Been looking at Reels to use for topwater and LBG and even a "fish your feet" surfcaster..
I like my fishing gear to be versatile if I can...The thing is not everyone can afford a Stella or Saltiga..
so we want the next best affordable reel money can buy when on a budget..
The Stradic 8000FJ seems to be the go to mid range reel but I thought I would have a look see at others in this range.. Baitrunner 8000D and the Penn Conquer 7000 were the next reels around that price bracket...
Baitrunner 8000D      50/290 braid.. 25lb drag..    3+1 bearings.. 4.8:1 ratio 21.7 oz
Stardic 8000FJ           50/265 braid.. 29lb drag..    5+1 bearings.. 4.8:1 ratio 20.5 oz
Penn 7000 Conquer  50/250 braid.. 32lb drag..  10+1 bearings.. 4.8:1 ratio 18.1 oz

Now there are many differing features that all three reels have and I particularly like the EAS system of the Penn ..  The Stradic is the dearest, Baitrunner next and finally the Penn..
Construction material and waterproof drags aside, the features listed above seem to me be the ones a buyer would most likely initially look for ...  so I cant figure out why the PENN would not be the more popular choice...

Your thoughts and opinions..   .

Depending what you are doing the most, you hear people say casting a heavy reel for top water fishing is tiring, so I got a stradic 8000fj. However if you are going to be doing more lb and surfcasting I am sure a baitrunner would be a better option. stradic 8000fj have dropped in price recently to 300 so it is pretty dam good value for money.

*fisher* wrote: moocha..    price..  all the others are under 300... Ponty... specs of Penn are better... its lighter.. more drag... also 100 cheaper than stradic

Totally they def seem like the value for money reel. I know marine deals always have good prices on the penn. I am just branded fisherman and waste money on "branded" reels. The drag system itself is better in the stradic but do people really notice stuff like that.

I bought me a Shimano Thunnus 8000 well under $300 off here today complete with couple hundred meters of 50lb braid...it can be done 

You were lucky ... I had my finger on the trigger as well for that thunnus...  but decided to go a different route...

Moocha... I was more thinking about purchasing a reel brand new... 

does no-one cast overheads anymore?

Totally agree with you about brands. I am finding after 8 combos of shimano I am starting to look at daiwa and go man that is such a good price oh wait I have the shimano version. I think then penn would do the job fine. I think you would only notice the difference between the stradic and penn if you were casting every day of the week and lets face it most of us go once a week max. I have never heard of top water fishing with oh. I am sure people out there can do it, I can cast more than 5m with oh so would never think about it.

alot of the guys in Hawaii use O/H for top water off the bricks, also the guys in S.A, here in NZ and Aussie we tend to use more egg beaters, 

stradic 8000fj $275 on ebay including shipping :)

Look around, you will find Quantum Boca 80 reels for a stupidly cheap price.... if any are left that is.