Hey cass! I’m back! Sort of haha. Real life stuff just keeps happening whether it be getting sick again… or just being plain old busy… hopefully I’ll get back into the swing of things soon though and keep pumping out content soon. Thanks for stopping by and cheers my friend!
I just found your channel recently, and I must say that I love your content! You have already become one of my favorite channels to watch. Oddly enough, I couldn't decide between the two, so I ordered them both off Amazon just last night! I knew I should have waited until this morning! 😂 I can't wait to see you break them down further!
Hey Dan! Wow I really appreciate the kind words! I wish I had more time to just pump out content but I have other responsibilities that I need you to consider but hopefully will get back in the swing of making content regularly again. Thank you again for the kind words as it does keep me motivated and means quite a bit to hear. Cheers my friend!
Hey Pacman! I just got back from taking it out today but it was a major skunk fest… lol. Nothing of note to have filmed sadly… At least it was a chance to get out and hopefully I’ll be able to take it out on Monday again. Hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! Cheers my friend!
I’m a Kastking fan. I’ve loved my Zephyr and it let me test the BFS waters. It’s hard to hate on it at $60-70. I love my KK waterproof boxes and the fishing shorts. Looking forward to trying the BFS rods when I can get my hands on one. The only issue with the reels are how good the Arise Elite is at $150.
Hey dragn! Yea I actually don’t hate the zephyr myself. I have one that is quite smooth and I actually was able to pick it up for around $35 off of aliexpress. Pretty good value there. Kk does have some products that are quite nice but on occasion their QC can be a bit lacking. Hopefully they’ll continue to improve things. Cheers my friend!
Hey Jeff! Man… I went out today to test out the reel and it was just a major skunk fest lol… will have to try again on Monday. Wish me luck! Cheers my friend!
Hey Eric! Hahaha i know i can always count on you for a good chuckle. Apologies for the lack of content lately… been getting smashed by illnesses the kid is bringing back from school and then just busy with life in general… hopefully things will calm down a bit tho and we’ll get back at it! Hope you are doing well and cheers my friend!
I just received (May 2024) a VEII Black. This version I received is NOT over breaked as well, I can confirm the distances are the same that you measured for the new Kestrel (and visually matches rawr video)
Hey cem! Wow so your version of the ve2 can cast 0.56g lures? I do know that kk has a “pro” model of the ve2 in China that has a non ported spool and that is supposedly more adept at casting light weights vs the old ve2. Curious if you have a pair of digital calipers that you can measure the brake assembly distance from the frame like I did in the video? Cheers my friend!
If the kestrel was the same colour as the elite I would have loved that. Still very keen to try the Kestrel, more or less a Silver Feather in the colour I thought the silver feather was going to be. The blue accents on the lower gear ratio is enticing.
Hey Jacob! Imho, I actually still prefer the silver feather to this reel… but, and it’s a medium sized but, this is available on Amazon so is a bit more accessible to folks in the US. I do wish it was a bit lower in price as well… but imho it’s an improvement on the KE. lol I thought the blue accents were the CDM kestrel bfs haha 😅😅😅. Cheers my friend!
Hey Abel! Haha yep! Stay tuned for that. I tried to get some footage for that second video today but was a trip to skunk town lol… will have to try again on Monday! Cheers my friend!
Hi, great video(s)! I've found your channel today and as a purely spinning angler whith the idea to try bfs I have to say that you are very clear and you're doing a really good job. You've got a new follower (from Italy), keep going!
Hey Mauro! Thank you so much for the kind words of support! I really appreciate it and it is very humbling to hear people say that. I hope you’re able to get good information and value out of my videos and please don’t hesitate to ask questions! Cheers my friend!
$200 for the elite is crazy. Bfs with discount sounds pretty good. How would you compare the Acura with bfs? I bought 2 of them after watching your videos and I absolutely love them.
Hey earth! I will agree… I thought the elites price was a bit nuts when it first launched at just over $200 and imho it still is a bit nuts at $199. The good news is that this is much much much more affordable. I would still choose the silver feather over this but this is available on Amazon and so has that advantage over the silver feather. As far as the Acura is concerned, the SF and this Kestrel BFS both actually outperform it by just a tad. However, the Acura smashes both reels in terms of value. It’s a hard reel to beat in that regards no doubt. Cheers my friend!
