I know these seats are quite popular with a lot of people. I built a rod with one a few years back (size 16) and found it very comfortable. I ended up cutting it off because it wouldn't hold my reel tightly (stradic 2500) without tape on the reel foot. I really did like the feel of the seat and would like to use them on some rods I have planned.

I'm thinking maybe the seat I got was defective but I was wondering what everybody's experience has been with them. Do they typically hold your reels nice and tight?

Thanks

Brian

Brian,
Normally, these seats will hold a reel just fine. It is possible that the foot on your reel is so thin that it wobbles without adding tape to it.

If you do find that you have an issue with this reel on a different seat, the solution is pretty simple. Just trim a bit off the ends of the reel seat foot - and then the reel foot will be thicker. With the reel seat a bit thicker, the reel will not wobble and will be well secured to the reel seat.

Be safe

On my rods if a seat is loose I beef up under the reel feet with either tape of thin strip of plastic Beats cutting a nice seat off

Bill - willierods.com

Brian

I have built about 8 or 9 rods for myself and friends using the Aero reel seats in both size 16 and 17. I have never noticed any problems with the reel loosening on any of my personal rods, and have not had any complaints from friends. Did you get the "comfort finish" version?

Rog

I am only guessing, but I imagine that the issue that the original poster has is that he has a reel that is very thin at the ends and as a result loose in the reel seat - even when the nut is tight on the ends of the reel foot.

I expect that if one were to use a caliper and measure the thickness and then measure the thickness of the reel seat slot, that the problem would be quickly revealed.

Be safe

Thanks for your responses.

I'm certain it isn't the reel, I use that same reel on many different rods without any issue. I had the same problem regardless of witch reel I tried on it. No matter how tight it was put on there it had pretty substantial side to side wiggle. Sounds like nobody else has had any issues so I'll just assume there was some kind of defect under that hood that prevented it from holding tight.

Thank you

Brian

While not that reel seat I have had problems with other reel seats where on pocket is cast into the reel seat. A bit of light work in the pocket with a small burr on my dremel tool has fixed most problems.

I had a problem with two of the Aero seats not holding the reel tight. I called AT , was told they had a problem with a run of the seats. They replaced the defective ones, I have had no more problems with them. This happened last year.
Thank You American Tackle for great customer service.