Data on Spools: Shimano Vanford 500F, C2000S, 2500S & Observations.

How small is your rod and how light is your line? It's not about the size of your tackle, but how you work it. Come share your Ultralight and Bait Finesse System (BFS) fishing success here!
Post Reply
ultralight
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 1336
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2004 2:32 pm

Data on Spools: Shimano Vanford 500F, C2000S, 2500S & Observations.

Post by ultralight » Sat Jan 23, 2021 9:24 pm

This belongs to the category of pure curiosity for me. Not sure if there's much utility for most people but some data on the Vanford for any who may be interested.

Well, I just got in three Vanford in the 500, C2000S, and 2500S to measure and satisfy my curiosity. The 1000 was out of stock or I would have gotten that too. Not sure if I'll keep any but at least I wanted to see what they are like compared to the Daiwa 1003s that I run.

Here are some stats on the spools for 500, C2000S, and 2500S respectively in millimeters (mm).

Spool Front Edge diameter: 39.55 - 43.00 - 47.13

Spool inner edge where the line fills up to: 36.03 - 40.89 - 44.36.

Spool Stroke as measured at the highest point line is to be filled: 9.19 - 14.17 - 18.53

Interesting Notes (including some anomalies):

1. All three have different sized front tapered lips. The 500 and 2500S are similar, but the 500 is actually slightly larger lip. Go figure. And the C2000S lip is actually about half the size of the 500 and 2500S by visual estimation. This is a surprise as I would have expected the lips to all be the same size - OR the larger sizes having the larger lip. I'm not sure if the lip really does anything.

2. If you do not include the tapered lip for the Shimano, the Daiwa 1003 is virtually identical to the C2000S. The Daiwa has just a touch longer stroke and a touch smaller diameter, by about 0.1 to 0.2 mm, which is negligible.

The C2000S and 2500S both state 'long spool' on the wrap around the spool. However, the C2000S is not at all a longer stroke compared to the Daiwa 1003, so perhaps Shimano had a shorter stroke than the Daiwa in the past? The 2500S though does have a very long stroke compared to other 2500 class reels that I know.

I am curious if anyone has the Vanford 1000 and would not mind measuring the diameter of the outermost front edge lip. I've read some say they are identical. Also read others that say that the 2000 is larger in diameter. The 1000 and C2000S supposedly use the exact same body.

3. The 500 is clearly different from the 2000 and 25000 in design.

a. Only the 500 has an anti-reverse switch so that it can be locked in one direction or turn both directions. The two larger ones have no switch and so only turn in one direction.

b. The drag clicker on the 500 is a different design from the larger ones. It clicks in both directions. The larger ones only click in the direction that line would be pulled out. Interesting.

4. The 500 should be great for UL braided line, but I've never used a spool this small for flouro or mono so not sure what I think of that. Also, given how lightweight this is, it would be ideal as a part of a uber lightweight rig...say paired with a 5"6" rod weighing sub .7 oz for a sub 5.7oz rig.

5. I also got the 2500S because its long stroke and large diameter should be better for line management of stiffer lines such as Alphahawk's favorite Ester line. The spool is quite shallow indeed, which is ideal for UL applications. I believe it still has the same type of drag material for the 500 and 2000 so it is suited for UL fine drag control. I have read that the 2500 does cast a bit further than the smaller units.

6. I personally am not sure if the 'lip really aids in casting distance. It seems to me that it will only add a bit of friction as the line leaves the spool as I fill my 1003s without a lip to about the edge of the lip so the line is not touching any lip during the cast. (Hard to explain but the line is a bit of a dome-shaped on the 1003, so it does not unravel though loaded virtually right up to the edge.)
Last edited by ultralight on Sun Jan 24, 2021 9:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

ultralight
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 1336
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2004 2:32 pm

Re: Data on Spools: Shimano Vanford 500F, C2000S, 2500S & Observations.

Post by ultralight » Sun Jan 24, 2021 5:31 pm

Some one posted in a different forum that the 1000 is 40mm at the outer edge of the lip. So the C200S is definitely a larger diameter spool. And this makes the 500 size at 39.55mm almost identical in diameter. The major difference between the 500 and 100 then is about 1/3 shorter stroke. This is interesting to me as I would have expected there to be a greater difference between the 500 and 1000 diameter.

