Stradic FI (new 2008 model)

[Lard_Bass]

Anyone have any field tests on this new reel. I was at BPS and boy were they sweet looking and smooth.

The salesperson was pretty well versed on the reel. Several big improvements he said were 1. waterproof drag 2. new bevel lip on spool will help casting and line lay 3. and new propulsion system (bearings are hidden now, you don't see them when you pull the handle out) makes it smoother and durable.

Specs on 2500 FI

Line Capacity: 140/8

Gear ratio: 6.0:1

Bearings: 5+1

Max Drag: 15 lb

Weight: 9.5 oz (the MG FB weighs 9.0 oz, I was shocked how light this was).

Any reviews would be appreciated.

[wps1999]

I have a 2500FI and i love it. It is really smooth and can cast it out there pretty far with the new beveled spool. Just spool it up with some yo zuri ultra soft and you are set.

[Jig Man]

I don't have it but sure am glad that they made it 'cause I just bought 4 of the 2500s on closeout at BPS.  I have some older 2000s and the 2500 out shines them.  I'll bet the new ones are awesome because Shimano just keeps getting better and better.

[RoLo]

In my view, the best value in the Shimano house is the Symetre.

Shimano had no choice but to upgrade the Stradic They must have read my earlier critique

Stradic used to weigh 0.2 oz more than the cheaper Symetre

Stradic had a maximum drag (12lb) that was 20% less than the cheaper Symetre (15lb)

But Shimano didn't have to raise the price, because that only widens the disparity.

Here's what we're looking at:

> Symetre weighs exactly the same as the New Stradic 9.5 oz

> Symetre has the same number of ball bearings       4

> Symetre has the same maximum drag as the New Stradic 15 lb

> Symetre costs HALF the price       $80 vs. $160

Roger

[Yodie]

Wow...RoLo just put to words what I have been thinking since I was shopping for a good spinnin reel last spring. what his last post states is what I found out too and went with the Symetre and couldnt be happier. Recentl I bought a 2006 Stradic 1000 and can see in no way how it is any better than my Symetre.

[RoLo]

Wow...RoLo just put to words what I have been thinking since I was shopping for a good spinnin reel last spring. what his last post states is what I found out too and went with the Symetre and couldnt be happier. Recentl I bought a 2006 Stradic 1000 and can see in no way how it is any better than my Symetre.

Without hands-on experience with both Stradic and Symetre, I would never dare to make that post.

I realize that just like love, there are other reel properties than cannot be put into words.

In retrospect, I feel a little silly owning so many Stradics because they feel no different than my Symetres (both are great)

If anything I'd give Symetre the edge. To give you an idea how similar these reels are, my wife "slightly" prefers the Stradic

to the Symetre, but in fairness to symetre she's comparing the 2500 to the 4000 which gets into a balance issue, another ballgame.

Roger

[Lard_Bass]

Thanks for all the insight Rolo. One point to clarify though, the New Stradic has 5 BB not 4.

According the guy I talked to at BPS, there were some major improvements in this new stradic which caught my eye. I compared the product descriptions because the guy I talked to at BPS said the new Stradics are closer to the Stellas than the Symetres. The older Stradics (FH and lower were much closer to the Symetres) according to him. From looking at the product description, this sales rep seemed to be right (refreshing to talk to someone who is actually knowledgeable).

1. Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement. It uses a cold-forged aluminum drive gear and special hardened brass pinion gear that's more durable than all-stainless-steel drivetrains with a smoothness that will last longer. (per product descriptions, found in Stella as well NOT Symetre, Symetre uses Fluid Drive II)

2. The all-new Propulsion Line Management System uses a propulsion spool, SR one-piece bail wire, Power Roller III, redesigned bail trip mechanism and S-arm cam. Those five components work together to provide longer, more accurate casts with less effort while drastically reducing the chance of backlash, wind knots or tangles. (per product descriptions, found in Stella as well NOT Symetre, Symetre usess Dyna-Balance & Power Roller II)

3. The Aerowrap II Oscillation worm gear system plays into that by reducing friction and increasing efficiency for longer, more accurate casts. (per product description, found in Stella as well not Symetre)

4. Shielded Anti-Rust Bearings (S A-RB®) use either rubber or stainless steel shields to keep water and dirt from building up. (per product descriptions, found in BOTH Stella and Symetre as well)

5. The machined-aluminum handle with Septon handle grips has a direct-drive mechanism (threaded directly into the drive gear) to eliminate play and increase transmission of power. (The BPS guy made a big deal about this new enhancement. The Symetre does not have this but I believe the Stella does).

4. A waterproof drag prevents dirt and water intrusion (per product description, Stella has this. I could not find if Symetre has this.  According to the guy at BPS, the new Stradic can definitely be used on saltwater now).

As you stated, Shimano had no choice but to upgrade the Stradic. I think the above comparison shows that. They put in some components that were used in their Stella line). I think the question now is does it perform as an upgraded reel or not.

[Big T]

Not to sound smart of anything but the guys fishing around here on the coast have been using Stradics for saltwater for years, as a matter of fact  I have two Symtre 4000's that I use for inshore applications and I have never had any issues with them. So the BPS guy really is not doing anything but trying to push the new Stradic.

Just my $.02

Big T

[Lard_Bass]

The same guy at BPS said that the most of the Shimanos were fine for saltwater but noted that the waterproof drag was a nice enhancement. He noted that other manufacturers have a saltwater reel version but Shimano, most of the time, can cross over easily.