Hey TK! Interesting you say that! Ooc what about the slx isn’t making you happy? Maybe I can suggest some things you can change or upgrade? What do you want the reel to do? Cheers my friend!
Hey southwest! Stay tuned maybe you can win this one =). I decided that I will give both the kestrel elite and this kestrel bfs away! Cheers my friend!
Hey doc! Much appreciated! Been a bit busy with life and also getting sick from the kid countless times lol… Hopefully will stay illness free for a bit and be able to get out more! Hope all is well with you and cheers my friend!
Dang! I'd luv to try one of these. Just haven't had the extra investment money laying around. And other bfs options I'm checking out seem to offer a bit better price/value. But! Still wanted to try Kastking to see what rhey are all about.
Good for Kastking making improvements. I have 1 Kastking baitcaster. Buy I stopped buying reels from Kastking after their marketing "disaster" not so long ago. I think they lost a lot of sales because of that. Thanks for the Video 👍
Hey Gisli! Yea… they did drop the ball a bit but at least this reel performs much better. I was able to take the reel out again today but didn’t really manage much other than dinks. The reel does cast down to 0.56g though verified. Cheers my friend!
I want a non-backlash non-bird nesting baitcaster. My current baitcaster is horrible. I have used a few different ones of friends and have only found an old 13 fishing reel that suited me. I know it is the settings and using your thumb that prevents it. Is the Kestrel a good beginner reel? I will be using it primarily as a dropshot rod & reel with 1/8 oz or higher until I REALLY learn how to use it. What beginning settings would I use out of the box to start? Thank you
Hey worlds! Hm… I would look at the original valiant eagle 2 over the kestrel. I think the brakes on that reel are a tad stronger and it helps that it’s a bit cheaper as well. I’m sure the reel would work well for your wants. As for settings, you will inevitably getting backlashes but the ve2 will backlash less often than other reels. Regardless of the lure weight, whenever you change the lure, I would maybe put your brake dial at 3/4 to 1/2. Then adjust your spool friction knob so that the lure will fall slowly when you release the clutch and then when it stops the spool does not continue to turn. This will help prevent backlashing at the end of casts when the lure hits the water. Then from these settings you can back them down as you get more comfortable with casting. Backing off the settings will help you gain a bit more distance as you do so. I hope that helps! It’s a bit hard to explain over text. Cheers my friend!
Had to watch again. You should talk to histar and see if you could test a black knight 2. You may like it more then you think lol it is my # 2 reel behind silver feather and not far at all behind.
Hey Patrick! I think my days of testing DWU variants is over for the time being. I just don’t have enough time to get to so many reels as I have a bit of a queue and quite a few rods to get to as well. I appreciate the suggestion greatly though! Cheers my friend!
Hi Peter ! Interesting video 👍. Seems that Kastking is on the right way… but I suspect we should wait for the Valiant Eagle IIII for the best bargain … 😁
Hey Nomdi! Haha yea the ve2 pro is actually out in China currently. They made some changes that I think allow it to cast what they originally claimed. We shall see though! Cheers my friend!
I have the kestler bfs ,2 zephyr s,3 ARK GRAVITY BFS Reels. The kasking reels r ok. And for the $ on sale great starting point. But NO COMPARISON 2 THE ARK GRAVITY BFS REELS. If u get a chance check them out. Love wht u do !
Hey Jim! Yep I have the Ark gravity bfs and have reviewed the reel already =). It definitely is a great performer but there are other reels out now that perform just as well but don’t require adjustment of the internal rotor for lure weight changes. Either way the reel performs quite well. Cheers my friend!
Hey Patrick! It’s not too shabby! I mean I think I still prefer the silver feather but it’s nice to have other options and it’s nice that this is available on Amazon. Cheers my friend!
Hey Maurice! You’ve got me on that one… all I know is that DMK manufactured these reels for kastking. I am not sure who actually did the R&D for the reels… Cheers my friend!
