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Reel Review


A Classic is Re-Made : Abu Garcia's Morrum ZX 3600/01

 

Date: 5/31/14
Tackle Type: Reel
Manufacturer: Abu Garcia
Reviewer: Cal






Total Score: 8.25 - ULTIMATE ENTHUSIAST AWARD!

Introduction:
Several years in the teasing, we awaited the subject of today's review from Abu Garcia for quite some time. Year after year at ICAST, they showed us glimpses of the reel and promised "next year". Finally this past year, the announcement was made and now the classic, recreated Morrum is finally available in North America. Here now is our review of one of Abu Garcia's most iconic reels.

 

Abu Garcia Morrum ZX 3601 Specifications

Line Capacity - Rated 12/135
Line Capacity - Spool Volume 18 cm3
Retrieve Ratio
6.3:1
Inches Per Turn (IPT) - calculated
13 - 27 inches
Weight 7.2 oz
Spool Weight 14 g
Handle Length 90 mm
Bearings 10HPCR + 1RB
Bearings per Knob Two Bearings
Levelwind Bearings One Bearing
Tested Max Drag ~28.8 lbs
Origin Made in Sweden
MSRP $499.99

 

Quality/Construction: It doesn't take an appreciation for round reels to understand the allure of this reel, but it does take a soft spot for finely machined pieces of equipment. The Morrum is all that with its hard edges and defined lines. Its finish is a mix of black with gold highlights and a sort of gunmetal center. Frame and sideplate tolerances are spot and while there's zero backplay in the handle, there is very slight movement if you grab and move it into and away from the body of the reel. There's also a very small amount of play in the knobs into and away from the body of the reel.


Introducing the reborn Abu Garcia Morrum!

Quality Ratings for Abu Garcia Morrum ZX 3601

Finish (1-5)
Frame & Sideplate Tolerance (1-5)
Handle Tolerance (1-5)
Knob Tolerance (1-5)
Total
Possible
Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
5
5
4
4
18
20
9.0

Performance: I matched this exquisite piece of machinery with an equally exquisite stick - Megabass's F7-71X7 Aaron Martens 71 and filled it with Seaguar's Tatsu Fluorocarbon in twelve pound. Testing waters were the California Delta and of course, Clear Lake.


The Morrum ZX 3601 is a classic in every sense.

Retrieve: The Morrum ZX 3601 comes with a "Hi-Speed" 6.3:1 retrieve ratio. I suppose this is considered high speed for a round reel of this size, but certainly by today's standards, this ratio is pretty standard and even approaching slow. Turning the handle on this reel reveals a smooth, but connected feel. There's no unusual knocking, but you can feel the gears meshing together. Also, depending on the setting for your casting brakes, you can hear the flying brake arms rubbing against the inner plate on the non handle side. It all equates to just a little too much noise for a reel of this refinement.


But you don't have to be a fan of round reels to appreciate the craftsmanship.

Performance Ratings for Abu Garcia Morrum ZX 3601

Retrieve (1-5)
Drag (1-5)
Power (1-5)
Casting Range (1-5)
Brakes (1-5)
Total
Possible
Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
3
5
4
4
5
21
25
8.4

Drag: Out on the water, the Morrum's drag performed very well. I was hoping to catch a striper out on the delta to see how it would feel with a really hard charging and pulling fish, but I had to "settle" for a five pound largemouth instead. On the few quick runs this fish did make, the Morrum's drag pulled very smoothly.


Fig 1: The Sweet Drag Performance chart above shows the consistency in drag performance of our
Abu Garcia Morrum ZX 3601. The erratic behavior of the drag at full lockdown is typical of what we've been experiencing with the majority of reels.

Back at the lab and strapped to The Machine, the Morrum's drag performance reinforced my experience out on the water - smooth and consistent. However, cranked as tight as I could get the drag, performance was very erratic although the Morrum did peak on The Machine at 28.8 pounds of drag pressure!

Sweet Drag Performance for Abu Garcia Morrum ZX 3601 (#.# Turns to Lockdown)

Lock - 8
Lock - 6
Lock - 4
Lock - 2
Lockdown
Avg % Change
Start Up
2.5
3.8
5.24
8.6
13.8
Sustained
2.6
4.1
5.9
8.73
20.4
Lowest Value
2
3.1
4.7
7.5
9.5
Change in Startup vs Sustained
2.4%
7.9%
13.4%
1.6%
48.3%
14.7%
Biggest Drop from Sustained
20.3%
24.4%
21.1%
14%
53.4%
26.7%
Drag on this reel was tested with the dragstar fully tightened. Then with each successive test, the drag was backed off with two short pushes of the dragstar with our thumb.

Next Section: Power, round reel style?

 

   

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