new abu mgx is only 4.9oz.

[fishingandfords]

aldebaran BFS is 5.2

And what's the going price on that reel?

under 400 now

[jeb]

I am not a big fan of light weight reel. Any reel lower than 5.5oz feels like paper to me.

What other reels less than 5.5 ounces that you've owned/used?

pixy, steez.

According to TT reviews, the Steez is 5.5oz and the Pixy is 5.7 or 5.8, depending on model. The Core 50 might be 5.4oz, but I'm not aware of any USDM reels currently lighter than that.

aldebaran BFS is 5.2

Not familiar with it, so did some searching, and the TT review on it has it at 5.6oz
http://www.tackletour.com/reviewshimanoaldebaran.html

But it was not a general question. The OP seemed to be saying he'd fished with reels lighter than 5.5oz and they felt "like paper". So I was asking him specifically what reels those were, as I was curious.

[bh54lf]

at some point these reels will be too light to balance well....unless they start adding weight to the but end of rods, but then you are back to square one

[dragon1]

at some point these reels will be too light to balance well....unless they start adding weight to the but end of rods, but then you are back to square one

I think that we have been there for some time already in regards to true "usable lightness" of most FW bass reels.

If the trend for rods were that the general public and manufacturers were going with shorter rods, then I can see a reason for breaking the 6-7oz barrier...the trend has been going with longer and longer rods the last couple of decades IMO.

[StarTzar]

My hats off the Abu for pushing the envelope in terms of light weight casting reels. I think you will see other companies follow the trend. If its light, smooth, and feels rigid than what's the downside? If Shimano and Daiwa can have flagship reels than why can't Abu?

Because Shimano and or Daiwa have to be first. If there not, then it can't be good.

[dragon1]

My hats off the Abu for pushing the envelope in terms of light weight casting reels. I think you will see other companies follow the trend. If its light, smooth, and feels rigid than what's the downside? If Shimano and Daiwa can have flagship reels than why can't Abu?

Because Shimano and or Daiwa have to be first. If there not, then it can't be good.

For most things bass fishing Abu Sweden was already FIRST long before Daiwa or Shimano...since the 80s however, many innovations have been brought about by Daiwa and Shimano for FW, especially in pursuit of BASS. The 5oz barrier has otherwise been broken long ago by other reel companies, including a mini round reel by Daiwa (and likely others)...so this sub 5oz is NOT a first.

This said, nearly ALL of the innovations we see today are rehashed, altered or modified engineering designs that have been around since the late 1800s to early 1900s.

ROG, if he were willing to take part in such silly posts as this one, could likely school us all as to much more in-depth fishing manufacturing history.

BTW...top shelf Abu reels are known as (edited as I wanted to add more than one) "Ambassadeurs", "Morrums", "Suveran", "Cardinal"...

[suprteck]

According to TT reviews, the Steez is 5.5oz and the Pixy is 5.7 or 5.8, depending on model. The Core 50 might be 5.4oz, but I'm not aware of any USDM reels currently lighter than that.[/quote]
aldebaran BFS is 5.2[/quote]
Not familiar with it, so did some searching, and the TT review on it has it at 5.6oz
http://www.tackletour.com/reviewshimanoaldebaran.html

But it was not a general question. The OP seemed to be saying he'd fished with reels lighter than 5.5oz and they felt "like paper". So I was asking him specifically what reels those were, as I was curious.[/quote]

That review is for the old aldebaran, the Alderbaran BFS is the newest model

[fishingandfords]