@@mauricezaoui9195 hey Maurice! No I didn’t really go too in depth regarding the differences in braking systems as the kestrel is similar to the ve2 and kestrel elite. I’ve covered the braking systems in the reel’s respective reviews. In any case, the ve2, KE and kestrel use a FTB clone and the silver feather uses a system that has a ring of magnets that move about 0.5mm closer to the spool. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
Hey Leonardo! Sorry for the late response. Imho, I would probably choose the silver feather over the kestrel bfs. Mainly because the SF has a much more convenient braking style to use and because in my experience it casts lighter lures than the kestrel bfs. However, the kestrel bfs is a decent reel as well. Hope that helps! Cheers my friend!
thanks! I'm Brazilian, in Brazil the silver feather has little market, practically unknown, I found out about it through your videos and bought one, it arrives this month. Thanks for the response and reviews
@@HCBCHEMISTRY hey Hcb! Overall, I would say the kestrel is a nicer reel than the zephyr. However, really they are two totally different reels and are like comparing apples to oranges. This is because the zephyr has an extremely large diameter spool, 34mm iirc, and is more suited to higher lure weights like 3g and above. The kestrel bfs is more suited to lower lure weights with its 28mm diameter spool. Build quality wise between the two I would say that the kestrel is a bit nicer as it has TPE handle knobs and 11 bearings vs the zephyr using EVA foam knobs and a much lower bearing count. I hope that helps answer your question and if you have any others please feel free to let me know. Cheers my friend!
Hey doug! So I would say that the original ve2 is actually the… original design. What that means is that it won’t cast below 1g very well. If you’re not casting below 1g then this might not matter to you much. However, the kestrel has a few improvements over the Ve2. It has 11 ball bearings, a carbon fiber frame vs graphite of the ve2 and can cast below 1g adequately. Kk China has a newer version of the ve2 and kestrel elite they are calling the “pro” models. I have one incoming to test and see how much better it is vs the original ve2. Kk USA I believe is trying to see if there is interest in these models and I believe is trying to market them as MFS or micro finesse system. More marketing term soup for the masses I guess… Anywho, the original ve2 is a nice reel and is very convenient to cast but it does sacrifice a tiny bit of distance. I am hoping that this new “pro” model does not do that. I would say the kestrel is a good in between model that probably sits, performance wise, in between the original ve2 and the ve2 pro. We will have to see though. Cheers my friend!
Hey JF! It is good but I would suggest watching my videos on the kastking valiant eagle 2 pro. Imho, it is a superior reel to the kestrel bfs. Cheers my friend!
@JF-qc6po hey jf! Yep! The valiant eagle 2 pro is able to handle down to 1/48 oz or 0.56g. You’ll definitely need a rod that is capable as well though. Cheers my friend!
@@JF-qc6po hey jf! What kind of budget do you have to work with? More than happy to help you find something. Also, do you need long distance casting or short distance accuracy? What lure weights do you plan on casting and also what types of fish species are you targeting? Cheers my friend!
Hey Patrick! I still haven’t really mangled the paint job on my silver feather yet so I’m not sure I’ll be able to test the durability of the paint job on this kestrel as well. Maybe I should do a small spot test on both reels or something… cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I'm always around dirt and rocks fishing and when I catch a fish I don't just drop the rod lol but don't take the time to set it down real soft like a egg either. Only light scratches on silver feather but sun shinning on it you see them.
@@patrickhartman6818 hey Patrick! Ah yea at some point all reels will get scratches over time. That said, for these carbon framed reels it won’t really damage them per se. You don’t have your baby them like you would a magnesium frame reel. If those get scratches and chips and the metal is exposed then oxidation will kick in and that’s not a good thing… Anywho, it’s always good to try and take care of your gear but not always possible. Cheers my friend!
Overbraking issues only for those guys who cast a 16th of an oz and below (including me). But a reminder, really is intended for close casting in creeks or streams. throw a very tiny lure on very wide and deep lake is like throwing needle on a hay stack(got the picture).I have the VE2, based on my experience, it great for green hands and 2.5 grams up to 5 grams...yet never tried power finesse in this
Hey Irvin! Actually with this kestrel I have been casting down to 0.56g. It’s not as easy to do as with the silver feather but this kestrel bfs can do it with the right rod. That’s very different from the VE2 and the KE. Also, I’m going to have to respectfully disagree with the tiny lures being like needles in a haystack. All the bigger bass, including my 21” pb bass, I’ve caught at my local lake have been caught on lures that are smaller than 1g. So… micro finesse setups work in lakes as well haha. Maybe not every lake but I think in very pressured lakes they do as mine is very pressured. While I had a skunk session today I will say that the kestrel can cast 5g lures with ease but also 0.56g as well. You just need to have a capable rod =). Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL my friend your right you can catch one on big lakes and i did, thats one of my unfogatable moment in my history of fishing. But, talking about rate of bites and efficiency, larger lure had its advantage in visual presentation, luck is also one of the factor we should consider and also pressured fish. Yet it is more fullfilling when you land your PB on a very tiny lure...😁😁😁 cheers my friend! Glad we were connected through bfs fishing eventhough we were thousand miles apart...😊😊
@@co-polyLINE hey Irvin! I agree that larger lures are more visible but for my lake I think the fish have been so conditioned to ignore larger lures that smaller lures are more effective. I am also glad that we can connect through BFS! Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL hoping for you giveaway...hope i'll be the one...btw how did you manage to cast a 0.5 gram lure with VE2? What # of braid did you use? I have a 1.3m stream rod that rated from 0.4g to an 8th of an oz...
