What Is Daiwa’s “Magseal”? (Is It Worth Paying For?)
- By: Justin Ritchey
- on
What exactly does “Magseal” from Daiwa actually mean?
Is science involved or is it a unique design to the reel itself?
Find out everything you need to know about Daiwa Magsealed spinning reels below!!
You won’t want to miss this!
What Is Daiwa’s “Magseal”?
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Magseal is Daiwa’s answer to preventing contaminants from entering the inside of the reel shaft and ruining the functions of the reel.
Salt, bacteria, or other contaminants cause issues with the anti-reverse clutch within the body of the reel.
Other companies seal their reels with a hydrophobic coating of some sort to deflect water away from the area.
Daiwa’s solution is to include a proprietary ferrofluid to seal their reels.
Ferrofluid is a common substance used most notably in the aerospace industry.
It is used in shuttles to help transport fuel from one end to the other in space where there is zero gravity.
Instead, Daiwa went ahead and incorporated a metal plate along with ferrofluid to create a barrier in the reel.
Daiwa puts a small amount of ferrofluid in between the gap of the metal plate and the anti-reverse clutch mechanism.
The fluid helps prevent water, salt, and any other foreign substances from entering the reel and infiltrating the main shaft.
If the anti-reverse clutch is contaminated, you won’t be able to set the hook on a fish and you’ll end up losing it.
Removing Parts Of The Reel
There are intricate small, detailed parts inside of a saltwater spinning reel that are easily lost.
If you have the choice, have the reel company service your reel and correct any issues you have.
On the other hand, if you do choose to service the reel yourself, be extremely careful when removing parts of the main shaft.
The metal plate will want to attach to the anti-reverse clutch due to magnetism.
Furthermore, the anti-reverse clutch sits below the metal plate and rests in a groove below the main shaft.
That groove determines when the automatic anti-reverse clutch kicks in.
This controls whether you can reel forwards or backward or both.
The anti-reverse clutch is very sensitive to dirt, oils, and outside contaminants.
If the clutch fails, you will lose fish and have weak hook sets.
Side Gear, Main Gear, & Bearings Protection
On the majority of Daiwa’s spinning reels, Magseal is NOT incorporated in the side plates.
This can expose the reel to all sorts of contaminants from water to salt that causes pitting.
Pitting is when the contaminants are eating away at the zinc main gear.
Water can infiltrate the side plate if the reel is dunked for an extended period of time.
Magseal Fluid
Magseal fluid included in Daiwa reels is not available for retail purchase.
If you have an issue with a Magsealed reel, it is best getting touch with a certified Daiwa service center or send the reel back to Daiwa for repair.
In theory, you could use another brand of ferrofluid but it is not recommended.
Daiwa’s proprietary ferrofluid is used exclusively in their reels.
The Bottom Line
Magseal is not necessarily a “bullet-proof” vest that will protect a reel from anything it comes into contact with.
It without a doubt offers superior protection for the anti-reverse clutch which is often overlooked.
Water and contaminants can still make their way into the side plate of the reel and corrode the main gear of the reel.
It is imperative that you take care of your saltwater fishing gear.
After every trip, gently rinse your gear off with some fresh water.
Be mindful of the kind of angler you are and how often you are in contact with spray and water.
Magseal helps extend the performance of a reel for the long term.
This is not to say reels with Magseal are impenetrable.
There are still water access points throughout a reel.
Physical Perimeter Seals
Certain reels have physical barriers as opposed to the chemical reaction induced by Magseal technology.
The Daiwa BG has 9 physical seals to protect against foreign substances.
Even if a reel doesn’t have Magseal, this does not mean it is a poorly sealed reel.
Is Magseal Worth It?
It depends on the type of angler you are and how you actively fish.
Some of our own fishing coaches have battered and dunked their own Daiwa Fuego 2500 reels and report that they still work without any issues.
Needless to say, reels without Magseal will not crumble or fall apart at the first interaction with saltwater.
Magseal is a great benefit to a reel if available to you, however, it is not the be-all, end-all in terms of spinning reels.
What Is Daiwa’s “Magseal”? [VIDEO]
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Conclusion
Magseal is an ingenious addition to saltwater spinning reels that creates an enhanced defense against outside contaminants that may infiltrate the reel.
The anti-reverse clutch is a vital part of the reel that if corroded or damaged, may result in dropped fish and fewer hookups.
Before you choose to buy a reel with or without Magseal, be sure to take into account the type of angler you are and how you like to fish!
