I like the American Tackle Aero seats. Do you guys build them Up Locking or Down Locking mostly?

It seems if you hold with the reel stem between middle finger and ring finger, down locking is spot on.

But I often hold the reel stem between my ring finger and pinky - and then up-locking fills your hand really nice.

I pause on using them some, as I'm not sure they allow you to float between holds as much - or do you guys find you can switch your hold and it's OK?

Early on I mounted most of my spinning seats uplocking. Over some time I reversed course and now almost always mount them downlinking. Due to the shape of the seats you've mentioned, I'd think you'd want to mount it whichever way provides the most comfort and control.

.........

I like the locking ring/nut at the top of the grip (downlocking).
I'm right handed and found that over the course of the fishing day my right little finger would loosen the lock nut on up locking seats, whether fly rod or spinning.

I like the Fuji IPS/VSS and Wiebe/Super Sticker reel seats both ways. leaning more to uplocking on bass, trout, etc. rods, but just the opposite on salmon/steelhead rods. I find the less smooth transition from grip to the reel seat uncomfortable uplocking on the Aero. G Loomis uses the Wiebe/Super Sticker reel seat design to this day uplocking.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/2023 01:47PM by Spencer Phipps.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

I vote down locking.

There was recently another thread on the Aero real seat. Some of the comments got into the subject of uplocking vs downlocking. See this link: [www.rodbuilding.org]

From your original post sounds like you may be wanting to switch/experiment with how you will hold your rod. If that is the case, I wouldn't think an Aero seat with the defined palm swell area built into seat would be the ideal real seat. I would look for something that has a more constant OD when oriented either way such as your typical DPS style sized to fit your hand.

I'm so confused!!! I mount mine with the locking nut towards the tip top. Very comfortable for me.

I like "up-lock" on all spin seats.
But, an alternative is to use a larger, sz 17 or 18 conventional seat.
That may give you the best of both worlds.
Happy Thanksgiving,

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

If it were a pipe style seat with the same shape and diameter all the way end to end I would say do whatever you want. I like downlocking. But since these seats have a shape that is not the same end to end you are really going to have to mock up the rod and go out and do some test casting and retrieving. You will know in about fifteen minutes which you like best. A quarter to half hour now can save years of fishing with a rod that later decided should have been mounted in the other direction.

Personally, the 2 rods I have built with the Aero seats were downloading with no foregrips.

on the aero seat specifically I prefer the nut at the top so the palm swell hits my hand right BUT I loathe ever feeling threads or the roughness of the nut so I only use those with ULH hoods - it really feels great in the hand. same for the apex.

I like down locking, just more comfortable to me.