Quite frankly I think KastKing has already lost the market with the previous version’s brake issues. If they’d released a decent high end bfs reel 2 years ago it’d be a different conversation. Right now I wouldn’t buy another bfs product from them unless they dropped a super high end chromed out kestrel in the style of their ireel one, I’ve just moved on to higher end bfs equipment and those new kestrels look like cheap toys
Hey John! Yea I do agree with you on that. They did miss the mark with the Kestrel Elite and the Valiant Eagle 2. While they were very easy to cast reels the overbraked aspect just made them not live up to the claims their advertising material stated. I guess it’s never too late to fix mistakes but they could’ve had so much more back then. I do like that they are still making efforts though to “fix” things. It shows that they’re still in the game which is always a good thing. Anywho thanks so much for stopping by and cheers my friend!
I have the kestrel elite and the black and red valiant eagle I think they’re both great I also own an aldebaran 22 none of which do too well casting a trout magnet but then I didn’t buy them to cast 1 gram my average lure is between 2-3 gram and they all excel at that weight far too many sheep 🐑 love to slate kk off who probably have never owned one
Hey Stuart! The ve2 and the KE were/are fine reels but they never really lived up to the marketing claims of being able to cast 1/32oz very well. That in conjunction with the fact that my KEs have all had odd clicking bearings I think kk had some work to do. I’m glad that they did improve the kestrel bfs a bit as it now lives up to their original marketing claims and is fairly smooth with no clicking bearings. As far as your statement about sheep I think most people reviewed the KE extremely well when it first came out. I was one of the few who wasn’t so pleased with it unfortunately… KK does have great customer service but I think there’s something to be said about living up to marketing claims and also having better quality control to check for issues like clicking bearings. Anywho, the kestrel bfs seems to be pretty good now but I would love to see the price a bit lower for everyone. Cheers my friend!
Glad you decided to do this video after all! Hope all is well Peter and looking forward to the next one my friend
Hey cass! I’m back! Sort of haha. Real life stuff just keeps happening whether it be getting sick again… or just being plain old busy… hopefully I’ll get back into the swing of things soon though and keep pumping out content soon. Thanks for stopping by and cheers my friend!
I just found your channel recently, and I must say that I love your content! You have already become one of my favorite channels to watch. Oddly enough, I couldn't decide between the two, so I ordered them both off Amazon just last night! I knew I should have waited until this morning! 😂 I can't wait to see you break them down further!
Hey Dan! Wow I really appreciate the kind words! I wish I had more time to just pump out content but I have other responsibilities that I need you to consider but hopefully will get back in the swing of making content regularly again. Thank you again for the kind words as it does keep me motivated and means quite a bit to hear. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL My pleasure buddy! 🍻
Very informative. Looking forward to the cast testing video.
Hey Pacman! I just got back from taking it out today but it was a major skunk fest… lol. Nothing of note to have filmed sadly… At least it was a chance to get out and hopefully I’ll be able to take it out on Monday again. Hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! Cheers my friend!
I’m a Kastking fan. I’ve loved my Zephyr and it let me test the BFS waters. It’s hard to hate on it at $60-70. I love my KK waterproof boxes and the fishing shorts. Looking forward to trying the BFS rods when I can get my hands on one. The only issue with the reels are how good the Arise Elite is at $150.
