The tough task of revamping a legend...the Shimano Curado
redefined (continued)
Price:
Up to this point you
haven’t really heard any gripes from me, that’s because there haven’t been any.
The Curado 100D met my expectations in terms of retrieve and drag, and actually
exceeded them in terms of casting and durability. Well, unfortunately the love
has to end somewhere….and with the Curado D it comes to an stop in the
“pricing” category….or does it? In the past Curado’s have been viewed as many as
the ultimate mainstream reel, one reel that can do it all…at a reasonable price.
So when Shimano bumped up the retail price 50 dollars over the previous Curado
SF and 70 dollars over the CU100B anglers were not only surprised but some were
downright livid. (Trust me, I got the emails)
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The
sideplate flips down on a hinge, much better than a removable one |
But those that went
ahead and bought the reel started to understand why, especially those that
already owned the Chronarch 50Mg. The Curado D is not the “Curado” of the
past….in fact it’s a far better reel. But then why call it a Curado?
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The latest
iteration of VBS...reliable, and easy to adjust |
Let me explain in one of
my famous (or infamous) automobile parallels. If the previous generation Curado
is the staple of the lineup like the 3 series for BMW, then the new version is
like a 330 versus the previous generation 325. Its not quite a “M” series in
that it isn’t supertuned, but it does come with a higher sticker price because
the new reel offers more refinement including a bigger engine (gearing), better
brakes (drag), and yes….even more performance and handling (casting via the
Magnumlite spool). But unlike BMW that just increased the price of the series,
Shimano actually went back and created something for those that can’t afford the
upgrade in price. Hence the Citica was redesigned to still offer more
performance than the previous generation Curado, and the very mainstream Cruxis
was born.
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The
frame cavity minus the spool |
While I am not yet a fan
of the rather bohemian looking Cruxis, the Citica has thus far proven to be a
serious contender for the mainstream market. What surprises me is that for the
much more ergonomic finesse 100 size you have to go Curado, as the Cruxis and
Citica are only available in the larger 200 sizes. Nonetheless while it somewhat
pains me to say it, the Curado D is indeed worth the 199.99 dollar price tag and
in many ways should be more preferable to anglers than even the 249.99 dollar
Chronarch Mg, which may be lighter but not nearly as durable.
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The hidden
porting in the thin walled but well reinforced Magnumlite spool |
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Notice how
thin the edge is on this new spool |
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No that's
not the Curado...its the Chronarch Mg we used for comparison testing...the
Curado feels like a heavier version of this reel (and yes, that's a compliment) |
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The
Chronarch ported spool in comparison |
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Aggressive
porting on the handle not only looks good but helps reduce weight |
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finally...two of the many reasons I grew to love the Curado D over the last
9 months |
Ratings:
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Shimano
Curado D (100D) Ratings (?/10) |
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Construction/Quality |
Excellent quality in this reel. The fit and
finish is outstanding, no more plastic here. Doesn't use any exotic
materials in construction but overall build quality is exactly what we
expect from a entry level premium offering |
9 |
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Performance |
The Curado D ups the level of performance seen
in any Curado to date. While it may not be revolutionary in design it does
take the best of Shimano and put it in one heck of a nice performing
package. Casting accuracy was excellent, and the dartanium drag proves
itself yet again |
9 |
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Price |
A hard pill to swallow for any angler used to
paying sub 150 dollars for their serving of Curado delight. But in all
fairness this is not your Curado of years past and the Curado space has been
taken up by the Citica now....while it may be hard to get used to once you
fish the Curado amnesia and delight do begin to set in |
7.5 |
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Features |
All the Shimano features you want and love.
The series gets more bonus points than even the Chronarch Mg when you
consider the ability to choose from three different retrieve speeds. On its
own the 100D also gets a .5 bump simply because it makes use of a new ultra
thin walled Magnumlite spool....which feels great |
9 |
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Design (Ergonomics) |
Excellent...nearly perfect implementation. It
is lighter than the previous generation Curado and easy to palm. If the
button was cushioned with a thin layer of Septon or the VBS access was
externally adjustable then we would have perfection. (yes, we understand the
patent issues) |
9.5 |
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Application |
A reel for every application and then some.
The Curado 100D is your best all around choice but if you want more power or
more speed their is a bigger Curado with your name on it. The Curado also is
also a better reel to fish saltwater inshore than the Chronarch Mg |
10 |
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Total Score |
9.00 |
Pluses and Minuses:
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Plus Minus |
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J
Redesigned to be a premium offering while Citica takes the place of the
position of the old Curado |
L
Significant increase in price (though it really is much more than just a
normal Curado now) |
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J
Ergonomics are top notch |
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J
Magnumlite spool casts and feels great |
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J Top
notch materials...no more plastic |
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J
Basically a heavier Chronarch Mg |
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J
Multiple reels for different applications |
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Conclusion: So,
did Shimano get it right with the new Curado D? Absolutely, unequivocally…yes.
The 100D offers all the performance of Shimano’s greatest features and some new
tricks including the clever Magnumlite spool. Comfortable to palm, enjoyable to
fish, and with different reels to match three very diverse applications the
Curado series went from utilitarian to lavish when it comes to addressing unique
angler needs. If
you are looking for one Curado with which to do it all, then the 100D will suit
you best, but it is good to know that should your needs require something more
substantial, one of the larger more powerful 200 size Curados stand ready. Shimano’s engineers had
no easy task when they decided to update the Curado, and its very good to see
the company took some risks, even at the expense of keeping the price point
fixed, in order to introduce a more refined…superior product. Is the Curado D an upgrade from years past? Yes.
Would I personally pay the extra 50 dollars for the new solution? I already did,
and would do so again. This reel is so good it is up to the performance level of
some of the previous generation Chronarch’s we have encountered. While the color
of the Curados have
changed over time our familiar green friend from yesteryear is still alive, and
Shimano not only successfully modernized the Curado, but managed to preserve the
heart and soul of the legend in this exceptional multi-talented performer. Once
you get over the additional speculation and start fishing the “D” you too will
understand why this reel has “Editors Choice” written all over it….we did.
