Why do I hate this Revo?

I commented on a thread here a few months ago about hating my Revo. It's about 18 months old. I use 20lb braid. I've had it on a $50 Cabelas rod that is pretty stiff.

My comment before and issue has always been that the thing doesn't want to cast. I need 1oz+ to get any distance with it. I cleaned and lubed it and it felt a little bit better but not enough for me to like the reel. Another member recommended I check the lure weight on the rod. It's 1/4-3/4.

I did some testing around and ended up getting a like new Curado 70XG on a 13 black omen medium light rod. It had super slick 20lb power pro on it from Craigslist. This set up has been AMAZING. It casts like butter.

I got a new Curado 200 because it was on sale. It didn't live up to the 70. So I returned it.

Then I got a 70HG at the Dug Out and it performed almost as well as the XG. I used normal power pro and a cheapish rod. I've got it on a $20 Berkley Cherrywood from Walmart... and it performs pretty well. A $175 reel and a $20 rod.. lol... Sounds crazy but I am satisfied.

I've been using the XG (8.2/1 ratio) for cranking lately because the soft tip 13 omen is better for cranking. Knowing I should really swap out the Revo with the XG. Have the XG on the stiff rod to flip and top water where the high ratio makes sense. I finally did it.

The Revo on the 13 fast rod. It could throw a 6xd ok.. but nothing like the XG could. I worked through just about every spool tension click back I could. The spool is a little wobbly and it's still not even what I'd consider a good caster. Worked it through 3 or 4 different brake configurations too.

The XG on the stiff cabelas rod with now normal 20lb power pro - I got rid of the slick stuff - casted a 1/4 oz buzz bait almost like a dream all weekend. I say almost because I can feel the difference in the normal vs the super slick line. The slick line definitely casts better, as it should but the normal stuff is better all around for the way I use it.

In conclusion... I still hate this Revo. Before I got the Curados I was comparing to a Tara I had been using for the past 10 years and my first casting reel, a cheaper Abu Garcia from walmart. Now at this point, yes, I am comparing it to ~$200 Shimano Curados.... but I HATE it... I want to believe in the poor Revo still.. so I submit it here again... Am I doing something wrong with this thing or should I just admit that I should stick with Shimano???

What model is the Revo? I have about 3 different models and certain ones certainly outperforms others. Slowly been swapping over to Lews and been pretty pleased so far.

It's just a Revo. It was $100 on sale at Academy about a 18 months ago. I think this model has been on sale for as low as $75 more recently.

I understand it's not at the same level as the Curado 70s. From the experience with this ONE Revo - plain Revo, no S, STX or any other suffix - it's crap... While it may last longer and that's not insignificant, a $13 Chinese reel I got to try out has performed better over about the same period of time. Performs - it casts how I expect a casting reel to cast.

Pitch Centrifugal Brake System

I don’t know how familiar you are with the revos but they have a pitch centrifugal brake system. You have to open up the left side of the reel (on a right handed reel) and disengage the pins to back the brakes off. This link should help.

http://s7d5.scene7.com/is/content/p...nuals/REVO LOW PROFILE INSTRUCTION MANUAL.pdf

I completely wore a revo s out in less than two years,never had the casting problem you mention but the gears are completely shot.I have the ABU round reels,C3 & C4 and they preform flawlessly.I wont buy another ABU low profile.I now use 13 fishing products for my low profile reels,very pleased with them.

Mine doesn't have an external brake adjustment. It's also got both types of brakes, centrifugal and pitch, 3 of each. I've tried with several different brake combos. I also tried it with all of the brakes off, which didn't work well on the stiff rod. I guess I can try that on the extra fast....

Matthew Myers said:

I don’t know how familiar you are with the revos but they have a pitch centrifugal brake system. You have to open up the left side of the reel (on a right handed reel) and disengage the pins to back the brakes off. This link should help.

http://s7d5.scene7.com/is/content/p...nuals/REVO LOW PROFILE INSTRUCTION MANUAL.pdf

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I am definitely not buying any more... and sticking with Shimano. I LOVE my Curado 70s. Just trying to figure out how to get some decent use out of the one Revo I have.

fish hawk said:

I completely wore a revo s out in less than two years,never had the casting problem you mention but the gears are completely shot.I have the ABU round reels,C3 & C4 and they preform flawlessly.I wont buy another ABU low profile.I now use 13 fishing products for my low profile reels,very pleased with them.

