shimano biomaster 8000 vs navi 8000

just looking for the opinion of any lads who have used or are using either of these reels. i'm looking for a long distance fs casting reel for beach work and i like the look of both due to the coned spool. i was in the tackle shop today and had a look at the specs on both reels and i gotta say that they are both identicle apart from the biomaster having 3 stainless steel shielded ball bearings where as the navi only has 1 stainless steel shielded ball bearing. other than that they are identicle.

i can get the shimano biomaster xsb 8000 for £119

and the

shamino navi xsb 8000 for £99

question is, would there be any difference in the 2 to justify the extra £20?

any replies about them regarding build quality, frequente use or issues are very welcome lads

I can't really talk about the Navi as I have never used one. I have heard and read that they are a good reel.
A few years ago I got a Biomaster in a sale online and and it was one of the best buys I ever made. The line lay is brilliant and as a result the the cast is so much more fluid. The gears are strong and the balance of the reel is excellent. I got three spools with mine one each in 8000, 7000 and 6000 size. I was so happy with my biomaster that I bought a second one in another sale. Great reel.

Hope this helps!

cheers for that sean
i still have a few weeks to wait to make a decision, so i'm in no hurry. i just want to get the opinion from lads like yourself who have used either of them. i plan to load it up with thin diamater 15lb mono so i can really whack it out at range on the 15ft 9 penn powerstix pro.
the only 2 down sides i can see from the design of the reels in question is,

1. at the bottom of the spool, there appears to be a big gap that might draw any loose line from a slack line bite into the shaft.

2. the design feature of the open slits to allow easy oiling access to the inner workings could serve problematic when fishing dry windy sandy beaches. i've stood many an evening on a beach getting sand blasted and would worry that the sand could then penetrate inside the reel, or if your tripod was to be blown over and the reel got a dunk in the sand.

anyone ever have this happen with these models?

Hi Al,

I have the Navi and the Biomaster and they're both great reels, the only main difference that I find betweent he two is with the bailarm closing on the navi, but it's just a case of moving the bail arm if you have to before a cast. Apart from that not much difference at all
I'm just trying to remember the open slits for oiling on the reel though, both of mine have a cap that you screw on and off and add oil in that way, that's the only one I can think off.
Also,
I haven't had any problem with the line catching under the spool yet and if it does then prob no more than other f/s reels
Absolutely lovely reels to use and for price and quality you can't beat them

Cheers,

Al

hi Al,i have biomaster for around 3 years,nt realy looking after it,sometimes washing under running warm water after fishing,opened it month ago to clean and put on fresh lubricate and oil bearings,everything was in good conditions,and even i did it only course it folow in to the sandy water,just in case it get some sand in....biomaster has one more bearing than navi,dnt think its makes big diference in a kind reel like that,its nt spining reel anyway what i suggest for you is try to get "xta" or if new model "xtb" very handy thing...if something happens with my bio,defo go for another one...

Al,get look here for "navi" http://www.alderneyangling.com/shimano2.htm ,its older model,but only one diferens with new is body shape...

Can't comment on the Navi myself but my Biomaster is 2 this month. It's running as it was when I got it and is still my reel of choice when fishing in the suds. It's light weight matches well with most lighter rods so it's comfortable to hold. But there's no hassle in blasting it out either. Plus the third spool gives you that extra option for line choice.

You are right about the line catching under the spool of the Biomaster. It can and does happen but I would not let that put me off. It is a superb reel to use. I pair it with either an Ian Golds Supermatch Extra or a 13 foot Penn Powerstix and it performs equally well on both

cheers for that sean
i still have a few weeks to wait to make a decision, so i'm in no hurry. i just want to get the opinion from lads like yourself who have used either of them. i plan to load it up with thin diamater 15lb mono so i can really whack it out at range on the 15ft 9 penn powerstix pro.
the only 2 down sides i can see from the design of the reels in question is,

1. at the bottom of the spool, there appears to be a big gap that might draw any loose line from a slack line bite into the shaft.

