Power: Whenever on the hunt for cranking power on any platform, my default is to seek out the slowest retrieve ratio available. Anything that sits about 7.3:1 or below these days qualifies for a lot of anglers while I still prefer something in the 5s. Separating the Winch from this discussion and sticking with pure STX, if you want to stay with the silver and red look, the lowest available retrieve ratio is 6.7:1 - a nice compromise. I did not fish this retrieve ratio, only the 8.1:1, but I've little doubt it will serve well if you want an STX for crank or wakebait duty (the only bass fishing applications where I seek, slow, powerful reels).

The Rocket and Winch are essentially individually celebrated STX reels with different rates of retrieve. Among the minor differences are the spools. The Rocket's spool, while the same size as STX, is actually 4 grams lighter

With the 8.1:1, under typical fishing conditions throwing a paddletail swimbait, there was plenty of power and leverage to control my catches and bring them to the boat. It's been a long time since I've fished any reel that locked up under battle, and this certainly did not happen with the STX. Given the size of the reel's gear box, material makeup of the gear, and length of the handle, it'd be very surprising if the STX had such difficulties. As it stands, that 8.1:1 ratio is very solid on the STX.

Abu Garcia's signature PowerStack Carbon Drag system

Drag: The Gen5 Revo STX is equipped with Abu Garcia's signature PowerStack Carbon Drag system the key components of which are two keyed, carbon washers. Most drag systems consist of keyed metal washers instead of carbon. The purpose, really, is to have surfaces that both slide and are fixed so there is some actual friction. Surface area is likely more important than which surfaces slide or not, and there is plenty of surface area on Abu's PowerStack Carbon Drag.

Hardly a catch strong enough to test the drag, but fun nonetheless

Start up of the drag is good, and steady pulls - at least when pulled out by hand, reveal consistent performance. I was fishing some thick weedy areas and had my drag locked in relatively tight. As a result I wasn't able to hook anything to really challenge the drag on this reel, but I've been fishing this same drag system since its introduction and have not had any issues thus far.

Abu Garcia's asymmetrical desgin on the Revo5 has all the makings of being regarded as a classic 10 years from now

Design & Ergonomics: Abu Garcia has really found something with the new shape and profile of the fifth generation Revo. I thought I was happy with Gen4, but somehow, with the new introduction, the manufacturer was able to make the previous generation feel old and outdated. They seem to find a way to do that with each revision and I find that quite remarkable. That new, asymmetrical top plate of the Revo5 takes a bit of adjustment mentally, but once you overcome that obstacle and feel how comfortable the reel's shape is in the palm of your hand, you almost seek it out. This new shape and profile has the makings of a classic.

The STX sits nice and low in the reel seat

Price & Applications: Abu Garcia's Revo5 STX retails for $229.95, perhaps the most hotly contested price point for low profile casting reels. Once the purview of reels like Chronarch and Zillion, those platforms are at or have already crested the $300 threshold and replacing them are names like Curado and Tatula.

Abu Garcia's Revo5 STX retails for $229.95

In my mind, STX has always been in line with the former, but perhaps I had that wrong. Not that it really matters. On its own merit, STX is a very refined and capable platform, and when taken in its entirety with the separately marketed Winch and Rocket reels, is more than capable of supporting a variety of techniques and applications. The only thing missing is a shallow spool option for BFS.

Conclusion: STX has always been the tier of Revo reels that appealed to me the most. With the gen five refresh, that preference is a bit more hazy because SX is so solid. So I really had not intended to even try STX this time around. I'm glad I did, because, however slight, there is an improvement in feel and level of refinement with STX over SX. Then, considering Winch and Rocket are essentially jazzed up STXs the picture becomes more clear, STX is now the flagship reel in the Revo product line.

The Revo5 STX is a piece of your arsenal's puzzle that should not be missed

Beyond that, with its oversized brass gear, stout drag, and refined braking system, STX is a solid performer. It really walks the line between consideration as high end and that of being a workhorse. If you, like I, appreciate that dichotomy especially when paired with a somewhat affordable price tag, the Revo5 STX is a piece of your arsenal's puzzle that should not be missed.

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