|
|
|
Living up to the legacy? Shimano’s
Curado G (continued)
 
Price & Applications:
Shimano made a conscious effort to make the Curado G more of what it originally
was, a workhorse reel at an aggressive price. Thus the new reel is priced at
$159.99 which is $20.00 less than the Curado E which originally retailed for $199.99,
then later was widely available for $179.99. While
this is a reasonable price those anglers that are fond of the Curado E will now
have to step up to the Chronarch E which is basically a Curado E from
yesteryear, just with a new two-tone finish and a slightly modified drag for
$199.99.
The Chronarch
E is still made in Japan like the Curado E was while the Curado G is made in
Malaysia
There is also the argument
that the Curado G is not as good as the Curado E simply because it is no longer
made in Japan. We have seen numerous reels and rods made by top tier Japanese
brands in factories throughout the APAC region that have exhibited excellent
build quality. That said I do not think the Curado G is as good of a reel as the
previous Curado E version, not because it is made in Malaysia, but because I
prefer the ergonomics and richer feature-set of the previous generation reel.
There is a reason why the Curado E became the Chronarch E, and luckily for
anglers that cherished the previous generation reel it still exists, just in a
new finish and bearing a Chronarch badge. Unfortunately the elegant Chronarch
100D was a casualty through this series-shift and is now phased out, but anglers
that are fond of that reel’s look and feel still have the Core Series to turn
to, and Shimano has recently started shipping the new Core 100MG7.
The reel
features a metal cast control knob
The Curado G is more
affordable and this should appeal to price conscious anglers, and as a
standalone offering is a perfectly respectable reel, certainly much better than
the Caenan. The Curado Series has won many accolades from us in the past, both
the Curado D and E Series took home Editors Choice Awards, the Curado E5 also
ranked first in our low speed cranking shootout. The Curado D reels were rock
solid performers, the Curado E reels were refined and ergonomic, and the Curado
G reels, while good, seem to lack that defining characteristic that made the
preceding reels standouts in their respective categories at the time.
The reel
features a anodized handle that helps resist corrosion
The competition in this
segment is more cutthroat than ever before, and we are seeing brands like Abu
Garcia, Quantum and Okuma coming out with very aggressive offerings, and the
rebirth of brands like Lew’s providing anglers with even more choices. Is the
Curado G going to continue to be the monster reel that it was in the past? Only
time will tell. Why do so many anglers have a problem with this reel? It is not
because it is a bad performer but because the previous reels were such good
performers that they set the bar so high.
Ratings:
(We've
re-calibrated our
ratings standard for
2008 and have
included a key at
the bottom of the
following matrix as
a guide):
|
Shimano
Curado 200G5
Ratings
(?/10)
|
|
Construction/Quality |
Good
build
quality
that is
on par
with the
previous
gen when
it comes
to the
frame
but some
of the
components
have
been
downgraded
including
the drag
star
which is
no
longer
made out
of
aluminum |
7.5 |
|
Performance |
The
Curado G
performed
well
throughout
tests
and was
significantly
better
than the
Caenan
which it
now
shares a
form
factor
with.
The
Curado G
casts
well and
has the
company's
proven
Dartanium
drag
system
but the
titanium
line
guide is
now
gone.
The
previous
generation
reel has
a higher
bearing
count
but the
Curado G
was just
about as
smooth
out of
the box
but
didn't
stay as
smooth
over the
length
of a
season |
8 |
|
Price |
So why
does the
Curado G
have a
8.5
score
here
versus
the
Curado E
which
had a 9
even
though
the new
reel is
20-40
dollars
cheaper?
