Shimano Expride vs. Megabass Levante vs. Daiwa Tatula Elite
- Contenders
- 3
- Spec
- 7'2" Casting
- Price band
- $180–$280
Japan's three biggest rod houses, one length, three philosophies. The Expride is a fast MH built on Shimano's Hi-Power X system; the Levante F5-72LV is Megabass' Diablo Spec-R, a medium with a moderate-fast taper designed around moving baits; Daiwa's Tatula Elite 721MHRB is a regular-taper MH that Daiwa's American pros specced for spinnerbaits and bladed jigs, rated all the way to 1 3/8 oz. Same water, genuinely different tools.
One honesty note: the Tatula Elite here is the 2019–2022 TAEL generation, discontinued and widely discounted, which is exactly why it is interesting at $180.
Open in the compare tool →Each spoke: percentile rank among all casting rods(n=7,828). Dashed ring = cohort median.
| Spec | Shimano EXC72MHB | Megabass F5-72LV | Daiwa TAEL721MHRB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series● | Expride | LEVANTE | Tatula Elite Signature Series Bass |
| Length | 7'2" | 7'2" | 7'2" |
| Power● | MH | M | MH |
| Action● | F | MF | R |
| Lure● | 3/8–1oz | 3/8–3/4oz | 1/4–1 3/8oz |
| Line● | 10–20lb | 8–20lb | 12–25lb |
| Pieces | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| MSRP● | $279.99 | $199 | $179.99 |
| Buy | Buy on Amazon | Buy from Megabass | Buy from Daiwa |
● = specs differ. We may earn a commission from purchases made through affiliate links.
The verdicts
The Expride for bottom contact and hooksets
The fast taper and crisp Hi-Power X blank make the Expride the bite-detection rod of the three, the one for jigs, Texas rigs, and anything where you feel the bait down and drive a hook home. It is also the most expensive, and the one whose advantages disappear if you mostly wind moving baits. Buy it when the technique rewards stiffness behind a sensitive tip.
Full specs: Shimano EXC72MHB →The Levante for everything with trebles
Megabass built the Diablo Spec-R as a moving-bait rod: a medium power with a moderate-fast bend that loads on the cast, keeps treble hooks pinned, and cushions surges at the boat. Jerkbaits, squarebills, spybaits, bladed jigs on the lighter end, this is the taper for them, with Megabass' fit-and-finish at a $199 US price that undercuts the Expride by $80.
Full specs: Megabass F5-72LV →The Tatula Elite for power fishing on a discount
A regular-taper MH rated to 1 3/8 oz is a spinnerbait and chatterbait rod by design, and Daiwa's pro-designed TAEL line built exactly that on SVF Nanoplus graphite with X45 wrapping. Because the generation is discontinued, it sells well under its $180 list when you find it. If your box is blades and vibration, it is the most rod per dollar here, with the caveat that stock is what remains.
Full specs: Daiwa TAEL721MHRB →Frequently asked questions
Why do the three rods have different powers and actions? ▾
Because each brand specced its 7'2" for a different job: Shimano's MH fast for bottom contact, Megabass' M moderate-fast for treble-hook baits, Daiwa's MH regular for blades. The comparison is about choosing the philosophy that matches your water, not finding identical rods.
Is the discontinued Tatula Elite still worth buying? ▾
If the price is right, yes: the blank and components don't age out, and Daiwa's 2023 replacement (the TTEL generation) costs substantially more. The risks are thinning stock in your preferred model and shorter warranty support horizons.
Which is best for jerkbaits specifically? ▾
The Levante, comfortably. Its moderate-fast medium taper is built for slack-line jerks and keeping trebles buttoned. The Expride MH is too much rod for most jerkbaits, and the Tatula Elite's regular taper suits blades better than twitch baits.