Where are Kastking Fishing Reels Made? [Here is the Truth]

Kastking is a well-known reel brand, and very popular among anglers, especially beginners who are looking for their first reel.

The company is American, owned by Eposeidon, and their headquarters are located in Long Island, more precisely, in Garden City.

But, where are kastking fishing reels made? Despite the popular opinion that these reels are made in the USA, that is not true. All of their reels are made in China, in factories where many other brands make their reels too.

KastKing is more than affordable, and those prices are enough to conclude that production is not based in the USA.

However, both design and testing facilities are based in the USA, which is excellent. They test their own products and anglers can be sure that they are up to standard.

Here I will tell you more about KastKing reel production and how it affects the final product.

Where are Kastking Fishing Reels Made? In the US?

So, where are Kastking fishing reels made exactly? If you look it it up a bit, you will see that the company is not trying to hide the origin of their equipment. They openly say that their reels are manufactured in China, in Weihai city, which is globally known for producing fishing equipment for various brands.

Some of their reels are made in Korea, but an interesting fact is that they obtain some reel parts in Japan! This however explains why these affordable reels are actually very good.

Kastking makes some of their fishing lines in the USA, and that is where the confusion comes from. Who knows, maybe they start designing and making some high-end models in the USA soon.

Their main design office is located in Georgia, while testing facilities are in Colorado. They actually show some of their testing procedures in videos, so if you are a bit unsure about quality, check it out. I was pleasantly surprised when I started studying this subject.

Which Kastking Fishing Reels are Made in China?

As you can conclude from the previous chapter, the answer is all of them. From the cheapest ones to those that are a bit more expensive, all are made overseas.

However, not all are made in China, and some are made in South Korea too. Korea also makes reels for many other reel brands (like Abu Garcia, Daiwa, etc.). But, as I already mentioned, the quality is regularly tested in the USA, and these Asian factories are making those reels according to the American design. It is not like you are buying some Chinese copy of a well-known reel, which is something that I would never recommend.

Also, certain parts are obtained in Japan, which is technological capital of the world, so Kastking actually uses better parts than some other manufacturers within the same price range.

Even some of the high-end and expensive brands make their reels overseas, or use components manufactured there. At least Kastking is honest about it.

Where is the Kastking Sharky 3 Fishing Reel Made?

Kastking Sharky 3 is one of the most popular models, and loved by many anglers, especially those who want a smooth reel that doesn’t cost a fortune.

You can get it for about $55 which is definitely a tell-tale sign that the reel is manufactured in Asia. If you ever held this reel in your hands, you must have noticed that it doesn’t feel cheap, flimsy, or bad in any way. It looks and performs excellent.

I would definitely recommend this reel to anyone looking for some affordable, dependable, and good spinning reel.

Materials used in manufacturing are quite good, and it is not full of plastic unlike some other cheap reels on the market. Although KastKing does not have long history in fishing gear manufacturing like some other popular brands, it still offers some really good products.

Where is the Kastking Royale Legend 2 Fishing Reel Made?

Kastking Royale Legend 2 is another well-known Kastking model.

This baitcaster is excellent for beginners who are just starting to discover baitcasting technique. Actually, it is good enough as a spare reel or all-around reel for more experienced users too.

You can even see some other KastKing reels being used on tournaments, and that tells you a lot about the company. I know, it is marketing, but some of the anglers ended up with good results, so the reels must perform well. Here I am talking about bass reels, but you get the point.

Same as with previously mentioned models, materials and performance are more than good for a reel that can be purchased well under $100.

What Reels (Brands) are Made in the US? And Which in Japan?

Both American and Japan made fishing reels are known for their superior quality. Some of the best reels in the world are produced in these countries.

In Japan, you can find Daiwa and Shimano. Both make their high-end models in Japan, while entry-level and intermediate ones are made in southeast Asia or China (like Pflueger, etc.).

Among popular American made reels are IRT, Penn, Seigler, Abel, Accurate, Teton, Hatch, Avet, Ross, Galvan, Lamson, and Aspen.

But, although the American list is long, keep in mind that many use components manufactured overseas and just assemble the reel in the US. Some make high-end reels locally while outsourcing “cheap reel” production. If this is important to you, read what the manufacturer says. Every reel has a country of origin label.

Conclusion

Now you know where are Kastking fishing reels made and how it affects them. Although a relatively new company, Kastking really invests a lot in quality control and design, both of which are performed in the US.

Factories in China comply with KastKing demands, and the final product is actually very good, while it can be bought for a low price.

If you are still unsure about KastKing quality, I would advise you to buy one and try it to see for yourself.