How does this compare to my favorite pen SS series reels?
I loved my old Penns. The old SS reels were tanks. Hard to kill.
This reel is similar to the Canyon 3500, which is much smoother than the old Penns, with the added strength of a solid aluminum body and rotor. Even if they have metal bodies (many are plastic) most reels today will have a plastic rotor.
If you're an old school kinda guy, stick with Penn. Nothing wrong with that. But, I think if you give one of these Canyons a spin you may never go back.
Canyon SALT 5000 Preorder