Islander TR3 reviews

big.griff

Active Member
just curious if anyone has been running the TR3 for the past couple months and has any feedback. Would like to hear from guys that have used MR3's & Abels and how they compare. Also, has anyone seen them on sale at all. Thanks
 
Hence the smiley face ;)

I have not fished with them yet have heard good things from those who have been running them this past summer. I'm on the fence myself about starting to switch over but probably will buy a couple in the next year or two and start the transition and 'retire' my MR2's.
 
Roger that. It's nice they've gone to a lifetime warranty on them. Kind of Leary of what islander has to say about their own product after having to mail broken clicker springs from my MR3's in before they'll send out replacements because they've never seen them break I was told.
Hence the smiley face ;)

I have not fished with them yet have heard good things from those who have been running them this past summer. I'm on the fence myself about starting to switch over but probably will buy a couple in the next year or two and start the transition and 'retire' my MR2's.
 
I fished them hard for a couple of days on my buddies boat.

I liked them a lot. I have MR3's and they are a little different when it comes to feel and fishing.

I like how you back them completely off to let them down on the rigger, no chance of ever bird nesting. Once down wind up to your tension you like and turn knob until your reel stops turning. It's very precise not much turning or adjusting. We were fishing 260 down on the riggers and had no line creep and when you did get a fish it was set up to let the fish run, you don't have to adjust tension.

I didn't like the colours of the reel and I didn't like the flat ported handles.

I'm not sure I'd spend the money on them but I did think they were better then the MR3's, saying that I just did a little maintenance on my MR3's and they are running perfect, never had creep and smooth.

My two cents
 
Seems more like an ad rather than a review


Ya, that's not a review its a rod and reel commercial..

$589.00 for MR3 and $899-$999.00 for a TR3. Mmmm, interested to know where the $3-400 premium over an MR3 comes from??

Graphite disc brake must be expensive!!

What has or is J.S Foster/Islander been smoking!! Com'on now!!
 
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Ya, that's not a review its a rod and reel commercial..

$589.00 for MR3 and $899-$999.00 for a TR3. Mmmm, interested to know where the $3-400 premium over an MR3 comes from??

Graphite disc brake must be expensive!!

What has or is J.S Foster/Islander been smoking!! Com'on now!!

Its a completely different design. I looked at one. Also the machining isn't that easy to do design wise with amount of set-ups on CNC lathe from what I can tell. They are going after the Abel reel market not the mid 500 guys. That is why its at that price point. Trying to keep the cash here and not the US. Its a high end reel, and not made with asian components from Korea or China.
 
Abels aren't worth what they are asking either!
 
Does the clicker sing when the fish runs or when you reel in. butt backwards the way MR3's sing as you reel in. I wanna hear my reels loud and clear when a fish trips the rigger clip and goes for a run in case my back is turned when it happens.
 
ceramic bearings also
i have 2's and 2 LA
and my treasured Longstones on my light setup
but i will give these a shot
Islander has always always treated me right....

putting expensive cnc machines and jobs into Canada....seems obvious to me to support Islander
 
Does the clicker sing when the fish runs or when you reel in. butt backwards the way MR3's sing as you reel in. I wanna hear my reels loud and clear when a fish trips the rigger clip and goes for a run in case my back is turned when it happens.

Same as on the MR3. Or it least it was on one of the early ones I played with at the Vancouver Boat Show in February. Doubt they'd change, too bad...
 
Was pushing momma for a Christmas gift and was going after the MR2LA but then saw these babies, I don't know man they look sweet. Wanted a match for my MR2 though. I've been lucky with my MR2 and never had an issue with creep on it I'm afraid from what I've read that a new one might have an issue. I bet it would never be an issue with these babies. Now I'm devided.
 
The clicker being butt backwards is a deal breaker for me. I was considering getting one to try out but I'll stick to my Amundson Theron's for now. I have had great use of them with no complaints and I've had a lot of Salom quickly trip the rigger clips and were running as my back was turned to the rods while steering so the loud singing of the reels put me on the rods quickly. That is not the case with Islanders.
I've owned 6 Islander MR3's. Still have a couple of them but sold 4. Some have had line creep but my last two don't and I have maintained all of them well. I kept the last two as back ups on the boat. And the MR3 I got my best buddy for his birthday has been a good reel to him too with no creep issue but he has been eyeing up my Amundson's lately just for the clicker sound alone. He actually thought his Islander may have been a factory defect having the clicker sound work opposite the way it should. I told him no, that's just a major F up on the designers from Islander. At least in my opinion and a lot of other fisherman's from what I've heard.

If I had my cake and eat it too though I would make the Amundson a bit less bulky in size and the Theron paint design is horrible in my opinion. The new plain ones are a much better look I think. Gonna eventually sand blast mine and paint them the colors I want.
 
I'm with Tomic Time and fully support keeping jobs in this province. You're lucky if you live here, and when you buy an Islander reel, you're helping someone else live here too. And you're actually not buying a POS either, contrary to what some others say, moaning about creep and reverse clicking. Don't turn your back on your rods if you want to fish here. If you're fishing bait, you just can't take your eye off your rod, end of story, regardless if your reel clicks or not.
 
I'm with Tomic Time and fully support keeping jobs in this province. You're lucky if you live here, and when you buy an Islander reel, you're helping someone else live here too. And you're actually not buying a POS either, contrary to what some others say, moaning about creep and reverse clicking. Don't turn your back on your rods if you want to fish here. If you're fishing bait, you just can't take your eye off your rod, end of story, regardless if your reel clicks or not.

LOL! I fish a 30' boat off shore solo at times on the West Coast..ya buddy I won't ever take my eyes of the rods. Get a grip.

Open up your tackle box and see how much made in China stuff is in there. Or let me guess you're a holier than now preecher who buys all his tackle from made in Canada companies right. No you don't. And a bunch of stuff on your boat isn't made here either. I support all kinds of local stuff. As well as owning several businesses over the past 20 years employing Canadians doing and making products here. Your high horse doesn't mean squat to me sorry.

A spade is a spade. I'll fish a product that suits my needs best over one that doesn't any day of the week. Regardless of where it's made. And I own several Islander reels. Some are good and do what they are supposed to. Some are not and are made incorrectly.
 
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Abels aren't worth what they are asking either!

Exactly!!

Marketing says we have a new exclusive product that Canadian west sporties want. If we can get the price we get for our
MR3's, buyers will surely pay a much greater premium for our new product!! Also, the Islander market is very small I'd have to guess. Very few would or even want to use a 1:1 reel. There just isn't enough material, manufacturing or parts required to expect such a cost. And of course other than the certain few that are going to pay that ridiculous price just to say they have it. And now the MR3's won't seem so expensive!!

There is no doubt TR3's are significantly overpriced.

There are two kinds of businesses. One that sells on volume. Sell many at a lower cost. The other sells much less quantity for a lot more dollars. Any idea which J.S. Foster/Islander might be??

Send that baby overseas and see the real cost to produce it. I'd bet less than $200.00!!
 
From what I've found out is that Islander has been pretty serious that retailers don't deviate from the $900 price tag on these. Why not let retailers put them on sale and get more of them out there. Maybe they want them to remain a mystery for most people or maybe they're trying to keep a fair sized gap in pricing vs MR3.
 
Retailer shouldn't take the sale price hit. How about the producer sell them to the retailer at a decent cost so that the retailer can get them into the market.
 
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