More and more we are seeing flyfishing reel manufacturers doing what corporate bigwigs refer to as "thinking outside the box." This reel is a terrific example of that. While appearing similar to some thirty or more other monobloc anodized high-end fly reels, this one has several unique features. First of all, the reel disassembles very easily without any tools yet is very secure when everything is put together. This allows something quite unusual---the ability to change from right hand to left hand retrieve quite easily without having to strip the line off and rewind it back on again. Simply remove the crankside spoolplate, use the thumbscrew on the backplate to loosen the pawl, flip the spool over, then tighten the pawl again and replace the spoolplate. After doing it once or twice it takes less time to do than it takes me to keyboard in those directions. It's very apparent that guides will love this feature, but even people who share equipment while on an extended trip, or where someone has to borrow some gear because the airline shipped his/hers to the wrong continent. While one could fish for tarpon cranking left-handed even though he's never done it before, it is not the ideal situation. The other unique feature is that the reel switches from direct drive to anti-reverse with only a change of the spoolplate. So, if you prefer fishing for tarpon with an anti-reverse, but would like to use the same reel for speyfishing, you can do so and not be stuck with it in anti-reverse. A ten second conversion means you are in direct drive.

Finally, both standard arbor and large arbor spools are available and are very reasonably priced because they are internal spools. One reel, let's say the X425, can be a twelve weight tarpon reel, a 9/10 weight spey reel, then be converted to a 10 weight salmon or permit reel. All of this can be in direct drive or anti-reverse with a simple conversion. In other words for way less than $1000.00 you've got the equivalent of four completely different reels. Since it took me awhile to process all this and really didn't totally get it until I worked with the actual reel, please call me or e-mail me for more information. The drag is cork on graphite, which I feel is an excellent combination. The graphite discs are pressed onto both sides of the spool and the cork drag is on both the inside of the backplate and on the crankplate. That means you are getting drag pressure on both sides of the spool at the same time. And the spools are almost weightless, which means that there is virtually no detectable startup inertia. All the parts, other than the graphite and cork, that are used for the drag are in a Drag Capsule that completely encloses them and prevents the loss of spacers, springs, and the like. The reel can be purchased with an all- black anodizing or with the blue frame featured above with a black reelfoot, handle, and internal spool. The aluminum is 6061 barstock, the stainless is 316, and some other parts are made from titanium. It is Type III hard-coat anodized for a super tough finish. Gilmore reels come with a three year warranty for the initial purchaser, but three more years can be added on to that for a fee.

Remember that the only difference between DD and AR is the crankplate. The frames and spools are the same for both models.

Conversion kits will switch your reel to AR if ordered as a DD or the other way around. Prices:
X360-DD--->AR$164.00/AR--->DD$164.00
X400-DD--->AR$169.00/AR--->DD$169.00
X425-DD--->AR$174.00/AR--->DD$174.00
X475DD--->AR$179.00/AR--->DD$179.00

Conversion kits are available only in black. In other words, if you order a blue anodized reel and want the conversion kit, you'll have to live with the black spoolplate (the part second from the right in the photo below) on a blue frame.

Additionally, if you plan to use the X425 or the X475 as a speyreel rather than for tarpon or bluewater they'll put a different spring in it to make the drag range better suited to speyfishing. Call or e-mail me for more information on this feature. There are also separate spey spools available for those two models at the same price as the standard arbor and large arbor spools. The spey spools will maximize capacity.