With an incredibly high gear ratio of 10.1:1, it’s even faster than the KastKing Speed Demon, which has a gear ratio of 9.3:1. This is the fastest Abu Garcia baitcaster, which explains its name. If you can live with that, this reel is a top performer. The main differences to the Revo SX are two ball bearings less, and no dual braking system.

Overall, our testing showed that it’s very hard to beat the quality and reliability of the Revo X at this price point. It comes with 8 stainless steel ball bearings, which guarantees very smooth retrieval action, and is built with the same aluminum alloy frame as the Revo SX, resulting in much higher durability and resistance to warping under pressure, compared to graphite reels. This means you can use it for pretty much any casting technique (except for high speed applications). When we put it to the test, we found that it’s the best all-round baitcaster that covers both slow and medium speed gear ratios, and comes with a retrieve rate of 22” to 30” per turn of the handle. This reel is the winner of our best baitcaster under $100 review, and for good reason. And while the main body is graphite, the gears are made of brass, which makes them more durable. The body consists of a one-piece graphite frame, combined with graphite side plates. But with a little practice you will get wonderful results out of this model.Īnother strength of the Black Max is its lightness of weight, which is due to its all-graphite construction. However, during our testing we found that it’s not quite as backlash proof, which is a slight disadvantage for beginners. You just need to be aware that it doesn’t come with the dual braking system of the Revo SX, and instead relies only on MagTrax magnetic brakes. In fact, I don’t think it’s possible to find comparable quality at a similar price point, lower than 50 dollars.ĭue to its attractive pricing and ease of use, this is a great entry level model. This is a very poplular baitcaster among beginners, since it combines high quality and reliability with an affordable price. All in all, our testing showed that the superior quality of this reel makes it one the best baitcasters you can get, and at a very competitive price. In addition to the Infini brakes, we discovered that another hallmark of the Revo SX is the extremely smooth retrieval action, powered by its 10 ball bearings (which puts it within 1 ball bearing of the higher end Revo Rocket and EXD models).Īnd with 25 lb max drag, the Revo SX also has the most powerful drag system among Abu Garcia casting reels. This is why we also chose the Revo SX as the winner of our test of the best baitcaster for beginners. This anti-backlash technology is revolutionary for casting reels, and based on our testing, it makes the Revo SX much easier to master for beginners, compared to traditional baitcasters. The Infini dual braking system was developed by Abu Garcia to combine both magnetic and centrifugal brakes, which can be independently adjusted to avoid backlash almost completely, even without using your thumb to slow down the spool while casting. This reel is undoubtedly one of the most popular low profile baitcasters among dedicated bass anglers, perhaps only rivaled by the Daiwa Tatula series.īut unlike the Tatula series, our testing showed that the Revo SX has lower backlash tendency due to its dual braking system.

Now let’s take a closer look at each of these models. The table above compares the most important specs and features of the top 7 Abu Garcia baitcasting reels that we tested (6 low profile models, and one round model).Īs you can see, they cover quite a range of features and strengths. Best round baitcaster: Ambassadeur C4 Best Abu Garcia baitcaster reviewed Model name Image Price Our verdict Ball bearings Gear ratio Retrieve rate Max drag (lb) Weight (oz) Revo SX Best overall performance 10 6.6:1 to 7.3:1 27' to 30' 24 7.8 Black Max Best under $50 5 6.4:1 26' 18 7.3 Revo X Best under $100 8 5.4:1 to 7.3:1 22' to 30' 18 7.9 Revo Rocket Best high speed option 11 10.1:1 41' 18 7.3 Revo Beast Best for saltwater 8 6.6:1 27' 18 8.3 Revo EXD Best lightweight option 11 5.4:1 to 8.0:1 23' to 35' 20 6.7 Ambassadeur C4 Best round baitcaster 5 6.3:1 30' 15 10.0.My team and I tested the most popular Abu Garcia baitcasting reels on the market, and evaluated them on their gear ratio, retrieve rate, weight, drag pressure, and overall performance.īased on our testing, here are our picks for the best Abu Garcia baitcasters in 2023: What Is The Best Abu Garcia Baitcasting Reel, And Which One Should You Buy?.

Abu garcia revo sx low profile fishing reel