You are under no obligation to believe what we publish in our findings or not. If you'd rather take what a manufacturer is publishing as performance specifications then so be it. We have no vested interest in intentionally publishing mis-information.
Your point of the Pixy being able to handle extreme conditions simply points out the Pixy is an outstanding reel - which it is. The MGX is not the same reel as the Pixy - and we pointed that out as well. However, would you expect your sportscar to be able and handle the same terrain as your 4x4 and would you denounce it if it couldn't simply because you were stupid enough to try and drive it over three foot boulder and it couldn't do it?
And oh, by the way, did you know that in the original marketing flyer for the Pixy Type R here in the States, Daiwa USA published two different max drag specifications in the same flyer? But that's ok, because they're the manufacturer, right?
Cal, Managing Editor "fish with mindfulness : beware the darkside"
I never lab tested the MGX spool but when I had one I fully tightened the drag and pulled on the line and there's no way the reel had 12lb of drag, that's round reel territory. I'm surprised Abu would categorize the MGX as a finesse reel. The spool isn't shallow enough to compete with the pixy and they have the abu ltx for that though I have not fished it or seen it available in the US.
Must be a good review, you got MGX lovers & haters questioning it.
I've got my SHS & can't wait to get it on my(in the mail) Villain & hit the water this spring. I have it tabbed for t-rigs & jigs from 1/4-1/2oz on 15lb fluoro & I'm sure it'll handle it superbly. I know just from playing with it in the backyard, it's a pitching/casting machine, significantly better than anything else in my arsenal. Good to know it can handle heavier stuff in a pinch, although I have plenty of other options set-up for handling those duties. The sideplate coming off isn't an issue for me, as I've never had any sideplates come off any of my Revos, Patriarch, or Lew's or even come close to coming off, I've only had one screw that was slightly loose on one of my STX-HSes.
Thanks for the review, very informative & straight forward.
Good review. When bass fishing, I make hundreds of casts in an outing. All sorts of casts too. Some overhand, some roll casts, sidearm casts, etc. The reel is oriented all sorts of ways, when roll casting for example the screw on the MGX will be facing the water. The fact that screw even exists is a bad design, let alone the possibility of it coming loose and FUBAR'ing the entire braking system. Using loctite on a $300+ reel, yeaaaaaaahhhhhhh..... NO.
Clearly not up to intense casting and retrieving, which is exactly my style of fishing.
I'm surprised the screw holding the side-plate worked loose. I've been using the MGX for 8 months now. Never had this problem of the side plate coming off. Also been using the LTX for 4 months, also no problem with it. And yes, I've taken off the side plate on both these reels several times for re-lubing bearing, don't use loctite on the screw thread.
Funny it is classified as a finesse reel though. Though the reel is finesse size, the depth of the MGX spool doesn't make it a finesse spool. I use the MGX as an all round reel.
The LTX is really the reel finesse reel of this Revo series, it has a real shallow spool suitable for finesse lures. However, I'm not so keen on the magnetic braking system that comes with the LTX, I'd be happier to have a IVCB style system with a shallow spool even though it would make a shallow spool heavier than a same spool with the mag system.
"The Revo MGX may be built with finesse applications in mind, but we think it makes an even better general purpose casting reel." <<< BINGO....!!! agree with you 100% !!!
I was fortunate with my MGX and I tested October last year, I am talking about 14 to 16 lbs but of course they are in the pond, totally different than what Cal had done. Cal had done an extreme test with excellent review.
fantastic reel and good review....can't help but think something was wrong with the drag in the reel y'all tested....the drag in mine is pretty stout....well beyond 5lb surely.
Well, I did some testing myself and here are my results.
My test: I placed my line over an aluminum tube like a pulley for a 4' total distance between spool and Berkley digital scale. I was alone so I improvised, didn't measure drag off the end of a rod.
MGX Reel 1, Test 1: 16lb Shooter Metan Invisible - max drag 7lbs 3oz
MGX Reel 2, Test 1: 19lb Shooter Defier - max drag 6lbs 11oz
I have another reel to be tested. We'll see how that shakes out. I don't know what method Cal used to measure the max drag in the TT labs but I think my method provides an accurate and direct measurement. Regardless, it's closer to the TT review numbers and significantly lower than the manufacturer's specifications.
On another note, the reel in the report wasn't just pushed beyond the intended use, it was pushed to the extreme limits. Would you tow a yacht with a Honda S600? Would you go elephant hunting with a .22? Maybe that's a bit of hyperbole but using 1/2 the cast control and still getting good functionality? That's like limping across the finish line at the 500 with 2 wheels.
On the screw that holds on the cast control side plate; there were a few complaints about that in earlier Revos. Perhaps it's back to the drawing board time on that one.
Anyway, great review.
I understand if the reel tested at 5lbs (even though I think that is low), but in the review "specifications" for the reel it also says 5lbs. Shouldn't the specifications be what is printed on the reel box, which is 12lbs?
Johnny A wrote:Well, I did some testing myself and here are my results.
My test: I placed my line over an aluminum tube like a pulley for a 4' total distance between spool and Berkley digital scale. I was alone so I improvised, didn't measure drag off the end of a rod.
MGX Reel 1, Test 1: 16lb Shooter Metan Invisible - max drag 7lbs 3oz
MGX Reel 2, Test 1: 19lb Shooter Defier - max drag 6lbs 11oz.
To me this says the lighter the line the heavier the drag^
so maybe you do get the 12lb drag with 10-12lb line?
Johnny A wrote:Well, I did some testing myself and here are my results.
My test: I placed my line over an aluminum tube like a pulley for a 4' total distance between spool and Berkley digital scale. I was alone so I improvised, didn't measure drag off the end of a rod.
MGX Reel 1, Test 1: 16lb Shooter Metan Invisible - max drag 7lbs 3oz
MGX Reel 2, Test 1: 19lb Shooter Defier - max drag 6lbs 11oz.
To me this says the lighter the line the heavier the drag^
so maybe you do get the 12lb drag with 10-12lb line?
I'll be putting some 10 lb on my 3rd MGX tomorrow. I'll check it out and post the results.
Johnny A wrote:Well, I did some testing myself and here are my results.
My test: I placed my line over an aluminum tube like a pulley for a 4' total distance between spool and Berkley digital scale. I was alone so I improvised, didn't measure drag off the end of a rod.
MGX Reel 1, Test 1: 16lb Shooter Metan Invisible - max drag 7lbs 3oz
MGX Reel 2, Test 1: 19lb Shooter Defier - max drag 6lbs 11oz.
To me this says the lighter the line the heavier the drag^
so maybe you do get the 12lb drag with 10-12lb line?
Most probably the differences are due to being different reels.
Also, how far you fill the spool can make a difference in the max drag.