User avatar
slipperybob
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 1312
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:42 am
Location: Lil'Can

Re: Data on Spools: Shimano Vanford 500F, C2000S, 2500S & Observations.

Post by slipperybob » Sat Feb 06, 2021 10:33 pm

Thanks for the spool measurements. This is useful information.
slip bobbing is the laziest way to fish

ultralight
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 1336
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2004 2:32 pm

Re: Data on Spools: Shimano Vanford 500F, C2000S, 2500S & Observations.

Post by ultralight » Sun Feb 07, 2021 9:43 am

slipperybob, you are welcome. I am glad that at least one person found the data helpful. (I did not really need these reels but figure I'd get them just so I can get definitive measurements myself.)

User avatar
slipperybob
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 1312
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:42 am
Location: Lil'Can

Re: Data on Spools: Shimano Vanford 500F, C2000S, 2500S & Observations.

Post by slipperybob » Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:18 pm

And another thing is how Shimano varies the spool sizes when the change between each generation. I sort of went to measure my spools on several 1000 size Stradics. Just eyeballing with a ruler. Most notable is the spool lip size and the actual change in the stroke of the spool width. The old Stradic FG is very heavy in weight as a reel but the long spool stroke and overall reel makes them a very robust reel for it's category size.

Shimano spool and handle comparison:
Spool series --- spool width - spool base - spool lip - spool arbor - handle length radius
Stradic 1000FG - 14 mm - 40 mm - 38 mm - 25 mm - handle 50 mm
Stradic 1000FH - 13 mm - 40 mm - 38 mm - 25 mm - handle 50 mm
Stradic 1000FI - 12.5 mm - 40 mm - 40 mm - 25 mm - handle 40 mm
Stradic 1000MgFB - 12.5 mm - 39 mm - 39 mm - 25 mm - handle 40 mm
STCi4+ 1000HGFB - 13 mm - 41 mm - 42 mm - 31 mm - handle 40 mm
Sustain 1000FE - 12.5 mm - 39 mm - 39 mm - 25 mm - handle 40 mm
Symetre 750FI – 11.5 mm - 40 mm - 36 mm - 25 mm - handle 40 mm
Symetre 500FJ – 9.5 mm - 36 mm - 36 mm - unknown - handle 40 mm

Pfleuger
Spool series ---- spool width - spool base - spool lip - spool arbor - handle length radius
President 6720 - 9 mm (7mm @arbor) - 36 mm - 35 mm - 20 mm - handle 50 mm
President 6725 - 14 mm (9mm @arbor) - 38 mm - 36 mm - 24 mm - handle 55 mm
slip bobbing is the laziest way to fish

ultralight
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 1336
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2004 2:32 pm

Re: Data on Spools: Shimano Vanford 500F, C2000S, 2500S & Observations.

Post by ultralight » Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:56 pm

Fascinating. I wonder if Daiwa 1000 sizes also change through the years. Thanks for the data.

So it looks like the Vanford 2000 really is larger than the 1000, except for HGFB where it ties.

User avatar
slipperybob
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 1312
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:42 am
Location: Lil'Can

Re: Data on Spools: Shimano Vanford 500F, C2000S, 2500S & Observations.

Post by slipperybob » Wed Feb 10, 2021 8:55 am

Also interesting about the Vanford 500F spool size.

So it appears that the spool lip is wider and the width is just a smidge smaller compared to one of the first iteration of the 500 sized spools in a better reel other than that old clunky Ix or Ax of which I can't remember exactly which one had it as 500. No wonder it appeared so narrow on the Vanford to me when I just saw it in display behind the glass case at the local tackle shop.
slip bobbing is the laziest way to fish

ultralight
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 1336
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2004 2:32 pm

Re: Data on Spools: Shimano Vanford 500F, C2000S, 2500S & Observations.

Post by ultralight » Wed Feb 10, 2021 1:27 pm

Yes. Based on your data, the current Vanford is actually about these same outer diameter than many of the previous 1000 Shimanos. But the stroke (width) is a lot less.

Post Reply