Hey dragn! Yea I actually don’t hate the zephyr myself. I have one that is quite smooth and I actually was able to pick it up for around $35 off of aliexpress. Pretty good value there. Kk does have some products that are quite nice but on occasion their QC can be a bit lacking. Hopefully they’ll continue to improve things. Cheers my friend!
Great video. Good comparison so far can't wait to see part 2
Hey Jeff! Man… I went out today to test out the reel and it was just a major skunk fest lol… will have to try again on Monday. Wish me luck! Cheers my friend!
I can recognize those hands anywhere Peter. Good to see you come out with a new video.
Hey Eric! Hahaha i know i can always count on you for a good chuckle. Apologies for the lack of content lately… been getting smashed by illnesses the kid is bringing back from school and then just busy with life in general… hopefully things will calm down a bit tho and we’ll get back at it! Hope you are doing well and cheers my friend!
Recently found your channel, you provided good information related to BFS products. Newly subscribed,thanks for the video.
Hey wya! Appreciate the kind words and for the support! If you have any questions about BFS don’t hesitate to ask! Cheers my friend!
I just received (May 2024) a VEII Black. This version I received is NOT over breaked as well, I can confirm the distances are the same that you measured for the new Kestrel (and visually matches rawr video)
Hey cem! Wow so your version of the ve2 can cast 0.56g lures? I do know that kk has a “pro” model of the ve2 in China that has a non ported spool and that is supposedly more adept at casting light weights vs the old ve2. Curious if you have a pair of digital calipers that you can measure the brake assembly distance from the frame like I did in the video? Cheers my friend!
If the kestrel was the same colour as the elite I would have loved that. Still very keen to try the Kestrel, more or less a Silver Feather in the colour I thought the silver feather was going to be. The blue accents on the lower gear ratio is enticing.
Hey Jacob! Imho, I actually still prefer the silver feather to this reel… but, and it’s a medium sized but, this is available on Amazon so is a bit more accessible to folks in the US. I do wish it was a bit lower in price as well… but imho it’s an improvement on the KE. lol I thought the blue accents were the CDM kestrel bfs haha 😅😅😅. Cheers my friend!
Nice comparison, can't complain about a chance to grab a Kestrel Elite!
Hey Abel! Haha yep! Stay tuned for that. I tried to get some footage for that second video today but was a trip to skunk town lol… will have to try again on Monday! Cheers my friend!
Hi, great video(s)! I've found your channel today and as a purely spinning angler whith the idea to try bfs I have to say that you are very clear and you're doing a really good job. You've got a new follower (from Italy), keep going!
Hey Mauro! Thank you so much for the kind words of support! I really appreciate it and it is very humbling to hear people say that. I hope you’re able to get good information and value out of my videos and please don’t hesitate to ask questions! Cheers my friend!
I'm really looking forward for the sub 3 gram performance on this reel.
Hey Ricardo! So far the sub 3g performance looks pretty good! Will try to get some comparisons in. Cheers my friend!
$200 for the elite is crazy. Bfs with discount sounds pretty good. How would you compare the Acura with bfs? I bought 2 of them after watching your videos and I absolutely love them.
Hey earth! I will agree… I thought the elites price was a bit nuts when it first launched at just over $200 and imho it still is a bit nuts at $199. The good news is that this is much much much more affordable. I would still choose the silver feather over this but this is available on Amazon and so has that advantage over the silver feather. As far as the Acura is concerned, the SF and this Kestrel BFS both actually outperform it by just a tad. However, the Acura smashes both reels in terms of value. It’s a hard reel to beat in that regards no doubt. Cheers my friend!
Good looking reel at a good price. Haven’t been all that happy with the SLX bfs so might give this a try.
Hey TK! Interesting you say that! Ooc what about the slx isn’t making you happy? Maybe I can suggest some things you can change or upgrade? What do you want the reel to do? Cheers my friend!
Great video! Looking at adding that reel myself.
Hey southwest! Stay tuned maybe you can win this one =). I decided that I will give both the kestrel elite and this kestrel bfs away! Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL oh man! Well I’ll be watching!
Glad your back....great video.
Hey doc! Much appreciated! Been a bit busy with life and also getting sick from the kid countless times lol… Hopefully will stay illness free for a bit and be able to get out more! Hope all is well with you and cheers my friend!
Dang! I'd luv to try one of these. Just haven't had the extra investment money laying around. And other bfs options I'm checking out seem to offer a bit better price/value. But! Still wanted to try Kastking to see what rhey are all about.
