I noticed some reel companies are now introducing ESN specific reels.
Looks like Galvan just introduced one based on a email I received this morning from a fly shop.
I don’t fish rivers much anymore, so how critical is it to have a ESN reel on your ESN rod?
SF
You don't need a specialized reel, but it does help. I used a cast reel, with pretty horrendous tolerances, for most of this year. I use a mono rig, which is even more problematic on standard reels than a typical euro rig; more memory and more line pull through. I would recommend taking some backing off though; the more space you have, the less the line will pull through the frame.
I use a Danielsson F3W now. It's cheap and has a full frame, but the arbor isn't super large or narrow. It's a good, general purpose, reel that solves the line pull through problem and balances my rod well. I'm about to buy an Echo Shadow X and Shadow Click, now that I've been radicalized.
The Sage ESN reel is ok, but I think they're solving the balance problem in the wrong place; the weight should really be in the butt of the rod. If I was paying $900 for a rod and $500 for a reel, I would expect that to be addressed. Echo got it right on the Shadow rod and reel combo, for less than half the price.
All the other "euro specific" reels I've seen aren't really very innovative or good value. The Galvan reel is the same price as the Sage reel, but doesn't have the weight system, so I don't see why anyone would buy the Galvan reel instead.