ABU Garcia’s Revo ALX Theta is a premium Japanese-designed spin reel purpose-built for the saltwater.
I’ve been using the Revo ALX over the past few months in the estuaries chasing bream, flatties, EPs and whiting. It’s also made a fantastic freshwater reel for bass and trout…
I opted for a 2000 size reel and matched it to Abu’s Salty Stage KRX. It’s a lightweight and responsive outfit. Having a smooth reel that casts like a bullet is perfect for using ultralight lures. It casts effortlessly and thanks to its Duracarbon handle, it’s also a very lightweight reel.
A big drawcard of the ALX, besides its smoothness, is the Salt Shield Bearings on the inner pinion gear. Plus, there’s a Water Shield Carbon Matrix Drag System. It’s obvious Abu has designed this reel to be resilient around saltwater. Needless to say, you still need to take care of your gear after using in the saltwater, but the innovation in reels such as the ALX ensure years of trouble free fishing with these vulnerable parts protected.
Altogether there are 7+1 stainless steel HPCR ball bearings. The reel is constructed from a one piece Durametal and the aforementioned carbon handle and EVA knob.
Abu Garcia has used a 2-way drag with “light” and “tough” settings. I’ve caught a good variety of estuary species on the ALX and found the drag to be smooth and trouble-free, a handy feature when using light braid and leader. There’s an “always on anti-reverse”, meaning Abu has done away with the anti-reverse switch; that’s one less thing to go wrong.
You’d expect a reel of this calibre to have a hefty price tag. The good news is the Revo ALX Theta starts at $319 for the smallest 1000 size. Given the quality of the components and its promise of longevity, that’s good value if you’re in the market for a new premium estuary spin reel.
Find out more about Abu Garcia’s Revo ALX Theta and the company’s other products at abugarcia-fishing.com.au