Hey ad! Come back for the part 2 video! Will be giving away the kestrel elite =). Maybe you’ll be the lucky winner? Cheers my friend!
Good for Kastking making improvements. I have 1 Kastking baitcaster. Buy I stopped buying reels from Kastking after their marketing "disaster" not so long ago. I think they lost a lot of sales because of that. Thanks for the Video 👍
Hey Gisli! Yea… they did drop the ball a bit but at least this reel performs much better. I was able to take the reel out again today but didn’t really manage much other than dinks. The reel does cast down to 0.56g though verified. Cheers my friend!
I want a non-backlash non-bird nesting baitcaster. My current baitcaster is horrible. I have used a few different ones of friends and have only found an old 13 fishing reel that suited me. I know it is the settings and using your thumb that prevents it. Is the Kestrel a good beginner reel? I will be using it primarily as a dropshot rod & reel with 1/8 oz or higher until I REALLY learn how to use it. What beginning settings would I use out of the box to start? Thank you
Hey worlds! Hm… I would look at the original valiant eagle 2 over the kestrel. I think the brakes on that reel are a tad stronger and it helps that it’s a bit cheaper as well. I’m sure the reel would work well for your wants. As for settings, you will inevitably getting backlashes but the ve2 will backlash less often than other reels. Regardless of the lure weight, whenever you change the lure, I would maybe put your brake dial at 3/4 to 1/2. Then adjust your spool friction knob so that the lure will fall slowly when you release the clutch and then when it stops the spool does not continue to turn. This will help prevent backlashing at the end of casts when the lure hits the water. Then from these settings you can back them down as you get more comfortable with casting. Backing off the settings will help you gain a bit more distance as you do so. I hope that helps! It’s a bit hard to explain over text. Cheers my friend!
Had to watch again. You should talk to histar and see if you could test a black knight 2. You may like it more then you think lol it is my # 2 reel behind silver feather and not far at all behind.
Hey Patrick! I think my days of testing DWU variants is over for the time being. I just don’t have enough time to get to so many reels as I have a bit of a queue and quite a few rods to get to as well. I appreciate the suggestion greatly though! Cheers my friend!
Hi Peter ! Interesting video 👍. Seems that Kastking is on the right way… but I suspect we should wait for the Valiant Eagle IIII for the best bargain … 😁
Hey Nomdi! Haha yea the ve2 pro is actually out in China currently. They made some changes that I think allow it to cast what they originally claimed. We shall see though! Cheers my friend!
I have never tried the kestrel elite but valiant eagle 2 is my heavy set up with 10 lb line. Used for 4 gr and up
Hey Patrick! It definitely works for that for sure! Cheers my friend!
I have the kestler bfs ,2 zephyr s,3 ARK GRAVITY BFS Reels. The kasking reels r ok. And for the $ on sale great starting point. But NO COMPARISON 2 THE ARK GRAVITY BFS REELS. If u get a chance check them out. Love wht u do !
Hey Jim! Yep I have the Ark gravity bfs and have reviewed the reel already =). It definitely is a great performer but there are other reels out now that perform just as well but don’t require adjustment of the internal rotor for lure weight changes. Either way the reel performs quite well. Cheers my friend!
that was very eye opening
Hey Mike! Thanks for the comment and stopping by! Cheers my friend!
Another great video
Hey ad! Thanks so much for the kind word! Cheers my friend!
Love the kestrel
Hey Patrick! It’s not too shabby! I mean I think I still prefer the silver feather but it’s nice to have other options and it’s nice that this is available on Amazon. Cheers my friend!
Interesting.
So does Kastking send design to DMK or just put heir names on models DMK produce by themselves?
Cheers 0n0 !
Hey Maurice! You’ve got me on that one… all I know is that DMK manufactured these reels for kastking. I am not sure who actually did the R&D for the reels… Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL Maybe I missed it during the video, are the braking system the same as the silver feather?
@@mauricezaoui9195 hey Maurice! No I didn’t really go too in depth regarding the differences in braking systems as the kestrel is similar to the ve2 and kestrel elite. I’ve covered the braking systems in the reel’s respective reviews. In any case, the ve2, KE and kestrel use a FTB clone and the silver feather uses a system that has a ring of magnets that move about 0.5mm closer to the spool. Hope that helps and cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I see, I'm looking forward for your comparison review!
which one would you buy kestrel ou silver feather? Why?
