The PENN BATTLE III Spinning Reel (Unboxing & Independent Review)
- By: Joseph Simonds
- on
It’s Penn spinning reel review time!
After our PENN Battle review last year (you can see that review here), we’ve had a lot of anglers asking us to do a new review on this 2021 PENN Battle III spinning reel.
They’ve made some big upgrades to this new reel, so we got Justin Ritchey, our head of tackle, to break down the pros and cons of this popular reel.
You’ll also learn:
- What Penn’s strongest feature is (and how they made it even better this year)
- Why this reel is more durable than some of Penn’s past reels
- The specs of this reel
- And more
Check it out below!
Penn Battle III Spinning Reel Review [VIDEO]
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Click here to get the Penn Battle III
Penn has really stepped their game up by switching from a cast gearing system to CNC-cut gears, which makes for a smoother, more durable reel.
The HT-100 carbon fiber drag system is well-sealed to prevent saltwater from getting in it, and it’s still got that great drag-screaming sound when you have a big fish on.
The spool has markers underneath it to help you know how much line you have left (in case you’re in danger of getting spooled) and the rubber bands around the arbor make it braid-ready (although we still recommend backing your reels with mono).
Penn Battle III 2500 Specs:
- Drag: 12 lbs
- Gear ratio: 6.2:1
- Line capacity (braid – yds/lb): 240/10
- 5+1 sealed stainless steel ball bearing system
- Weight: 9.7 oz.
Penn Battle III 6000 Specs:
- Drag: 25 lbs
- Gear ratio: 5.6:1
- Line capacity (braid – yds/lb): 490/30
- 5+1 sealed stainless steel ball bearing system
- Weight: 20.8 oz.
Conclusion
This newest version of the Penn Battle is a great option for inshore anglers who want a proven, everyday reel.
You can get the Penn Battle III from our shop here.
Have any questions about this reel?
Have you owned a Penn Battle before?
Let us know down in the comments.
And if you know someone who’s looking for a new inshore spinning reel, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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I would like to compliment salt strong on shipping orders so quickly, I placed 3 orders in the last 2 weeks and all were delivered ahead of schedule as opposed to other companies, Keep up the good work
Any word on getting Penn Battle lll yet, anxiety waiting, Ocala Fl
Hey John! No updates as of yet on the Battle III. We have a huge order placed directly with Penn and we are slowly receiving more product every month, but we haven’t seen any of the smaller Battle IIIs come in yet. If you haven’t done this yet, I would highly recommend clicking the Notify Me feature for the model that you’re waiting for, and as soon as we get more in you’ll receive an heads up that we have them in stock!
Fished Cocodrie, LA last weekend. I bought a the Penn Battle III 4000 combo. I filled the spool with 20# braid and caught a monster black drum with it while targeting redfish. The 50+ lb. fish was fun and the new Penn combo gave me complete control bringing it in. Thanks for the review that I read before purchasing.
Would like to know if the Rod TFG PSS 70 4-1 7ft MH 8-17 nd the Penn Battle 111 2500 reel would be a good match?
I know you don’t typically recommend combos but what do you think about the Battle III 5000 combo? It comes with the newest reel and a Penn brand 7′ medium-heavy rod. The price wasn’t advertised but would it be like other combos and have the reel with a cheap rod and I would need to just buy a decent rod? Or is the Penn rod a decent rod I could use? Also I have pretty decent rods, and one cheap one, but I’m still looking for a decent reel. I’ve bought three reels within a year, one of them from Penn (Pursuit III 4000), and all three have broken on me. The Penn Fierce III 5000 seems to be doing well.
Good look at a great product.
I have been using the Battle series reels since 2010. Absolutely love them and they are very durable. I look forward to getting one in the near future
I bought the 6000 to pair with a 12ft ugly stik surf rod. I’ve caught a lot of nice fish with it. I love it, I get great long casts and I feel it will last quite a well. I guess I could be described as either a value or cheap consumer but I love Penn reels and ugly stick rods. I don’t want another broken rod or a reel that won’t stand up.
That will get it done, Aaron! Ugly Stik Rods still have their place in today’s world. And I think they work well for some Surf Fishing (and even Offshore Jigging) applications.
Bought one from you guys a couple months ago. Love it. So smooth. Have to see if they have this in a bait runner version but if not it’s a fantastic reel. What 7’6″ rod would you match it up with? Ozello, FL.
Awesome! I don’t think the Battle comes in a Live Liner version, but the Spinfisher VI does. I would suggest the new Bull Bay Salt Strong Custom rod we just released a few weeks ago! A lot of Insiders have been happy matching the Battle III 2500 size to that rod, it’s a great balanced fit.
Hey Justin, good stuff! We actually exchanged some emails before you were officially introduced as the new SaltStrong tackle guy. You were giving me advice on setting up a bottom fishing/jigging combo and helped me narrow down the reel to Battle III in the 5000-6000 class or the BG in the 4500-5000 class. I decided on the BG 4500 and had it in the cart on the FishStrong tackle site, but I opened up my Amazon wish list to remove the BG and the Battle III from it and the Battle III 6000 was listed at $102.99 (a buck less than the BG 4500, and free shipping with prime) so I actually ended up with the Penn Battle III 6000. I also read that the Battle III 6000-8000 had an “upgraded” gear, but the article was a bit vague on that. I haven’t been able to use it yet, other than practice casting, but super stoked about it.
Yep, I remember! And awesome to hear! Yes, starting at the 6000 size the Battle III does jump from an Aluminum Main Gear to a Brass Gear, which is a higher quality material. Basically while both gears are very smooth right out of the get-go, the Brass gear is more dense & slightly heavier, which would result in a longer lasting product.