2. the design feature of the open slits to allow easy oiling access to the inner workings could serve problematic when fishing dry windy sandy beaches. i've stood many an evening on a beach getting sand blasted and would worry that the sand could then penetrate inside the reel, or if your tripod was to be blown over and the reel got a dunk in the sand.

anyone ever have this happen with these models?

been using shimanos since started fishing,i have the original biomaster ,its fifteen years old and still working,cant say any more than that ,but if i was you id spend the extra 2o quid great reels both of them i have 3 bios ,good luck with your fishing the coyser,

You are right about the line catching under the spool of the Biomaster. It can and does happen but I would not let that put me off. It is a superb reel to use. I pair it with either an Ian Golds Supermatch Extra or a 13 foot Penn Powerstix and it performs equally well on both

cheers for that sean
i still have a few weeks to wait to make a decision, so i'm in no hurry. i just want to get the opinion from lads like yourself who have used either of them. i plan to load it up with thin diamater 15lb mono so i can really whack it out at range on the 15ft 9 penn powerstix pro.
the only 2 down sides i can see from the design of the reels in question is,

1. at the bottom of the spool, there appears to be a big gap that might draw any loose line from a slack line bite into the shaft.

2. the design feature of the open slits to allow easy oiling access to the inner workings could serve problematic when fishing dry windy sandy beaches. i've stood many an evening on a beach getting sand blasted and would worry that the sand could then penetrate inside the reel, or if your tripod was to be blown over and the reel got a dunk in the sand.

anyone ever have this happen with these models?

not a problem at all i use a penn affinity 13ft 6 20lb line no bother

lads thanks very much for all the feedback it's really appreciated.
i think i'll shell out the extra £20 and go for the biomaster then. i'm planning on this becoming my everyday use beach reel for distance casting so she'll get plenty of use seeing as we fish about 3 days a week .
i did a reel overhaul yesterday on our 8 most used fs reels and discovered that a lot of the rollers on the bail arms no longer roll and the braid had started to cut a groove into the metal it's something i never thought to keep a check on when doing the annual 6 month service on the reels. after speaking to a few lads this apparently happens quite often on reels that get a lot of use the salt water dries out and the salt crystals form in the tiny gap that allows the roller to rotate and causes it to cease. something else to keep an eye out for in the future
cheers again lads for all the helpfull info

well i shelled out the extra £20 and got the biomaster on thursday.
gonna take it out paired up with the penn powerstix pro 15'9 today on a thornie hunt over clean ground to see how it performes

I have had the biomaster 8000 xsb for almost a year, loaded up with braid, Al and love it so I doubt you'll be disappointed with your purchase. Wish i'd seen your thread earlier as I got mine for about £95 delivered last year. I searched around and got it from a famous place in England that has multiple Carp, Trout lakes with boats/overnight/amenities etc on site along with their own shop. It was being sold there as a big pit carp reel and was £20 odd cheaper than everywhere else. Can't remember the name of the place, but they sent a brochure and it looked real nice (possibly Manor Park Lakes or something along those lines) I know you already ordered but could be useful info for future purchases or for other guys here as the price was uniform everywhere else.



Ps. I used mine for Thornies at Rathmullan last year, no probs hauling them up!!!

Have to say though, my personal favourite over the past 4 years has been the Grauvell Zenith, an absolute joy to use!!

thanks dave. the 8000 xsb performed beautifully last night paired up with the penn powerstix pro 15'9.
the heaviest thornie came in at 7lb 8oz and the reel was as smooth as you could hope for
when i bought it in the tackle shop, he sweetened the deal with a free 800 yard spool of the brown berkley xts 15lb mono worth £10.99 to spool it up with. top man.
the only issue i found was that the bail arm was a bit sensitive. when i was thumping the baits out to about 120-140 yards it was a bit too eager to flip over mid cast. but i reckon after the reel gets a bit of constant use the spring might be a bit less tight and stop happening. a days spinning from a deep water rock mark might sort it out