Do you own a Daiwa spinning reel with or without Magseal?
Let me know what your personal experience has been with your reel down in the comments!
And if you know someone who wants to learn more about Daiwa Magseal Technology, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Hey Salt Strong! I’m looking to my a Fuego 2500 and I need help finding the right line. Do you have any suggestions on what to get? I’ll be mostly fishing off the flats from shore and maybe will be doing some dock fishing. Thanks!
For fishing the flats, I generally don’t go any heavier than 10 lb test since it’s plenty strong and casts a mile. For dock fishing, I’ll often go up to 15 to 20 lb test to have some added power.
If you’re mostly fishing flats, then I recommend sticking with the 10 lb test. But if you do a lot of dock fishing and target snook or redfish which are pretty good about getting around pilings, then 15 lb will be a smart play (I wouldn’t go any higher for that reel).
Justin,
Thanks for the insight on Daiwa Magseal. I currently have a Fuego LT 2500-XH and a Ballistic LT 2500D-HX hx. I am on the Salt Strong “Notify me when available” Ballistic MQ 2500D-HX and 3000D list.
What type of protection will the MQ version have for the main gear that the Fuego and my existing Ballistic does not have?
Also if I can only get only one, can you tell me the pro and cons of the Ballistic MQ 2500d-hx vs the 3000D?
Great info and thanks,
Sam
Hey Sam! Have you seen this video where we highlight the cross-section of a BG MQ yet? It will show you exactly where all the physical seals are on an MQ product: You’ve Got To See The Inner Workings Of A Sealed Spinning Reel (saltstrong.com)
The only differences between the 2500 and the 3000 sizes of the Ballistic MQ are:
At the end of the day, the choice is yours. Some anglers prefer a larger sized reel to have more line capacity, and others choose to have the higher gear ratio. Both will be excellent choices, regardless of what rod you choose, as these 2 sizes are very similar to one another.
Justin,
I got turned on to a product called Aquashield Pool Pump grease several years ago. It is designed for preventing chlorinated or salt water from contaminating pool pump bearings. I use it to keep water from entering my main bearings by coating my main shaft, pack the cavity in my reel handle shaft and the opposite covered side with it, pit it over my anti-reverse bearing, and put it around the plate that I remove to service the inside of the reel (I have to wipe the excess that comes out when tightening the screws). A little goes a long way and once you use it you will come to appreciate its properties. It is super sticky, does not gum up in cold weather and keeps the internals including the anti-reverse bearing waterproof. By super sticky, just try pulling a small amount from the tube. It will stretch easily for 10″ or more at room temperature.
I’ve heard of Aquashield, and I think I’ve seen Nick (AKA Scooby) from the YouTube Channel Tackle Advisors also use this product on a reel repair in one of his videos. It looked VERY thick, so yes, a little bit should go a long way. Thanks for sharing your experience with this here!
Was that Joe’s reel?
Negative. I believe it was one of Luke’s (or maybe Wyatt’s). I’ll need to double-check!
Thank You Justin for the video. When I originally looked into purchasing a Daiwa Mag Seal reel I saw the instrument needed to apply the Mag Seal if needed and the cost of the instrument. Was also told at the time that this procedure maybe needed once a year depending on use at a cost of ~$100. Since I do a lot of surf fishing and the possibility of submersion is great the cost in my opinion is not worth it.
I completely understand, Ronald. If you feel you will risk dunking your reels in the surf, Magseal will not protect your main gear/internals aside from the AR Clutch. Best to go with a product like the Saltiga or a Van Staal to be safe.
Thanks for the breakdown, Justin! I purchased two reels since joining, and as a direct result of research in this community they just happen to be the Daiwa Fuego 2500 and BG MQ 4000. In the video you mention ensuring we rinse AND dry the reels after our saltwater use… after rinsing down with freshwater, how do you recommend actually drying them? I typically store my gear in my house, however in the recent cooler weather have also used the garage when the gear was still wet. I’d like to ensure my stuff has the best lifespan opportunity possible.
Excellent question, my friend. I really should make a video walking through what steps I take to ensure proper maintenance of my reels. I will work on that! In general, after a light rinse down, it would be prudent to take a dry cloth and just manually dry each reel to help remove as much water as possible. But more on this to come.
Nice video Justin.
You focused on the protection of the anti-reverse clutch. My question is whether the MagSeal does a better job protecting the main shaft bearings?
