When casting it comes out of the reel so super smooth, I was very impressed. I had no birds nests during daylight trials. The evening trial was a close call because I choose a place that was totally pitch black and quite noisy. I couldn't see the line or hear the splash. With the magnets working on full it still went out so fast I had to be very quick when it hit the water. I didn't birds nest but I did have the line start to go back on itself a couple of times.

This reel suffers from the one thing you'll always hear me niggle about; The bite clicker; It's sooooo quiet. I love my Abu's because you can be chatting to a mate 40 yards away and still hear it. This clicker is about the same as the SL03SH so it has to be pretty quiet around you to hear it. I'm often out with friends fishing so I'm not stood by the rod all the time. I would have loved the clicker to be on par with the Abu's.

Overall this is a really nice reel and is the best one I've used to date. Both these reels will be my main reels from now on. If you already have the old 525's and you've bought the new super mag I'd be interested in hearing your comments about the two. See link below.

Comment about this review here

USER COMMENTS

I have just bought the latest Penn 525 super mag and i find the bearings very noisy when casting, my mate also has one of these reels which he bought two months ago from a diferent tackle shop and his reel is also very noisy when casting. we both have the Penn 525 mags and these are sooo quiet when casting.
is this a falt with the super mag or do they all sound like this?
By Richard McCarthy



I've had a 'super mag' for a while and have to say I am deeply disappointed with the way Penn have handled the whole launch process.

I am convinced that I have a 525 Mag that has simply had the handle changed for the gold type found on the tournamag. I was sold the reel when the supermag first came out but before they were officially badged this meant I got what appeared to be a standard 525 mag but apparently had all the trimmings.

The reel feels less tight when compared to my 4 other standard mags and it is one noisy mumma. Infact too noisy and the other day I swapped the spool with one of my other mags it is now much quieter so looks like mine also had a dodgy spool too (I'd tried changing the bearings first with no difference).

So basically I feel Penn is responsible for the confusion, they should have though of the consequences of releasing a reel in this way. They have caused me to spend way over the market price for a normal 525 mag with a tournamag handle and a dodgy spool.

I have to say that I would probably never consider paying for a supermag as even in a years time I won't know what I'm buying.

Miffed doesn't describe it.
Caleb Zunino, Guernsey