Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4

tywithay · Post by **tywithay** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 12:55 pm

I've owned a Ci4 2500, FJ2500, and a Sustain 3000FG. The Sustain is the better reel of those. The Stella is in a class all it's own, but also double the price of a Sustain. The FJ is right on the heels of the Sustain as well and a better overall value, in my opinion. If I had the choice I'd take a Stella all day long. If you find a Sustain for under 250, go with that. If you're just looking for the best all around reel for your money, Stradic FJ is the best choice. The Ci4 is a nice reel but time has caught up with it now. If they make a new one this year with Ci4+ and add X-ship then it would definitely be worth looking at.

dragon1 · Post by **dragon1** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 1:56 pm

Rfraz wrote:CI4 all the way. I have owned both and I couldn't tell much of a difference. Particularly not for the money!

I would venture to guess that your hands are much more insulated than the majority of others on this forum then.

Fishing4Fun · Post by **Fishing4Fun** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 7:56 pm

tywithay wrote:I've owned a Ci4 2500, FJ2500, and a Sustain 3000FG. The Sustain is the better reel of those. The Stella is in a class all it's own, but also double the price of a Sustain. The FJ is right on the heels of the Sustain as well and a better overall value, in my opinion. If I had the choice I'd take a Stella all day long. If you find a Sustain for under 250, go with that. If you're just looking for the best all around reel for your money, Stradic FJ is the best choice. The Ci4 is a nice reel but time has caught up with it now. If they make a new one this year with Ci4+ and add X-ship then it would definitely be worth looking at.

Very well stated!

cndbasshunter · Post by **cndbasshunter** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 5:46 am

I just picked up a Vanquish last night...it's my first JDM spinning and I am surprised at how much smoother and refined it is compared to my existing spinning reels. It's very well constructed, feels like a 911 turbo S! Light, powerful and tons engineering. Can easily be considered for the best reel you can buy. I got a new sustain fg and no comparison. The Sustain FG is more like a BMW 335i. The stradic ci4 I had is more like a 135i. Haha.

spike62 · Post by **spike62** » Tue Apr 02, 2013 5:14 am

I've got a Stella 3000FE and a Sutain FG 4000 and I can tell you there's daylight between those two let alone a Stradic C14. That being said I would have been very very happy with the Sustain if I had never found TT

Quite seriously, and I have had a lot of "good" spinning reels, the Sustain is probably the best bang for your buck in any thing other than really light (1000 size) spinning gear. Just my opinion....

skeletor6 · Post by **skeletor6** » Tue Apr 02, 2013 5:40 am

JJf3 wrote:stella or stradic ci4 which one would you choose and why ? is the stella worth the money or should i just go for the stradic ?

Not even a fair comparison. The stella is on its own platitude with performance. Your best bet in the under $200 range is not the ci4. The stradic FJ has many more features and is a more powerful and smoother operating reel. It depends on how much $ you really want to spend on a reel. The stella is fantastic and if your looking for the best regardless of cost its the way to go. If measuring price to performance, there is a point of diminishing returns after a certain price point. If you can afford it I would say go for it, but it might ruin your perception on every other reel out there. Not kidding

spike62 · Post by **spike62** » Tue Apr 02, 2013 5:50 am

skeletor6 wrote:
JJf3 wrote:stella or stradic ci4 which one would you choose and why ? is the stella worth the money or should i just go for the stradic ?
Not even a fair comparison. The stella is on its own platitude with performance. Your best bet in the under $200 range is not the ci4. The stradic FJ has many more features and is a more powerful and smoother operating reel. It depends on how much $ you really want to spend on a reel. The stella is fantastic and if your looking for the best regardless of cost its the way to go. If measuring price to performance, there is a point of diminishing returns after a certain price point. If you can afford it I would say go for it, but it might ruin your perception on every other reel out there. Not kidding

x2 You're telling me you're not kidding!

robchik04 · Post by **robchik04** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 1:40 pm

I'd get a sustain. The drag is superior to the ci4. though not as light weight... it's super balanced and smooth.

Bassmar · Post by **Bassmar** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 10:45 pm

I have two CI4 2500 Stradics and have used them regularly for the past two years. My only gripe is the foam knob. If you grip it too hard then the red screw head on the end of the knob digs into your thumb. Otherwise they are great reels. I will be getting two Stellas soon and expect that these reels will be in a class of their own. From all I have heard and read I do not think that one can fairly compare these two reels.

bassninja · Post by **bassninja** » Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:33 am

Sustain FG could be a happy medium. Or you can look to JDM which has a lot more options @ $200 and up.

miracleJim · Post by **miracleJim** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:31 pm

I can afford a Stella or any JDM reel but in my personal (and humble) opinion, anything over $300 is too much. The innards are mostly the same and it only comes down to a bearing or two, the looks, and tenths of ounces in weight.

If the more expensive reels had other electronic gizmos or made out of very exotic materials then maybe, but to me, the name Stella is synonymous not only to refinement, but it is renowned mostly due to its snob factor. But that's just me.

dragon1 · Post by **dragon1** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:14 pm

Hmmm...I don't necessarily know if the internals and materials of the gears, etc. in a Stella is shared with the Sustain and Stradic? Maybe among some of the JDMs, but USDM?

"Snob factor" aside...I very rarely lose much money on a high end reel after many years of use...and with nearly all of my customs or ltd edtn reels, I have made money on nearly every single one when I sell.

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:35 pm

dragon1 wrote:Hmmm...I don't necessarily know if the internals and materials of the gears, etc. in a Stella is shared with the Sustain and Stradic? Maybe among some of the JDMs, but USDM?

I agree with dragon, the Stella is a unique beast.
Normal Shimano= Brass pinion on brass main gear.
Stradic/Sustain= Brass pinion on forged aluminum main gear.
Stella= Stainless Pinion on forged aluminum main gear.

Not to mention the unique spool coating it receives with titanium spool lip, and it is made of Magnesium and unicorn tears. Plus 14 S A-RB to top it off. It's special ok? And don't say bearings don't matter, I am a the first to criticize people bragging about bearing count but I can't ignore it. 14 BEARINGS ER MER GERD!

Anyone notice that 3 pages in the original poster is nowhere to be seen?

Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4

Re: Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4

Re: Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4

Re: Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4

Re: Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4

Re: Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4

Re: Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4

Re: Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4

Re: Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4

Re: Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4

Re: Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4

Re: Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4

Re: Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4

Re: Shimano Stella or Stradic ci4