I am not hear to defend the new Stradic but to see if the new enhancements are noticeable. Stradics and Symetres have been recommended on these forums for a long time. I just wondered if the New Stradic was even better than the last one and worth the price.

[Tokyo Tony]

I was at Cabela's last night looking at the new and old Stradic.  The differences have already been highlighted above, but I have to say that the new Stradic is absolutely beautiful looking.  I love the new spool, and it feels like a dream.  I'll probably end up getting one before next spring.  Another reel that impressed me was the Saros, a new Shimano reel.  It seems like the exact same thing as the Stradic, but 30 bucks less.  

And wps1999 - I'm definitely gonna spool that baby up with #6 Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultrasoft.  Never tried that line but lookin' forward to it.

[Tokyo Tony]

By the way, the older model was on sale for 100 bucks, and that would have been impossible to pass up if they had any 2500's left, which is the size I'm lookin' for.

[Lard_Bass]

I was at Cabela's last night looking at the new and old Stradic. The differences have already been highlighted above, but I have to say that the new Stradic is absolutely beautiful looking. I love the new spool, and it feels like a dream. I'll probably end up getting one before next spring. Another reel that impressed me was the Saros, a new Shimano reel. It seems like the exact same thing as the Stradic, but 30 bucks less.

And wps1999 - I'm definitely gonna spool that baby up with #6 Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultrasoft. Never tried that line but lookin' forward to it.

I haven't seen a Saros yet. The only thing I read over on Tackletour is that the Saros and Symetre share frames (this is according to a Shimano product manager). The Saros does NOT have the Aero Wrap 2 oscillation system. The Saros uses a gear and the Stradic uses a worm gear/pawl design. Also the drag is not waterproof.

The product manager also said the they added the Paladin spool and line management system to the Saros, Stradic, Sustain, and Stella to decrease line twist and to improve performance over the Symetre. Looks like Shimano realized that they created reels closer to performance to the mid-range Symetre and now trying to make reels closer to the higher end Stella. From a business perspective, it makes sense because it allows them to raise their price points.  Another product manager said the big difference is the Paladin system which should outperform the Symetre in terms of performance and durability.

Also, Amen to the Yo-Zuri Ultrasoft line. I started using it this year and have been quite happy. I use the 4# (for trout) and 6# (for everything else). I recently caught a 4lb snook on the 4# and the line didn't even give signs of snapping. I had a hard time pulling the snook up over a small wall from where I was shore fishing and the line never hinted at snapping. I went on catching several more LM bass on the same lure and line.

[Tokyo Tony]

I haven't seen a Saros yet. The only thing I read over on Tackletour is that the Saros and Symetre share frames (this is according to a Shimano product manager). The Saros does NOT have the Aero Wrap 2 oscillation system. The Saros uses a gear and the Stradic uses a worm gear/pawl design. Also the drag is not waterproof.

The product manager also said the they added the Paladin spool and line management system to the Saros, Stradic, Sustain, and Stella to decrease line twist and to improve performance over the Symetre. Looks like Shimano realized that they created reels closer to performance to the mid-range Symetre and now trying to make reels closer to the higher end Stella. From a business perspective, it makes sense because it allows them to raise their price points. Another product manager said the big difference is the Paladin system which should outperform the Symetre in terms of performance and durability.

Also, Amen to the Yo-Zuri Ultrasoft line. I started using it this year and have been quite happy. I use the 4# (for trout) and 6# (for everything else). I recently caught a 4lb snook on the 4# and the line didn't even give signs of snapping. I had a hard time pulling the snook up over a small wall from where I was shore fishing and the line never hinted at snapping. I went on catching several more LM bass on the same lure and line.

Great info Lard_Bass - I guess I'll splurge the extra 30 bucks for a Stradic - it sounds like it's worth it, even just for the waterproof drag.

[Beav]

First time posting!!! Hurrayyy!! been a voyeur for quite sometime!Thought I could lend some experience?? I have 3 symetry. The bail I believe on all 3 have broke at the bend and shimano has sent me new bails to replace.I have recently purchased the new stradic fi and feel its a much smoother reel and components are premium to the symetry! I also have a 5 yr old sustain,which I find the fi more comparable to if not better.I hope this helps? This site has been very helpful to me in my interests!! :

[FishTank]

I went shopping today to get rid of the giftcards that were burning a hole in my pocket and came home with a new 2008 Shimano Stardic 2500FI.  Before I purchased it I explored all my options at both Dick's and Gander Mountain.  After looking at several, I came to the conclusion that the new Stradic was the best bang for the buck.  It is as smooth if not smoother than my Sustain and the biggest difference I have noticed so far is how well the reel is balanced.  I had a chance to play with an older Stella, Pflueger Supreme and a Quantum Energy pti-a 20 and when you crank all these reels at a high speed they tend to wobble.  The new Stradic was the best of all the ones I looked at when came to this wobble effect.  It also felt almost as smooth as the Stella.  

It did cast it a few times today and compared to my older Stradic 2500, it cast farther and it is smoother on the retrieve.  The real test won't come until spring, when I can actually put it through a whole day of fishing.

[Lard_Bass]

Welcome aboard Beav!

Fish Tank, congrats.  I got some giftcards burning a hole too!  I was thinking of picking up the Stradic FI but going to wait for a coupon deal at Dicks Sporting Goods.  Also, I am waiting to hear more reviews on it.  Keep us posted on your new purchase.