Abu Garcia Refreshes Revo Spinning Lineup and Brings the Speed with a New Rocket Reel

Introduction: ICAST is right around the corner and manufacturers are starting to unveil their new products for the coming season. Abu Garcia's biggest launch at this upcoming show will be a complete refresh of their entire Revo spinning lineup, leveraging technologies and design elements from the flagship Zenon reel and putting them in a compact one piece aluminum frame. Perhaps most exciting in this refreshed Revo lineup is a new Rocket spinning reel that comes with a blistering 7.6:1 gear ratio and is capable of up 43 inches of retrieve per handle turn.

Andrew Wheeler, Director of Freshwater, at Abu Garcia is leading the refresh of the entire Revo series

Revo Refresh: Abu Garcia took a few years to develop the Zenon reel and after the successful reception to the radical design it was just a matter of time before some of those new elements and updated features trickled downstream into the more affordable Revo Series.

The new Revo SP reels will all feature a new asymmetrical body design that is more compact than the previous generation

The Revo series of spinning, and baitcasting, reels represents the mainstream workhorse series for the brand. These are the reels that go head to head with the Shimano Stradic and Daiwa Tatula reels. The current generation of Revo (Revo 2 platform) reels have a very familiar styling with a more traditional frame and swept rear section that looks immediately like an Abu Garcia spinning reel. This same styling is uses on the Zata, Jordan Lee signature, and value-oriented Max reels. The Zenon went in a completely different direction and focused on a more compact frame and also introduced the aggressively styled V-rotor.

The refreshed Revo Series draws inspiration and design elements from the higher-end Zenon spinning reel

The new Revo reels look nothing like the current gen Revo reels but they look a whole lot like the Zenon reels which inspired their design with an a-symmetrical body design that prioritizes functionality in a compact frame.

All new Revo reels get a one piece aluminum frame that is a stronger and yet lighter platform (The most affordable Revo X shown here)

To create a stronger platform without adding weight the Revo reels use a one piece aluminum frame that was inspired by the Zenon's magnesium frame design. This one piece frame surrounds the gearing with a more structurally secure housing which improves both torque and feel under load. This design also enables the body to be very compact and the new Revo reels also feature the V-rotor and ported spool designs which allow for an even smaller and lighter overall package. 

A look at the new gearing found within the new Revo reels. The new larger and ported gear is on the left while gear in the current Revo reels is on the right

Internally the new Revo reels also get a major overhaul and even though the new frames are smaller the main gear will be 17% larger than the current Revo 2 platform reels. This not only improves performance and gear durability but also allows for a wider range of available gear ratios. The ability to package larger gears is the very reason why Abu is able to introduce the new Rocket Spinning reel which will feature the fastest gear speed in the entire lineup, an extreme 7.6:1 ratio that is designed for both power and finesse fishing.

The new Revo Rocket spinning reel is instantly identifiable with a red finish

To experience the new Revo reels and see firsthand what applications the new Rocket could be utilized in I had the opportunity to travel to Lake Champlain in upstate New York to fish with Andrew Wheeler, Director of Freshwater Products and Brad Rutherford, Manager - Marketing and Pro Staff for Pure Fishing, as well as a number of Pure Fishing Pro Staff including B.A.S.S. and Major League Fishing Pro Anglers Justin Atkins and Adrian Avena and target smallmouth bass with the first-run Revo SP reels.

 
Lined up and ready to do battle with Champlain Smallies

Revo vs. Champlain smallies: Smallmouth are absolute monsters when it comes to pulling drag and never giving up. They are not shy to attack baits and especially when they are sitting on beds, all of which made Champlain the perfect location to put the new Revo reels to the test.

Bassmaster Elite Series Angler Justin Atkins fighting a Smallmouth with the new Revo SX

When fishing with Pro Angler Justin Atkins and Brad Rutherford from Abu Garcia we primarily targeted smallmouth in large flats and drop offs, locating fish with live sonar and then targeting them with jigs or drop shot rigs. We fished both the new Revo SX and Revo Rocket side by side to compare the casting, retrieve feel and how they performed in various applications.

The Revo Rocket paired with another new product, Abu Garcia's Pro Series rods. Each of these rods is a signature rod that features styling aligned with the individual Pro's wrap. For example Josh Bertrand's Drop Shot rod here

Prior to coming out to Champlain I had already begun writing up the review on the Maxscent Flat Worms and this trip only reinforced my affinity for these baits. To say we went through a ton of these worms at Champlain is an understatement. It was a flat out massacre (pun intended) and we were constantly scrambling for these baits. This also made it possible for me to really see just how well these reels performed with a fish on the line, and there were many smallies that were caught on the new Revo reels.

Justin Atkins and Brad Rutherford with a double on the Revo SX and Revo Rocket reels