Low Speed Cranking Reel Shootout : And the Winner Is...
(continued)
Round 3 - Casting: Breaking it down
into long and short distance casting tests allowed us to compare all the low
speed cranking reels side by side. When it came to long distance casting tests
all four of these reels were very close in maximum casting distance, what
separated them from one another was how consistent they were cast after cast.
Side by side the Curado E5 was the
best long distance caster while the Revo Winch was the worst
The Curado E5 narrowly beat the
competition here, and while the VBS system is old in design it continues to deliver
consistent performance across the wide spectrum of weights down to 1/4oz. The
Quantum Energy PT was the second most consistent long distance caster and the
ability to make adjustments without taking down the sideplate was a definite
plus.
The Curado E5 was all about
consistency and delivered a good balance of short and long distance casting
When it came to pitching lures
with the greatest accuracy the Daiwa Zillion Crazy Cranker was the clear
standout. We found
the Daiwa Zillion Crazy Cranker to be an exceptional short to mid range caster
when it came to control and accuracy. By dialing the right settings on both the
Magforce-Z and the spool tension knob we found that we could cast even undersized
cranks really tight against structure. The Zillion Crazy Cranker instills
confidence to toss expensive baits right into the fray.
The Winch also took the longest to
adjust when it came to fine tuning cast controls in the field, it doesn't
benefit from external controls like some of the other Revo series reels
The Abu Garcia Revo Winch didn't start up as quickly as some of the other reels
making it more difficult to make short distance pitches and to properly manage
the casting distance with weightless rigs we had to dial back the centrifugal weights which
required taking down the sideplate, and this process takes longer to do than on
any of the other reels.
The Daiwa Crazy Cranker was able
to handle the complete spectrum of weights the best when casting and excelled at
pitching applications
While the
Zillion Crazy Cranker is the most refined reel when it comes to casting accuracy
the Curado E5 manages to achieve the best balance of both factors. The Quantum
Energy PT was also very good and was just narrowly beat in both areas,
delivering very respectable casting and pitching performance. If there was any
category that could pose as the "Achilles Heel" in the Revo Winch this would be
it. The Zillion Crazy Cranker out jabs the
competition in terms of short distance casting but overall the Curado E5 was the most
consistent, answering the question... can the Green Machine go the distance?
Though rather low-tech in
comparison to some of the cast control systems on the other reels the tried and
true VBS system just plain works and was the most consistent
Casting |
|
Curado E5 |
Zillion CC |
Revo Winch |
Energy PT |
Casting |
1 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
Pitching |
2 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
Category Rank |
1 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
Next Section: Round 4 -
Retrieve