ratings are 7.1:1, 6.3:1 and 5.2.1, but there are many more. With a 7.1:1 reel, the seven reflects the number of turns that the smaller gear completes in relation to the one full revolution of the handle.
The higher the first number is in the ratio, the faster the line is retrieved (more inches per turn are recovered). Conversely, the smaller the first number is, the slower the line is retrieved (less inches per turn are recovered).
“Gear ratio’s are changing,” said Mah. “A 7:1 was typically considered high gear ratio and a 5:1 was considered low gear ratio, but it seems like the 6:1 is now taking over the low gear ratio and the 5:1 is losing traction now. This past year, there are also ultra-high 8:1 and 9:1 reels that are available.”
Mah explained that relying only on gear ratio won’t offer a true representation of line pick up and a buyer should specifically look at the IPT before making a decision. “Besides the gear ratio, the size of the spool has to be factored in and that
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changes the line pick up,” said Mah. “Depending on brand and model, a reel in the 6:1 range can vary from 25 to 30 inches of line pick up - which is a huge difference.”
He gave this general rule of thumb. “A low end ratio reel will pick 24 inches or less - like the Chronarch E5 picks up 23, a mid-level ratio will pick up 25 - 27 inches - like the E6 which picks up 27 and a high end picks up 28 to 30 inches - like the E7 picks up 30 inches,” said Mah.
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