I wrote a blog about Spiderwire’s new Fluorobraid, but this is going to be my first true review about a product. The H2O Xpress Mettle reel from Academy is up on the chopping block. I have been fishing the Mettle from Corpus Christi to Delacroix for a little over a year. I’m pretty hard on all my equipment, my usual maintenance involves putting it in the boat locker after a day of fishing and picking it up the night before my next trip to make sure it cast’s and reels. The Mettle retails at Academy for $49.99, it seems every year Academy also puts this bad boy on sale for 25 bucks!
- 10 ball bearings
H2O Xpress Mettle
- one piece frame
- 6-pin centrifugal brake system
- 8 oz.
- 12lb/130 yard line capacity
- forged aluminium spool
- $49.99
I heard about this reel from an old salt and friend, Captain Leonard, down in the Laguna Madre. Captain Leonard isn’t really a captain, just a die-hard salty dog who spends most of his days on the water. Thinking of Capt. Leonard, I need to give my ole’ friend a call and find out how he got the name….Anyway, back to the story. We were wade fishing and Capt. Leonard was putting a whoopin’ on me. Every time he would hook up, he would say, ” This is the best reel made, only Forty-Nine dolla’s and super smooth”. I don’t know how much the reel played a part in the success of the trip, but it did open my eyes to the possibilities of other reel manufactures. At $49 it really got my attention.
At first thought, For $49 there was no way this reel was going to hold up to the salt. I was very skeptical….I have been around the block before and I know people tend think the equipment they use it the best ever made, even if it’s the only one they have tried. I have beaten this reel up and it’s still casting just a good, if not better, than the day I bought it. I can tell you how great this reel is and make you want to try it out, but I’m only going to comment on a few key points.
The reel just holds up to the harsh saltwater environment. It cast’s like a dream and the drag is silky smooth. It is a little on the big/heavy side, but if it’s the only reel secured to all your rods you don’t even notice the size. Bottom line, it’s a great reel and it’s definitely a great value. It’s all I use now and it gets the Tournament Redfisher stamp of approval! Try it, you might like it! Ohhhh.. one more thing, when they go on sale just leave me a few to buy!
Until next time
cast til your arms fall off,
Rob
tournamentredfisher.wordpress.com 
I bought an H20 Xpress reel (Menace model, 10 ball bearings) 15 months ago at Academy for $99 plus tax. It was the smoothest reel I had ever used and I loved it. It broke down after I had it for 15 months and the reel repair shop I took it too said the clutch was bad and he wasn’t able to find the necessary part (s). I liked it so much I’d like to buy another, but I’m afraid it won’t last and no one will be able to fix it.
Return it to Academy, they normally wil replace it. With the first of my 3 Mettle’s In the last 18 months I have caught 40+ Trout, Redfish and Black Drum all over 24″. Not to mention 100’s of smaller fish. I have not even rinsed the saltwater off of it yet. Reminds me of an old Timex watch, “takes a licking and keeps on ticking”.
I bought your reel at acadmey in San Antonio, texas and the 3rd time I used it the left side fell into the lake. the spool then fell on to peir and into lake .
i don’t know if this was a fluke or what happened to the reel .
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