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TripleXBullies said:

Just trying to figure out how to get some decent use out of the one Revo I have.

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That part is easy - list it on Ebay and let someone else figure it out. Then you can put that money towards a reel you want. I wouldn't doubt that there are plenty of buyers looking for one. I've bought most of my reels that way.

fish hawk said:

I completely wore a revo s out in less than two years,never had the casting problem you mention but the gears are completely shot.I have the ABU round reels,C3 & C4 and they preform flawlessly.I wont buy another ABU low profile.I now use 13 fishing products for my low profile reels,very pleased with them.

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I bought a 13 rod and love that thing. It's a 7ft medium spinning rod.

On another note, I'm having a similar problem as you had with your Revo with a Lew's I just purchased. I've only had it out one day but it wouldn't even put a 1 ounce spinner bait past 50 ft. That was with the cap nearly backed out and the adjust on the left side of the reel set to free. I'm gonna mess with it tonight when I get home and see if I can get anything better out of it but even though I only spent $50 I'm not happy with it right now.

I do like that extra fast 13 rod that my Curado 70XG was originally on. It was an unbelievably comfortable and casting combo. I haven't seen that specific black omen anywhere around for sale though.

Let me know if you figure yours out.

TripleXBullies said:

I do like that extra fast 13 rod that my Curado 70XG was originally on. It was an unbelievably comfortable and casting combo. I haven't seen that specific black omen anywhere around for sale though.

Let me know if you figure yours out.

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That's what mine is. I found it at the Dick's by the mall. The only had a few though.

I hate Dick's... I will never go back in to that store.

I didn't go because I chose to, I went because it was the one closest to me that I could reach in the time I had that day.

I avoid it completely, all the time, 100%.

I would suggest trying a heavier braid, mono, or Fluoro before giving up. 20lb braid is what I throw on a spinning rod because that is the equivalent of about 6lb test mono so far as line diameter goes. That light of line with cause problems on a baitcaster due to how fast it comes off the spool and they way it becomes hard to manage when it gets the slightest backlash because of how deep the loops get into the spool due to the small diameter. I personally prefer shimano, but I do have a single revo and I typically keep a Carolina rig on that rod/reel combo.

I don't have any problem with blacklashes. It just won't cast very far.

I guess I haven't really put mono on it before. I don't like paying the crazy money for flouro decent enough to spool it on flouro. I use braid almost 100%... I guess I should try, like you said, before giving up on it.

Yeah, buy some trilene big game mono. It is cheap and it is decent. I still use it on occasion even in tournament situations. 15lb test is a good all around size for casting and presenting most lures. However, if distance is the only issue and you have backed off the brakes and spool tension and it still won’t cast then there is something wrong with that particular reel and I would send it back to abu garçia or attempt to return it to the store you bought it from. I have an old vintage lews reel and it’s still basically brand new because it never did cast far and something was not right with it internally, so it does happen. You may have got a “lemonâ€�.

Honestly that was what I was thinking before when it was on the stiffer rod - that I got a lemon. Especially after my $13 chineser casts just fine.. Which turns out the rod was NOT the problem. I can cast the Curado 70 perfectly fine on it. While on that rod I cleaned and lubed and then went through the brake combo tests. I guess I should try that again on the fast rod, then mono... Then contact Abu. I doubt Academy will take it back over a year later with no receipt.

Matthew Myers said:

I don’t know how familiar you are with the revos but they have a pitch centrifugal brake system. You have to open up the left side of the reel (on a right handed reel) and disengage the pins to back the brakes off. This link should help.

http://s7d5.scene7.com/is/content/p...nuals/REVO LOW PROFILE INSTRUCTION MANUAL.pdf

Click to expand...

I had the same thing happen with my REVO Winch. I thought it was junk. Took it to a local tackle shop and after we played with it for about 10-15 minutes, they found that brake system. Got those brakes set right now and I love that reel.

.....b/c it's not a Lews.