zeebaas, van staal, penn torque

[flukeydukie]

the question is, are they worth the money. the penn torque seems as good as zeebaas or van staal and the penn torques are cheaper by 200 dollars. which one is better?

[FishOn]

I dont own any of them (I like my older penns) but I have fished all three. I liked the Z the best but all three were very nice to fish with.  I am typically a believer in the "you get what you pay for" thought. 

[FishOn]

Also I'd like to add that they are only worth it if you can A.) afford one without blinking an eye and B.) you fish hard and plan on dunking your reels without servicing them after every trip

[ChrisL]

The VS is a well made reel.  But it's only necessary if your fishing style calls for it.  If you wade out, fish jettys, etc where the reel will get dunked or splashed constantly, its worth it.  Those conditions will tear up other reels after.a couple seasons.
The new Penn Spinfisher V reels may be a more affordable option too.  i plan to pick up a couple over the winter. 
The old Penn Z reels are an option too, but require frequent service.

[Pfishingruven]

I would go with a VS also.  I have heard nightmares about ZeeBass Customer Service.  I'm not sure if they have fixed this or not, but years ago it was almost non-existent!