(Also, you answered another question in a previous response regarding why the anti-reverse clutch is even a standard feature for inshore reels.)
For kayak fishing when one is always close to the water and often catching salt spray when paddling through the afternoon wind chop, my main spinning reel issue has been corrosion on the roller bearings on the main shaft (two instances with not very expensive Penn Battles where corrosion turned up there). With the result being a sticking point in the retrieve that basically retired the reel for the day. Managed to get them operable again (and apparently successfully having some time on them now) by complete disassembly, cleaning and grease application and, after a try or two, somehow managing to get them back together. (Pay careful attention to the entire sequence of disassembly/assembly, back/front orientation of each piece, and where the little tensioning spring things attach).
Does the MagSeal protect at that area of large in-out motion of the shaft leading to the main shaft bearings, or is it more around the seals further out from the shaft? Thanks.
I’m glad this video was helpful & enlightening for you, Jim! I completely agree with being cautious during the teardown & re-assembly as it can be hard to keep track of all those little pieces.
I’m a tad confused on what you mean by main shaft bearings. Every reel by each manufacturer is put together a little differently. In the case of a Fuego, there is a support bearing on the main shaft, but this is located above the rotor of the reel and easily accessible once you remove the spool. This bearing is not protected by Magseal and can be subject to water working its way down the main shaft. Technically, the rubber lipped seal at the top of the Drag Cap of the spool should provide preliminary protection to prevent water from working its way down that main shaft. But the bearing itself on that shaft is not protected by Magseal. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to access and is an inexpensive piece to replace, if needed.
Confused a bit myself now Justin.
But, I looked at the exploded parts diagram in my maintenance kit to try to refresh my memory. I think I may have been thinking about bearings within the clutch assembly itself (making direct contact to the shaft). At any rate, aft of the rotor and down in the main in/out workings of the shaft. Not going to try another disassembly at this point to confirm.
So I think the Magseal is targeting the area of vulnerability where I had issues with internal corrosion that shut down the reel mid-trip in the past. Thanks.
I think your deduction is correct: that AR clutch bearing itself is the #1 feature Magseal aims to protect.
Great article Justin, some great info. I own a Saltist 3000 with magseal, and its been a fantastic reel. I’ve read a lot of negative reviews about the Saltist, and it failing within the year. Ive had mine for 3 years with no problems, but i clean it after every use. I’ll end up getting the MQ at some point.
Pa-POW! That original series Saltist (non MQ) is an absolute Beast and goes overlooked by a lot of anglers. It’s the go-to for a lot of anglers up in the Northeast, and it has its place for a lot of the diehard Offshore guys here in Florida. Glad you like it!
Every manufacturer now days says the same old same old that there reel is the best of the best with new gears and better bearings ect and so forth but all I know is I stick with what works Tony did a report on the shimano nasci back a few years ago so I decided to try one I bought one and have switched all my spinning reels to it I take care of all my tackle and they last for years in fact the reels I replaced with the basics were the shimano stradics bought back in 09 and after about 12 years of countless fish the drags were shot so they did need replaced but they all are as smooth as butter just the drags are gone and my nascis I have put through rigorous fishing catching everything from large Jack’s to reds flounder seatrout and a few tarpon in the small size slot of different fish that all fight different and test the real to its limits and like an old hound dog they have been reliable from the start so like the old mechanic saying goes if it’s not broken don’t fix it well I add a new saying to that one if what you got works for you then why change? Well I never will and at even at west marines high prices only 109 bucks per reel I think the performance way over rides the price don’t know how much the diawas are but after being thourally disappointed after trying the bg combo I will always be a shimano guy the bg after only a week of not fishing with it it became very stiff very unfishable and to me first impressions count so I’m sure you know my answer to that one enough said except thanks for the report and all you do
I’ll take the Fuego
To each their own, Steven. Each anglers’ experiences will vary based on their style of fishing. Sorry to hear the BG did not meet your expectations.
The Fuego retails for $100. So does the Shimano Nasci. So the real question is: Which reel is superior to the other? Since Magseal does offer benefit at the AR Clutch, my impression is that the Fuego is superior to the Nasci. But I have not owned or fished with a Nasci personally, so I cannot make that determination fairly. I’ll ask Tony what his thoughts are, since he has put quite a bit of time on the Nascis.
Thanks Steven!
Definitely awesome video Justin – great breakdown and information provided to help us make decisions if the Daiwa Magseal is worth it. Thanks
Always appreciate the support, Sir! Thanks Pablo