Don't run the Shift but I have ran a couple of their North Coasts for 4 years now. I also run one Islander so I have the ability to compare first hand. I have to say at first I didn't like the North Coasts, you want line creep holy smokes. People talk about line creep on Islanders it's never been an issue on my MR2 but those Rapalas were bad. It took 2 seasons until the drags smaterned up. I'm not a fan of just loosening drags and dropping the down riggers, I always hit the free spool and just run my finger on the spool to let them out, my theory why wear drag for nothing. But I started doing it on the North Coasts and after a few runs it really smartened up the drag, must have worn them in some obviously because the line creep stopped and I really like them now. At first the drag was a bit jerky as well when fighting fish but they have really smoothened out. Still not as smooth as my MR2 but very nice. One thing I don't like is the drag knob, it's to slick and when your hands are wet or a bit slimy it's very difficult to get a grib on it to set it. All in all I don't mind them now but,, they ain't no Islander.