We begged and pleaded, called in tons of favors, and unleashed spies who nosed around every nook and cranny of the Abu Garcia offices in Spirit Lake, Iowa. The efforts finally paid off and we got our hands on the new low-profile Revo Premier.
It was worth all the work and in our tests we found this reel to be a gem.
Smooth and Compact
The name Premier says a mouthful about this reel. We anticipated that, since there's a big buzz around this reel and all the pros are talking about it.
FLW Tour pro Chris McCall talked about its durability and lightness, but you have to put your hands on it to really understand that. "The castability and smoothness in both casting and retrieving are smooth as silk," McCall said. "I have small hands and I've always used top-end reels, but found the size could be a problem. Not with Revos. They fit my hands better, have plenty of power, and the quality is unmatched."
Gary Morgal at Abu told us: "At 6.3 ounces, this reel is super light and without all of the problems of magnesium composites. It's 27% lighter than other Revos, but that'll change on all Revos forthcoming. In general, the lightness makes fishing more fun."
The 6.4:1 gear ratio on the model we tested, six ball-bearings, and special and super-secret X-Craftic alloy frame make for one killer reel. Also notable is that Abu will roll the X-Craftic materials into all products in 2008.
Observations
Based on our tests, we noted:
Notable
> The Premier joins the existing Revo STX, SX, and S models.
> A new saltwater Revo, called the Revo Inshore, is also available.
> MSRP on the Premier is $259.99.
> Many of the Premier's more technical aspects were explained in a recent Bass Buzz article. To read it, click here.
> For more about Abu Garcia and its products, visit Abu-Garcia.com.