HOME | TACKLETOUR FORUMS  | EDITOR'S CHOICE | REVIEW ARCHIVE | ABOUT US | 

Reels | Rods | Lures | SwimbaitsBFS Lines | Term. Tackle | Tools | Storage | Apparel | Enthusiast | Watercraft | Interviews | Events | Autopsy


 


 

 


Enthusiast Review

 

Shimano Re-Ignites Their Shining Star : The 2015 Aldebaran (continued)

 

Features: On our list of standard features, the 2015 Aldebaran has the afore mentioned externally adjustable brakes, no bearing on the levelwind, two bearings per handle knob, and micro click adjustments on the drag only. It comes with no reel cover but is supplied with a vial of oil and an extra set of brakes that we assume are even lighter than those installed on the spool as stock.


Two bearings per knob.

 

Features Ratings for Shimano 2015 Aldebaran 50/51

Ext Brake Adjust? (1-2)
Levelwind Bearing (1-2)
Knob Bearings (1-3)
Micro Clicks (1-3)
Reel Cover (1-2)
Oil (1-2)
Total
Possible
Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
2
1
2
2
1
2
10
14
7.14


And the new knob design is super comfortable to grasp.

Design & Ergonomics: The Aldebaran is a 50 sized reel so it's super easy to palm, but what makes it even more comfortable to fish with all day long is the fact it only weighs 4.7 ounces! It's as if you barely have anything on your fishing rod when using this reel. It's really quite extraordinary. The knobs on this reel are a new design for Shimano and are really comfortable to grasp. My only real complaint in this section is it's not that fun to break down because the screws to remove the gear-side sideplate are on the inside of the reel, so you have to remove the spool and flip the reel around back and forth to loosen the screws and then remove the sideplate.


Disassembly may be necessary occasionally, but proceed carefully.

Design & Ergonomics Ratings for Shimano 2015 Aldebaran 50/51

Handle Length (1-5)
Knobs (1-5)
Palming (1-5)
Overall Weight (1-5)
Ease of Breakdown (1-5)
Total
Possible
Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
4
5
5
5
3
22
25
8.8


Don't let its size fool you, this is a good general purpose reel.

Application: The Aldebaran is intended as more of a finesse type reel but you can rely upon this reel for general purpose applications. The only thing you have to be mindful of is line capacity, but a good mixture of braid and leaders can mitigate a lot of this. The only thing I wouldn't recommend with this reel, of course, is throwing big baits with it. Otherwise, fish it as you would any other reel or spool it with some light line, change out the brakes, mount it on a BFS rod, and declare What the Finesse!

 

Application Ratings for Shimano 2015 Aldebaran 50/51

Horizontal (1-5)
Vertical (1-5)
Finesse (1-5)
Big Baits (1-5)
Topwater (1-5)
Total
Possible
Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
4
5
5
1
4
19
25
7.6

 

Ratings:

Shimano 2015 Aldebaran 50/51 Ratings (?/10)

Construction/Quality Near perfect out of the box 9.75
Performance Really fun reel to fish all day 9.6
Price Super affordable by Enthusiast/JDM standards, pricey by all others 7
Features Externally adjustable centrifugal brakes thanks to Shimano's SVS Infinity system 7.14
Design (Ergonomics) Super light and comfortable to palm 8.8
Application If 50 sized reels don't scare you, a good general purpose reel 7.6

Total Score

8.32
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
+ Super super light weight - Domestic price is quite a bit higher than purchasing from overseas
+ A good general purpose reel - not just for finesse! - Warranty support in North America applies only to reels purchased through authorized, North American dealers
+ Available Domestically!!  


That smile can only mean one thing.. Editor's Choice Award!

Conclusion: Line capacity is over rated. I really enjoy fishing with "50" sized reels. This little reel is especially fun because it doesn't even feel like you have a reel mounted on the rod it's so light! Yet, it packs a powerful punch with a super smooth drag. Throw Shimano's SVS Infinity braking system on top of it all and you have the makings of a reel that will have you smiling from ear to ear every time you make a cast. Such enthusiasm can mean only one of two things here at TackleTour and for Shimano's 2015 Aldebaran it means, this Editor's Choice!!

 

Looking for a 2015 Shimano Aldebaran 50/51? Try one of these reputable sources!

 

TackleWarehouse : Hi's Tackle Box Shop :

Japan Tackle (no US warranty)

 

 

   

Google
  Web
  TackleTour

 

 

 
 





 

 



Copyright 2000-2024 TackleTour LLC All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy information