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The
REVOlution Continues, Abu Garcia’s New Gen 3 Premier Baitcaster
(continued)
  Durability
cont'd:
I haven’t had the opportunity to fish the Premier in saltwater yet but did log
many hours in the brackish water of the California Delta western region. The
Premier’s X2-Craftic alloy frame proved to be very durable, as did the
lightweight C6 carbon sideplates. The reel has also warded off boat rash
admirably, and with the exception of a few cosmetic scratches on the bottom of
the gearbox, the reel looks as good as the day it came out of the box. This new
reel is also capable of handling braided superlines over the long haul thanks to
a titanium coated line guide which improves durability as well as is designed to
reduce friction for all line types.
After a season of use we noticed
some wear on the gearing, but the reel was still smooth and powerful
Our test reel
did lose some smoothness over the course of the season but it wasn’t anything a
little oil was able to address. Most anglers will not need to open this reel up
for maintenance each season but those anglers that desire the same smooth “new
reel” feel will want to apply a little oil each season to the main gear which is
accessible via a service port located at the bottom of the gearbox.
While the reel was not as smooth
as it was when new after a season a few drops of oil helped remedy this quickly
Price &
Applications:
The Abu Garcia Premier is the highest end Generation 3 Revo that is currently
available and retails for $299.99. At this price point the Revo Premier competes
with some higher priced reels from the old guard, reels like the Daiwa Zillion
($319.99) and the Shimano Core 100MG ($349.99) which is constructed out of
magnesium yet weighs .2oz. more than the Revo Premier, and then there are other
competing reels to consider including Quantum’s EXO 200 PT ($269.99) and Lew’s
Team Pro Speed Spool ($299.99).
The Revo Gen 3 reels provide
plenty of spool access
Yes the space
is crowded at the top but the new Revo Premier will definitely be able to garner
plenty of market share given the reel’s rich list of features, excellent
performance and the fact that Abu continues to gain momentum, and fans, with
their Revo Series as a whole. While many competing series reels are getting a
bit long in the tooth, Abu Garcia is aggressively pushing forward in an effort
to cultivate the growing series.
EVA grips are contoured for
comfort
The Revo
Premier is available in two gear ratios, 6.4:1 and 7.1:1 but unfortunately the
ultra-fast 7.1:1 model is only available in right hand retrieve. The Premier is
a great all round performer and even the faster model is robust enough for
serious power fishing and the entire series is refined enough for finesse
fishing with ultralight fluorocarbon line. Though lightweight the reel can also
be used for inshore fishing in a pinch, but if fishing in saltwater is your
primary application you can save yourself 50 dollars by going with the Revo
Inshore model.
The Premier delivers both
lightweight refinement and power all in one compact package
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):
|
Abu
Garcia
7.1:1
Revo
Gen
3
Premier Reel
Ratings
(?/10)
|
|
Construction/Quality |
Great
build
quality
with
use of
alloys
and
carbon
come
together
to form
a reel
that is
compact,
light in
overall
weight
and
still
manages
to feel
very
solid |
9 |
|
Performance |
Excellent
performance
when it
came to
casting
and
retrieves.
Over
time the
reel did
lose
some of
the out
of the
box
smoothness
but it
wasn't
anything
a few
drops of
oil were
not able
to
address.
the drag
system
also
performed
well and
the reel
exhibited
excellent
overall
durability |
8.5 |
|
Price |
Not a
cheap
reel but
priced
inline
with the
competition
and even
cheaper
than
some of
the
older
reels on
the
market
which
weigh
more |
8 |
|
Features |
The 3rd
generation
Revo
Premier
is just
about as
feature
rich as
they
come |
9 |
|
Design
(Ergonomics) |
This is
a tough
one. For
some
anglers
the Revo
3 is a
absolute
boon
when it
comes to
light
weight
and will
find it
is
compact
and easy
to palm,
others
may find
the
enlarged
gearbox
to be
simply
too big
or
awkward
when
palming.
Depending
on how
you palm
your
reels or
address
your rod
outfit
when
casting
and
retrieving
this
reel may
either
be
excellent
or
cumbersome.
Most
anglers
will
find the
reel
quite
good
ergonomically
and
besides
the
colossal
gearbox
the reel
does it
right
when it
comes to
low
weight
and the
inclusion
of
comfortable
EVA
paddle
grips
paired
to the
bent
carbon
fiber
handle |
7 |
|
Application |
The
Premier
can do
it all,
whether
you are
finesse
or power
fishing
this
reel is
able to
manage a
wide
range of
baits
and the
reel has
plenty
of power
combined
with a
quality
drag to
take on
big fish |
9 |
|
Total
Score
|
8.41 |
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
|
|
+
Excellent
materials
used in
construction |
-
7.1:1
reel
only
available
in right
hand
retrieve |
|
+
Powerful
gearing
and
connected
feeling retrieve |
-
Large
gearbox
may be
an
ergonomic
concern
for some
anglers |
|
+
Very low
profile
design |
|
|
+
Lighter
and more
compact
than
previous
generation |
|
|
+
Able to
handle
baits at
both
ends of
the
weight
spectrum |
|
Conclusion:
As it is often the case as product lines become more mature there has to be a
balance between what is kept consistent to tie the new series to past lines and
what is updated. I feel like the Abu Garcia managed to achieve the right balance
with the introduction of the new Gen 3 Revo Series. The fresh reels look like
the previous Revo reels but offer anglers a bevy of advancements, and the
Premier Series now successfully delivers increased refinement and performance in
a more compact and lightweight overall package.
Abu is making yet
another statement
with the Revo
Premier. They want
the high end market
and with reels like
this their fans will
not be disappointed
Like the name
implies this reel is
a “premium”
contender and can
battle with the best
of them not just
when it comes to
specifications on
paper, but out in
the field where
features like the
Infinitely Variable
Centrifugal Brake
(IVCB-IV) system and
the combination of
the X2-Craftic alloy
frame with the C6
carbon sideplates
translates into a
reel that feels both
refined and
powerful, all at the
same time. Abu
Garcia changed
everything when they
showed everyone that
they were serious
about making
reasonably priced
quality baitcasters
and frankly many
competitors were
caught off guard,
quickly giving up
market share in the
mid-range segment.
With reels like the
MGX and the new Gen
3 Revo Premier Abu
is making yet
another statement…
they want to garner
the high end market
too. Keep punching
out quality reels
like the Premier and
they will do just
that.
Looking for the Abu
Garcia REVO Premier
Generation 3
baitcaster?
Try
Tackle Warehouse
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