The Daiwa Luvias, when it was in production, became one of the most popular light tackle reels in the country. I had quite a few of them and they were always a great reel. It was superseded in 2021 by the Revelry. The Luvias was Japanese made and the change came mainly because Daiwa Japan ceased production. Rather than face the backlash of a country of origin change (now Made in China), Daiwa Australia renamed it to Revelry. It also introduced FC (finesse custom) and HD (heavy duty) models, giving anglers a lightweight finesse option and a more robust inshore reel.
HISTORY
We were sent both versions of the original Revelry back in 2021 – a 2000 FC and a 5000 HD. Sammy Leys reviewed the 2000 FC, loved it, and went on to buy two more. He’s still fishing them five years later with zero issues, catching plenty of bream, flathead, bass and estuary perch. I reviewed the HD 5000 and have caught hundreds of snapper on it using jigs, plastics and bait. It’s been faultless. So I was keen to see what Daiwa had improved with the latest Revelry. I chose the 3000XD-H as it’s a versatile size suited to snapper, mulloway, barra, squid and big dusky flathead. It comfortably handles PE0.8 through to PE2.
ON THE WATER
As expected, the reel is extremely smooth under load, which is what matters. The EVA handle knob is comfortable across multiple techniques and really shines when working jerkbaits all day, which is how this reel was mainly tested. Sensitivity is excellent, helped by the Zaion rotor and aluminium body.The biggest improvement is the Air Drive system. Start-up inertia is noticeably lower, and the reel responds instantly to handle movement. This gives you much better control when working lures, especially jerkbaits and topwater lures like bent minnows and slippery dogs, where precise cadence matters. Line lay and management were excellent.
PERFORMANCE & POWER
The drag is exceptional. It handled big tailor, flathead to 75cm and even a 20kg eagle ray hooked in the tail without a hint of stutter. Carbon drag systems are dependable but can feel less refined than felt; however, in the Revelry it’s both powerful and very smooth.The MQ body allows for a larger drive gear, which translates to improved torque and durability.
What stood out was how well the reel maintained power despite the higher gear ratio. High-speed reels can sometimes lack torque under load, but that’s not the case here.For anglers targeting snapper, mulloway or barra around structure, that extra cranking power is reassuring and, in our experience with other MQ reels, offers long-term durability.
BLACK LABEL PAIRING
We paired the Revelry with the Black Label 742MXS, which proved to be an excellent match. It casts accurately with minimal recoil, has a crisp tip ideal for plastics, and still works larger jerkbaits well thanks to its shorter butt.The contoured EVA grip was a standout, preventing the usual blistering you get from aggressive lure work. It’s a true all-rounder for PE1–2 applications, best suited to plastics from 1/4oz to 1oz, but capable across a wide range of inshore techniques.
THE WRAP
The 3000 size spin in a high gear ratio is fast becoming one of the most popular sizes and gear ratios for inshore fishing. It’s ideal for everything from egi and snapper through to barra and mulloway.With the HD series of Revelry they have found a great balance of features to suit a number of fisheries at a price that offers great bang for buck.If you wanted something more robust and durable, you can spend the extra and move to Certate HD which will be noticeably smoother, but the Revelry will get the job done and get it done well for most inshore applications.
VERDICT
The aluminium body combined with the Zaion rotor and Airdrive system gives you that perfect blend of strength and lure control. It’s lighter than a Certate and offers more than most reels in its price range. If you want a finesse size reel that can handle large inshore fish, this is hard to beat.
