Round 1 - Specifications: We are not big fans of taking sheer bearing count as a major determining factor of performance, sure it matters but the bearing quality and the execution of the reel as a whole often tells the more accurate story. There are many anglers that are obsessed with bearings, and in their mind "more" always equates to "better." With the improvement in both bearing performance and durability these days "more" bearings doesn't necessarily mean "smoother." The Curado E5 has the lowest bearing count with a total of 6 (5BB + 1RB), the Daiwa Crazy Cranker has one more for a total of 7, the Quantum Energy PT has 9 and the Abu Garcia Revo Winch loads up with a total of 11 HCPR (High Performance Corrosion Resistant) bearings!

The most expensive reel in the roundup is the Zillion Crazy Cranker which features a familiar profile

The line capacity on all these reels is over 100 yards (12lb line), enabling all of them to handle long casting deep diving cranks. The Revo Winch has a deeper spool than the other contenders and is able to hold 175 yards of 12lb line. This is 40-50 yards over all of the other reels and makes the Winch a good choice for inshore or big bait applications that require extra line capacity.

The Quantum Energy PT has also been redesigned and now features a sleek and more aggressive profile

The Curado E5 and Energy PT both draw in 21" of line per single handle crank, while Abu Garcia Winch is able to recover 20.6" of line per crank. The Daiwa Crazy Cranker really does get "crazy" with the retrieve by reeling in a whopping 22" per turn of the handle.

Coming out of the popular Revo camp the name "Winch" pretty much sums up this powerhouse of a reel

In the first round the Abu Garcia Winch is looking the best out of the gate when you look at the specifications alone. Not only is the Winch packed with bearings it offers more flexibility with a greater line capacity. The Zillion Crazy Cranker is also looking pretty good but because we have pulled out the "price" ratings and made it a separate stand-alone category will the more expensive Crazy Cranker be able to negotiate the price premium it has over all the other competitors? The Quantum Energy PT looks pretty balanced and the Shimano Curado E5 comes in dead last when it comes to specifications. Not only does the Curado not boast an impressive bearing count it also makes use of graphite for both sideplates unlike the other reels. The question is, can the Curado get back up after this first round or is it down for the count?

Round one goes to the Abu Garcia Winch which has a huge bearing count and superior line capacity making it good for inshore applications