Round Reel Toughness, Power, and Capacity in the Low Profile Abu Garcia Revo Toro (continued)
 

Retrieve: Designed to high tolerance specifications, and making use of quality components such as the seven High Performance Corrosion Resistant (HPCR) bearings, the retrieve on the Abu Garcia Revo Toro is outstanding. Its smooth and continues feel this way even after the reel has been used in freshwater and saltwater environments for more than 6 months.

You get two handles with the Revo Toro

Retrieves aren't only fluid but are solid and powerful thanks to the large Duragear. With the 95mm Extended Throw handle you can get plenty of torque when fishing swimbaits, but if you need more lifting power, say like when vertical jigging in the ocean, the included Paddle Handle will provide that added muscle. During tests, I was able to turn Lingcods away from their holes with little issue using the Toro. Thanks to this reel, I able to fully button down on the drag and pump the rod and reel to pull those feisty beasts out from their hiding places. The Revo Toro has the guts and power to do the same or even more than what a round reel is capable of doing.

Powerful large gears are used in the Toro

Drag: The drag on this reel is outstanding in terms of start-up force and sustained operation. I was able to measure 23 pounds completely button down for a start up pressure. Throughout the drag setting range the Carbon Matrix drag system produced smooth and consistent drag pressure.

The Toro's Carbon Matrix drag system produced 23 pounds of force in the lab

Ergonomics: If you're looking for lighter weight, get the Revo Inshore which is only 8.7 ounces. The Revo Toro is 10.3 ounces but it actually feels light for its size. The Toro is 0.2 ounces lighter than the Shimano Curado 300E, but both reels are powerful and neither skimp on components.

Compared to a round reel, the Toro's low profile design is definitely more ergonomic. During casts or palming it on retrieves, the Toro is a winner when put against comparable round reels.

This review is for the Revo Toro 50 size but we did try the 60 size as well. The 60 size is way too large for bass anglers but good for saltwater anglers, and although it is low profile, it's wider than a round reel.

Here's the line up from left to right - Revo Inshore, Revo Toro 50, and gargantuan Revo Toro 60

Durability: Like the Revo Inshore, the Toro is absolutely solid in this category. The Revo Toro is larger than the Inshore but shares a similar construction that make both of these low profile reels as durable as they are. The X-Craftic frame is an aluminum alloy that is lightweight yet rock solid. The handle side plate, which gets the majority of the stress, is fabricated out of this same aluminum alloy. Like many other low profile reels the non-handle side plate is made from a graphite reinforced polymer since that side does not endure much or any load.

The Toro is very well constructed and can be fished in both fresh and saltwater

Like their other top of the line Revo reels, the Toro also utilizes Abu Garcia's High Performance Corrosion Resistant bearings, seven to be exact. These HPCR bearings are tight in tolerance, durable, and resist corrosion, and they are comparable to Shimano's A-RB and Daiwa's CRBB bearings.