Lo and behold, the reel's up on their site and the subject of chatter on various boards, all by chatterboxes like myself who haven't seen or fondled one. No doubt Chark will have them in due course. The use of a star drag is a surprise, they clearly have big ambitions (good for them) but two designs that are so different is a lot for a small machine shop to handle.

500/50 braid is a lot more than anyone needs for plugging, short of Australia or S. Africa, but if a narrow spool version should appear I'd be interested. Chark, any chatter to be heard about that?

I'm not suggesting anything from the factory beyond getting on top of the new model we've been waiting for. Hoping to see them arrive within the next couple weeks, finally!

The sites that I looked at show a lever drag with a magnetic spool control. Nice black color, too. Might be a good jig casting reel as well as heavy surf-more than we need around here. No star drag, though.....

Release -err, I mean Truth - withdrew the Surf series in the midst of initial distribution. I wonder if they showed a rejiggered Surf at ICAST?
They may not have the budget to even appear, though, it's probably a pricey event at which to get a booth.

Release/Truth Reels was indeed there again this year, nicer presentation than the last couple years and those were quite good. I first met them at ICAST probably about 5 years ago, maybe six. On the Surf, initial shipment could have been rushed, that was their problem. But, with a sincere apology and lifetime service, really there should be no negative. Can happen to any firm, the trick is what they do to correct. I give Wes and the guys from Release good marks for that. They showed off a new reel, we discussed coming out with an LG narrow, JX Avet size - of course I want to see that. On the name change, they could either do that or drop another 100K fighting and probably winning the right to use their name. But, they'd already fed their attorney enough, in their eyes it was time to cut bait and move on.