Quote Originally Posted by rustedhook View Post
I don't have one of these but I have looked at the Ardents at Backwaters and you can slide a playing card between the side plate and reel frame. Not a tight fit. I would think this would let dirt and water get to the braking system and bearing. I wasn't impressed. I do hear they cast good.

rustedhook
The one that has the play in the side plate is the xs 600 which is the cheaper version, not the XS 1000. The 1000 seemed a little more stout then the 600. I have last years version and not had any problems with it.