Hey Leonardo! Sorry for the late response. Imho, I would probably choose the silver feather over the kestrel bfs. Mainly because the SF has a much more convenient braking style to use and because in my experience it casts lighter lures than the kestrel bfs. However, the kestrel bfs is a decent reel as well. Hope that helps! Cheers my friend!
thanks! I'm Brazilian, in Brazil the silver feather has little market, practically unknown, I found out about it through your videos and bought one, it arrives this month. Thanks for the response and reviews
I'm new to BFS was wondering where I can get a handle for the kestrel
Hey tdo! You can search for 8x5 handles on aliexpress or gomexus should have some that will work well. Cheers my friend!
How do you like it compared to the zephyr???
@@HCBCHEMISTRY hey Hcb! Overall, I would say the kestrel is a nicer reel than the zephyr. However, really they are two totally different reels and are like comparing apples to oranges. This is because the zephyr has an extremely large diameter spool, 34mm iirc, and is more suited to higher lure weights like 3g and above. The kestrel bfs is more suited to lower lure weights with its 28mm diameter spool. Build quality wise between the two I would say that the kestrel is a bit nicer as it has TPE handle knobs and 11 bearings vs the zephyr using EVA foam knobs and a much lower bearing count. I hope that helps answer your question and if you have any others please feel free to let me know. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL which reel, no matter type or brand would you recommend for this price range of 100 bucks.
@@HCBCHEMISTRY hey hcb! I replied to your comments on the other post you made. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL thank you for the reply. On any post please send a link to the reels off of where ever website that has it cheaper.
I have a Black Valiant Eagle II. How does the Kestrel compare?
Hey doug! So I would say that the original ve2 is actually the… original design. What that means is that it won’t cast below 1g very well. If you’re not casting below 1g then this might not matter to you much. However, the kestrel has a few improvements over the Ve2. It has 11 ball bearings, a carbon fiber frame vs graphite of the ve2 and can cast below 1g adequately. Kk China has a newer version of the ve2 and kestrel elite they are calling the “pro” models. I have one incoming to test and see how much better it is vs the original ve2. Kk USA I believe is trying to see if there is interest in these models and I believe is trying to market them as MFS or micro finesse system. More marketing term soup for the masses I guess… Anywho, the original ve2 is a nice reel and is very convenient to cast but it does sacrifice a tiny bit of distance. I am hoping that this new “pro” model does not do that. I would say the kestrel is a good in between model that probably sits, performance wise, in between the original ve2 and the ve2 pro. We will have to see though. Cheers my friend!
Is the newer cheaper non elite version any good?
Hey JF! It is good but I would suggest watching my videos on the kastking valiant eagle 2 pro. Imho, it is a superior reel to the kestrel bfs. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL ill look for the video. Does the valiant do well casting 1/32 jigs?
@JF-qc6po hey jf! Yep! The valiant eagle 2 pro is able to handle down to 1/48 oz or 0.56g. You’ll definitely need a rod that is capable as well though. Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL any suggestions in a budget rod?
@@JF-qc6po hey jf! What kind of budget do you have to work with? More than happy to help you find something. Also, do you need long distance casting or short distance accuracy? What lure weights do you plan on casting and also what types of fish species are you targeting? Cheers my friend!
Good produc
Hey kaca! The kestrel is a decent reel but I think there might be other options that I would steer people to. Cheers my friend!
Paint on kestrel is alot better then silver feather
Hey Patrick! I still haven’t really mangled the paint job on my silver feather yet so I’m not sure I’ll be able to test the durability of the paint job on this kestrel as well. Maybe I should do a small spot test on both reels or something… cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL I'm always around dirt and rocks fishing and when I catch a fish I don't just drop the rod lol but don't take the time to set it down real soft like a egg either. Only light scratches on silver feather but sun shinning on it you see them.
@@patrickhartman6818 hey Patrick! Ah yea at some point all reels will get scratches over time. That said, for these carbon framed reels it won’t really damage them per se. You don’t have your baby them like you would a magnesium frame reel. If those get scratches and chips and the metal is exposed then oxidation will kick in and that’s not a good thing… Anywho, it’s always good to try and take care of your gear but not always possible. Cheers my friend!
