Shimano Rolls Out a Trio of Redesigned Spinning Reels

Introduction: The official unveiling of the Calcutta was definitely the focus for Shimano this year but it was also a significant year for mainstream spinning for the company with the update of three reels, all under the $149.99 dollar price point. The highest end of these is the Saros which we covered prior to the show.

Ken Iida holds up the showstopper for Shimano, the new Calcutta D, but has also been working on new spinning reels that also were unveiled at the show

The new Saros FA spinning reels now make use of a new graphite called XGT7 to provide rigidity for the frame, sideplate and rotor. According to Ken Iida with Shimano’s product development team, XGT7 provides superior strength and durability, plus an exceptionally solid feel. The Saros also leverages the X-Ship double supported pinion gear to provide more solid cranking power and a lighter handle rotation feel. The Saros also features Shimano’s rapid fire drag which provides quick and easy drag adjustments when making changes during the heat of the battle.  

We have already seen the new Saros FA pics, and found the actual reel to be smooth and refined

Included in all four Saros FA reels (1000-4000) are plenty of Shimano’s most popular features including the Propulsion Line Management System to help reduce line twist and increase casting distance, Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement, SR Concept, Aero Wrap II, Dyna-Balance and Super Stopper II. They all have five S A-RB shielded bearings, and a one-way roller bearing to eliminate any handle backplay. The smaller sizes all have a 6:1 gear ratio while the larger 4000 saltwater size has the more powerful 6.2:1 ratio. The smaller three sizes will retail for $139.99 while the larger 4000 size is only 10 dollars more.  

The Symetre makes use of the company's new "M Compact Body" design

Positioned right below the new Saros FA is the redesign of the popular Symetre spinning reel. The Symetre series has been around for nearly 20 years and has always been regarded as a quality workhorse reel. These reels are made out of a graphite material called XT-7 (not to be confused with XGT7) which is strong but not as robust as the material employed by the Saros. The big difference is that the Symetre has a much smaller profile with the company’s new “M Compact Body” design which is quite different from the company’s other reels in form factor, with a design that is so compact in the back it seems to arch upwards. Included on all four Symetre FL reels are X-Ship is, Propulsion Line Management, Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement, SR Concept, Aero Wrap II, Dyna-Balance and Super Stopper II. They all have four stainless ball bearings, and a one-way roller bearing.

Though smaller in size the new reel has the same line capacity and also benefits from X-Ship

While the reels are smaller the line capacity remains the same on the cold forged aluminum spools. These reels will also be available in four sizes including 1000, 2500, 3000, and 4000 and the smallest size will have a 6:1 gear ratio while the 2500 and 3000 sizes come with a 6.2:1 gear ratio capable of cranking in 35 inches per turn, and the larger 4000 size has a 5.8:1 gear ratio for raw power when managing 15-50lb. Powerpro line. The three smaller Symetre sizes will all cost $99 dollars while the 4000 size will be $109.99. The new Symetre reels look and feel very compact and should do well at this aggressive price point. 

All three of these reels are made in Malaysia

Moving another step down we get to the Sahara, the mainstream reel that is all about delivering more value for the money. While the existing reels benefitted from Shimano technologies like propulsion line management this year the series gets a makeover with the same M compact Body Design we witnessed on the Symetre and benefits from “varispeed II” oscillation which moves at two variable speeds to lay the line flatter on the spool with the goal of providing better line management and longer casts.

The Sahara also gets a much more compact body

With a 6:1 gear ratio, the SH-1000FE - with spool capacity to handle 2- to 6-pound mono or 10- to 20-pound PowerPro braid, will retrieve in 29-inches of line per crank. Both with 6.2:1 gear ratios, the SH-2500FE – for 6- to 10-pound test mono or 10- to 30-pound PowerPro, pulls in 34-inches per spool rotation, while the SH-3000FE - for 6- to 10-pound test mono or 10- to 40-pound PowerPro, cranks in 35-inches. With 5.8:1 gear ratios, the SY-4000FL retrieves 39-inches of line per crank and can handle from 8- to 12-pound mono or 15- to 50-pound PowerPro. The three smaller sizes will retail for $79.99 and the 4000 size will cost $89.99.  

The Sahara has more traditional plastic components yet gets some technology bumps this year as well which benefit casting and ergonomics

All three of these redesigned reels will be available around the September to October timeframe. While the Calcutta D was definitely the big story at Shimano these three mainstream contenders also deserve attention and target the mass market with new graphite materials, a rich new feature set, and simply put… more bang for the buck.