Two months ago, Daiwa released its new Aird 80H casting reel at ICAST 2025. The reel comes in right at $100, but has proven itself to be as good as several other reels that cost twice as much. And in a time where it's common to see premium reels go for over $250, it is refreshing to have a high-quality option at the hundred-dollar mark.
Many of the technologies found in Daiwa's premium models have been incorporated into the new Aird 80H reel without increasing the cost. It is a budget-friendly reel that is also a workhorse. Here's everything you need to know about the new Aird 80H.
Daiwa Aird 80H Casting Reel Overview
Specs
Gear Ratio: 7.5:1
Retrieves: Right and left
Weight: 7 ounces
Ball Bearings: 7+1
Pros
Affordable
Strong
Durable
Solid drag
Wide, firm rubberized grips
Cons
Only available in one gear ratio
Coming in at 7 ounces, the Aird is on par in terms of weight with most other reels at this price point. And with 11 pounds of drag, this reel is ready to tango with any bass I’m likely to run into. The lone drawback is that the Aird only comes in one gear ratio. But if you're only going to offer one gear ratio, then 7.5:1 is best. The 90 mm handle, paired with the paddle-like rubberized grips, is comfortable and feels good in hand. I briefly saw this reel on the floor at ICAST 2025, but I've had the opportunity to fish it for almost two months now. Here's how it performed.
On the Water Performance
For the test, I paired the Aird reel with Daiwa’s new Tatula Bass casting rod in 7' 3” medium-heavy/extra-fast rod, tied a frog on the end of my line, and started down the bank. I fished the frog through some fairly thick vegetation and under lots of brush. The reel performed well when making long casts back into the weeds, but I was even more impressed with how well it skipped a frog.
After slightly tweaking the spool tension knob and external magnetic brake control, I was able to skip a frog 15 feet back under low-hanging cypress limbs. In a hundred-yard stretch, I had four bites. All four fish were under bushes, and a couple were within a foot of the bank.
I was able to quickly deliver a hookset on each bass and fight the fish out from under the cover with relative ease. The paddles on the handle stayed locked between my fingers and thumbs, and the drag did exactly what it was designed to do—which, in this case, was hold tight since I had it cranked all the way down. Eleven pounds of max drag proved to be plenty, even when fighting a 3 ½-pound largemouth out of thick cover.
This is a fantastic reel for $100, especially considering its performance and build. The Aird 80H is as good as several other reels that cost twice as much. It is sturdy, skips well, makes bomb casts, and responds appropriately when fighting fish. What else can you ask for from a hundred-dollar reel?
