The Lean Green
Cranking Machine, meet Shimano’s Curado E5
Date:
5/11/09
Tackle Type:
Reels
Manufacturer:
Shimano
Reviewer:
Zander
Total Score: 8.5 + EDITORS CHOICE!
Introduction: The Curado rests in the
middle of Shimano’s baitcaster lineup and has long been a favorite among anglers
looking for a quality reel at a reasonable price. The redesign of the series was
a major undertaking for the company and we now take a closer look at the Curado
E5 in part one of our low speed cranking reel shootout.
To view the video in high definition click on the
"HD" button, a high bandwidth connection is necessary for optimal viewing in HD
Shimano
Curado 200E5
Specifications
Line
Capacity (lb/yds)
8/180, 10/155,
14/110
Gear
Ratio
5.0:1
Line
retrieve per crank
21
inches
Weight
7.6oz.
Bearings
6BB,
1RB
Additional Features
Aluminum Lo-Mass spool, HEG
gearing, Super Free, super stopper, 1/8 turn easy access sideplate, Septon
power handle grips, dartanium drag, clicking drag adjustment,
Super Stopper II, cold forged aluminum drag star
Origin
Japan
MSRP
$179.99
Mouse over the TackleTour
3DVR window to view the product in three dimensional view
Smaller, lighter, and greener than
the D version, the Curado 200 E could be what fans of the series have been
waiting for
Impressions:
The Curado E5 is the first baitcaster in our shootout of low speed cranking
reels, the other contenders are the Abu Garcia Revo Winch, the Daiwa Zillion
Crazy Cranker, and the Quantum Energy PT VI Cast 100 "Power" reel. We will
review each of these reels individually with all of our standard tests and when
all of the individual reviews are completed we will finish with a shootout
article that compares the contenders head to head across the complete spectrum
of metrics. We are also doing the same with a high speed baitcaster shootout. As
this is the “Year of the Crank” here at TackleTour we kick it off with a look at
low speed cranking reels with the Shimano Curado E5.
The Curado E5 has a very low
profile and a recessed reel foot
Some
products manufacturers try and get right, and some products are so important
that companies HAVE to get it right, and the Curado is one such a series. Every
company has a flagship product, but the volume mover is always of the greatest
importance. The Curado series has long been the benchmark for low profile
baitcasters but in the years previous there is no doubt that offerings from
Daiwa and especially the Revo series from Abu have eaten away some of the
marketshare once dominated by the Curado. Shimano needed to hit this one out of
the park, and to do so they went into the Curado redesign with a completely open
mind.
Unlike the Citica E the Curado
features a cold forged drag star and double anodized handle
The
team at Shimano had a tough task, they needed to preserve everything that
anglers loved about the existing Curado series including the power, smooth drag
performance, and reasonable price while addressing the need for reduced weight,
even more gearing refinement, and improved ergonomics. When they introduced the
Curado series they also rolled out the updated Citica which makes use of the
same tooling as the Curado, but has a few less features and a lower grade of
refinement.
The Curado 300E (top) dwarfs the
smaller Curado 200E (bottom)