Because
most
anglers
would
willingly
pay the
extra 20
dollars
for the
previous
reel,
and now
to get
basically
the same
reel
with a
slightly
modified
drag
they
will
need to
ante up
for the Chronarch
E |
8.5 |
|
Features |
The
Curado G
has a
reduced
bearing
count
and no
titanium
line
guide
but
still
manages
to
deliver
plenty
of what
anglers
like
about
Shimano
baitcasters
including
HEG
gearing,
VBS cast
control,
Super
Stopper,
and the
anodized
spool
and
handle
are a
nice
touch
that
gives
the new
reel
some
extra
corrosion
resistance
and a
more
stealthy
look. |
7.5 |
|
Design
(Ergonomics) |
The
Curado
G5 gets
the same
score as
the
previous
model
for
ergonomics.
I
personally
prefer
the
dimensions
and
shape of
the
previous
version
but the
reduced
weight
on the
new
Curado G
is
welcome.
The use
of the
extra
large
Septon
PV power
grips on
all
models
is
excellent |
8 |
|
Application |
Like the
previous
version
the
Curado G
is a
good
choice
for a
wide
range of
applications
ranging
from
freshwater
to
inshore
fishing.
The new
anodized
surfaces
and
composite
drag
star
reduce
components
that
will
corrode
but are
arguably
less
refined,
a little
give and
take
here but
at the
end of
the day
the
Curado G
continues
to be a
great
choice
for
crossover
anglers
that
enjoy
fishing
for
everything
from
bass to
redfish |
8 |
|
Total
Score
|
7.91 |
Ratings
Key:
1 =
terrible
: 2 =
poor : 3
=
lacking
: 4 =
sub par
: 5 =
mediocre
: 6 =
fair : 7
= good :
8 =
great :
9 =
excellent
: 10 =
unbelievable!
For More
Details
of the
updated
rating
system
visit
our
explanation
here |
Pluses and Minuses:
|
Plus
Minus
|
|
+
It may
share
the
shape of
the
Caenan
but
performs
much
better
due to
aluminum
frame
and HEG
gearing |
-
Not a
step up
from the
previous
generation
version |
|
+
Weight
reduction
(.2oz)
from
previous
model |
-
No
titanium
line
guide |
|
+
Lower
price (-
$20)
from
previous
model |
-
Drag
star no
longer
aluminum
(on the
plus
side it
is
lighter
and will
not
corrode) |
|
+
Smooth
dartanium
drag
system
delivers
smooth
and
consistent
drag
pressure |
-
If you
liked
the
ergonomics/refinement
of the
previous
version
you will
need to
ante up
for a
Chronarch
E |
|
+
Very
competitive
with
offerings
from
other
brands
at this
price
point |
|
|
+
Series
is
available
in a
wide
range of
retrieve
ratios |
|
Conclusion:
There are few
baitcasters that are
as instantly
recognizable as a
“green” Curado
Series reel. The new
Curado G may share
the same footprint
as the Caenan but
it looks smaller
thanks to the dark
green finish and
performs much better
with the more rigid
aluminum frame and
higher end
components. It
really isn’t a
surprise that
Shimano went this
route with the
economics factored
in, and as a
standalone reel the
Curado G gets the
job done at a
reasonable price,
but anglers that
have fished the
previous two
generation of reels
may still opt to pay
a little more for
the Chronarch E
series when it comes
time to refresh
their low profile
baitcasters.
The previous
generation Curado D and E reels helped build a legacy, and while the Curado G
may not be a step forward it does deliver a lot of what anglers look for in the
series and still offers plenty of bang for the buck
The bottom line is by
itself the Curado G is a perfectly good reel that can be fished in a wide range
of applications from Bass to Redfish, and because it doesn’t cost an arm and a
leg it makes for a fine workhorse reel, but does it live up to the legacy? No.
Does that mean it will not be successful? Again, no. The Curado G delivers
plenty of “bang for the buck” for anglers seeking an aluminum framed low profile
baitcaster, and while the debate is sure to carry on we hope that down the road
Shimano does to the next Curado what they did with their Stradic FJ series where
they managed to reinvent the reel with advanced new features and yet still
managed to deliver on key elements like ergonomics, refinement and value, making
this series relevant once again.
Looking for a
Shimano Curado G, check out
Tackle Warehouse
 |
|
|
|
