The reels that really surprised me were the Valentine Single Action trout reels that were available in the mid-to-late 80s.
I was searching for a reel that would "sort of" look like an iconic Pflueger Medalist & would still be made in the United States. Valentines were not readily available in Canada, except for a few big planetary models, for salmon.
After reaching out to Larry Valentine, I was assured that I could purchase his trout reels directly, from the factory. They're not "beginners reels", said Larry. Starting at 125.00 USD, more with shipping, these Single Actions were more than what I could afford at that time. No matter, I scrimped & saved to get them.
My first Valentine was the smallest of the Single Actions, the #76 (3" in dia.) I ordered a spare spool for it. For DT5F & WF6F lines, I then purchased a Single Action # 83 (3.25" dia.), with a spare spool as well. By 1995 I owned five of these surprisingly tough disc-drag reels, including a whole complement of spare spools & parts. In more than 30 years of steady service I have not been able to wear out a single part of these reels. With constant use, eventually one issue did crop up: the spools started to develop sloppy side play. I've had a Hardy LRH with this kind of spool end play. (Bill Archuleta tightened up the Hardy for me.)
After taking apart a BFR-made Orvis spool's latch, I noticed that there was a small felt pad that pressed onto the reel's spindle. This gave me an idea. So,...I punched out some tiny felt pads & installed them into my Valentine's plastic latch caps. A drop of oil softened up these pads & tightened up the spools just enough to stop any end play. That was almost a decade ago, with no spool fit problems since
I love my Valentine's put-put click while cranking in & the silence when a fish is on the run. I can't wait to get out this year & fish these reels again.