Overbraking issues only for those guys who cast a 16th of an oz and below (including me). But a reminder, really is intended for close casting in creeks or streams. throw a very tiny lure on very wide and deep lake is like throwing needle on a hay stack(got the picture).I have the VE2, based on my experience, it great for green hands and 2.5 grams up to 5 grams...yet never tried power finesse in this
Hey Irvin! Actually with this kestrel I have been casting down to 0.56g. It’s not as easy to do as with the silver feather but this kestrel bfs can do it with the right rod. That’s very different from the VE2 and the KE. Also, I’m going to have to respectfully disagree with the tiny lures being like needles in a haystack. All the bigger bass, including my 21” pb bass, I’ve caught at my local lake have been caught on lures that are smaller than 1g. So… micro finesse setups work in lakes as well haha. Maybe not every lake but I think in very pressured lakes they do as mine is very pressured. While I had a skunk session today I will say that the kestrel can cast 5g lures with ease but also 0.56g as well. You just need to have a capable rod =). Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL my friend your right you can catch one on big lakes and i did, thats one of my unfogatable moment in my history of fishing. But, talking about rate of bites and efficiency, larger lure had its advantage in visual presentation, luck is also one of the factor we should consider and also pressured fish. Yet it is more fullfilling when you land your PB on a very tiny lure...😁😁😁 cheers my friend! Glad we were connected through bfs fishing eventhough we were thousand miles apart...😊😊
@@co-polyLINE hey Irvin! I agree that larger lures are more visible but for my lake I think the fish have been so conditioned to ignore larger lures that smaller lures are more effective. I am also glad that we can connect through BFS! Cheers my friend!
@@BFSFISHINGCHANNEL hoping for you giveaway...hope i'll be the one...btw how did you manage to cast a 0.5 gram lure with VE2? What # of braid did you use? I have a 1.3m stream rod that rated from 0.4g to an 8th of an oz...
@@co-polyLINE hey Irvin! I actually didn’t cast 0.56g with the ve2. Just this reel, the kestrel bfs. Hope that helps! Cheers my friend!
What up bro
Hey Willie! Thanks for dropping by! Cheers my friend!
Yw
Great video
@@willieharkless782 appreciate it Willie!!!
0.2oz, don't you mean 2/10oz 😂
Hey Jacob! Isn’t 0.2 and 2/10(aka 1/5) the same lol.? Gotta love maths… 😅. Cheers my friend!
Quite frankly I think KastKing has already lost the market with the previous version’s brake issues. If they’d released a decent high end bfs reel 2 years ago it’d be a different conversation. Right now I wouldn’t buy another bfs product from them unless they dropped a super high end chromed out kestrel in the style of their ireel one, I’ve just moved on to higher end bfs equipment and those new kestrels look like cheap toys
Hey John! Yea I do agree with you on that. They did miss the mark with the Kestrel Elite and the Valiant Eagle 2. While they were very easy to cast reels the overbraked aspect just made them not live up to the claims their advertising material stated. I guess it’s never too late to fix mistakes but they could’ve had so much more back then. I do like that they are still making efforts though to “fix” things. It shows that they’re still in the game which is always a good thing. Anywho thanks so much for stopping by and cheers my friend!
I have the kestrel elite and the black and red valiant eagle I think they’re both great I also own an aldebaran 22 none of which do too well casting a trout magnet but then I didn’t buy them to cast 1 gram my average lure is between 2-3 gram and they all excel at that weight far too many sheep 🐑 love to slate kk off who probably have never owned one
Hey Stuart! The ve2 and the KE were/are fine reels but they never really lived up to the marketing claims of being able to cast 1/32oz very well. That in conjunction with the fact that my KEs have all had odd clicking bearings I think kk had some work to do. I’m glad that they did improve the kestrel bfs a bit as it now lives up to their original marketing claims and is fairly smooth with no clicking bearings. As far as your statement about sheep I think most people reviewed the KE extremely well when it first came out. I was one of the few who wasn’t so pleased with it unfortunately… KK does have great customer service but I think there’s something to be said about living up to marketing claims and also having better quality control to check for issues like clicking bearings. Anywho, the kestrel bfs seems to be pretty good now but I would love to see the price a bit lower for everyone. Cheers my friend!