I have been using Lamson reels for a long time, American made and solid drag system were the the two reasons I went with Lamson. I had a few old litespeed reels with good quality anodization. The anodization on the Remix and some of the lower price point Lamsons are not up to the mark. These reels scratch up even with very careful use.
The final straw was when I took the reel on a fishing trip and discovered that the spool was bent. It was so bad that the spool was coming off the reel body as I was fighting a big fish. We hiked in a long distance to fish this place. It was disappointing not to be able to enjoy the fruit of a long hike.
Not having a cage for some of the bigger Remix reels is irresponsible. The cast spools are very weak. A cage would give it more integrity.
I would hasitate to buy low to mid priced modern Lamson reels. I am sure their top end products are still pretty good.
A little more care about the quality of anodization and rethinking the strength of the cast spools on bigger size reels would be much appreciated.