Living up to the Hype? The Zero Ball Bearing Concept Z from 13 Fishing (continued)

Living up to the Hype?: I think that one of the reasons that the Concept Z has been so talked about, and is so polarizing, is not only because it is different than the status quo, but because it was so hyped. There were anglers, including pros, going around telling everyone that the Concept Z’s casting distance blew other reels away by miles, was a revolutionary casting experience, or even that this is the best reel ever. Expectations were set so high that inevitably there was going to be some disappointment, as well as many that were quick to discount and refute those claims.

The Concept Z palms very comfortably

On top of all this the orange color of the reel is also somewhat polarizing and is one of those love it or hate it colors, and matching rods with Tequila Sunrise isn’t the easiest thing to do either. That said selecting this bright orange color for the Concept Z was a clever move on the part of the company as it screams “look at me” and for a reel that is designed to be a launch platform for a their CZB technology and demands to be seen… mission accomplished.

An external cast control would be better but the Beetle Wing rapid access sideplate makes accessing the cast control system easier and safer

Obviously 13 Fishing created the Concept Z because they wanted to build a product that anglers would buy but the company did step out on a limb when they created this reel. There was and continues to be a lot of hype surrounding this reel, attracting more haters than any other reel in recent history, and since doing something different often is met with skepticism I asked Matt to describe what 13 Fishing’s motivation was to create this reel, to which he responded:

Sitting nice and low

“We created this product, because it was obvious ball bearings created some of the biggest negatives in fishing reel performance. Of course, all reels feel great when they are new…but I have spent my career repairing and servicing equipment. Nothing irritates a customer more than a product that loses performance. 13 Fishing is a very innovative and driven bunch of guys, I joined this team because I really felt we could create a special brand. In the industry we are looked at as disruptive, and the Concept Z is the poster child for this. We aren’t afraid to take chances and launch bold products. We aren’t perfect, and either are our products….but we are working every single day to tweak, improve and perfect every aspect of our company and products. The haters are everywhere, but we are one of the fastest growing tackle brands in history….we didn’t get here by going with the status quo. We will earn their respect. Tesla and Apple didn’t get to where they are by listening to the haters.” - Matt Baldwin, Lead Product Manager, 13 Fishing

Is the Concept Z the Tesla Model S of reels? Maybe it is more like the original Tesla Roadster which borrowed an existing platform to showcase what could be possible with the latest technology

I found it interesting that Matt also drew comparisons between 13 Fishing’s approach and Tesla. There are so many things that I found similar between the implementation of Tesla Model S and the Concept Z. Both take an existing design, in the case of Tesla the "AC Motor" and 13 Fishing the "bushing," and utilized the latest technology to elevate those designs and make them relevant again.

A look at the CZB Palm Cover Bearing after 60 days of use. There are small scratches visible under magnification but the material has held up well and continues to perform

The Model S P90D Ludicrous is really good at one thing, accelerating really fast (0-60 in 2.8 seconds), and the Concept Z really excels in one area, max casting distance. When it comes to refinement I can also draw parallels, and while I like my Model S the quality of the interior isn’t as refined as other premium vehicles retailing the same or even less. The biggest difference between the two is that the Model S, especially a performance oriented “Ludicrous” car can be ridiculously expensive while the Concept Z is actually priced for the mainstream.

Ratings: (We've re-calibrated our ratings standard for 2008 and have included a key at the bottom of the following matrix as a guide):

Pluses and Minuses: