Shimano Twin power reels

[mikench]

Are these any good and which model replicates most closely the rear drag and fighting drag of the Stradic C14 2500/4000 ra?

 

[Keith M]

I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with these Shimano reels, most of my reels are Shimano reels, but What does ‘Twin Power’ actually mean? ie. What power is twinned with the new twin Power reels?

I’ve looked at their specs but it’s still not clear to me what the ‘Twin Power’ in the name actually refers to.
Is it the drag & fighting drag or is it a dual gear ratio or something similar?

Keith

 

[rob48]

As far as I'm aware Twin Power was first used to describe the composition of some of their rods and evolved to become a brand of tackle within the Shimano stable. I had Twin Power 13' match rods (late 1980s at a guess) both hollow and spliced-tip, and extremely good they were. They succeeded the TripleX model I think, which were also excellent rods. Don't know about the reels unfortunately.

 

[mikench]

I don’t know either. I have seen one with a front and rear drag and another with rear drag and fighting drag. There is another with front rear and fighting drag. They appear to be 10 year old models and am curious. The Stradic C14 ra is a cracking reel.

I found this whilst searching.

Shimano Twinpower CI4 3000/4000SRA (Tri-Drag)

Shimano Twinpower CI4 3000/4000SRA (Tri-Drag) by Chris Jones For my general coarse fishing work I've been using a pair of Stradic GTMs for the last ten years plus. They weren't exactly cheap back then and I wasn't anticipating replacing them at all. However, I was in the market for a...

barbel.co.uk

 

[Keith M]

The Stradic C14 ra is a cracking reel.

I agree Mike, I have a Shimano Stradic GTM 4000S RC reel myself and although it’s not one of the original Stradics it’s still a great reel.

I have ten Shimano reels altogether apart from the stradic above, which include: a Shimano-Aero-4000FA front drag reel, five assorted 5000 series baitrunners two 6000 series baitrunners plus a much older Shimano fixed spool reel with just a simple rear drag.

Keith

 

[rob48]

I get a bit confused with the nomenclature, but I have a Super Aero 4000 GTM, Stradic 4000 GTM and an XT-7 Aero Match III, all late 90s at a guess and all going smooth and strong.
All rear drags by the way.

 

[Ray Roberts]

I don’t know either. I have seen one with a front and rear drag and another with rear drag and fighting drag. There is another with front rear and fighting drag. They appear to be 10 year old models and am curious. The Stradic C14 ra is a cracking reel.

I found this whilst searching.

Shimano Twinpower CI4 3000/4000SRA (Tri-Drag)

Shimano Twinpower CI4 3000/4000SRA (Tri-Drag) by Chris Jones For my general coarse fishing work I've been using a pair of Stradic GTMs for the last ten years plus. They weren't exactly cheap back then and I wasn't anticipating replacing them at all. However, I was in the market for a...

barbel.co.uk

That review was written by a current member, lol.

I have one of these Tri-drag Twinpower reels in 3000 size. It’s my go to reel for float fishing. I can’t remember how long I’ve had it but it’s had a lot of use and still looks and performs as it did straight from the box. I had a double figure pike on it a couple of weeks ago, the drag is superb.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[mikench]

I know Ray and I'm sure Sam will remember his review. I wish I'd been more accurate in describing the reel as a Twin power Tri drag but I never really understood what the reel was about .

 

[hague01]

I have been through I think, all the rear drag shimano's of the past 10/12 years. I bought up to the white stradics, which were v good but then alighted on the twin power XT_ RB. I had these in 2.5, 3 and 4.They were for me, a major step up in smoothness even on the stradics. Then in or around 2012 Shimano introduced the twin power c14+, sometimes called the tri power, and the biomasters. Since then the black stradics have appeared and again I have had the 2.5 and the 4k versions. Great reels but the handle bugged me. Before I got any black stradics I had sourced some biomasters in Italy. I now have 9 all acquired new, and no stradics or XT-RBs. This year I have managed to buy on Ebay 2 used Tri power c 14= reels both 3k's. They are in my view even smoother than the Bio's. I have just had had both c 14's serviced by Felindre and have not really put them under any pressure since. In case anyone is interested here is the catalogue page of circa 2012. As to tri power, they got a bad press, and i don't think either reels sold particularly well here . The bios are undoubtedly a much underrated reel and I would recommend them to anyone, at eBay prices of 50% less than the c 14's.

 

[Ray Roberts]

If you don’t want to use the three drags you can lock the front drag up and just use the rear and fighting drag. If you set the front and rear drag you can use the fighting drag as a makeshift bait-runner. They also come with three metal spools which is a bonus as many reels now come with just the single spool and at about thirty quid a pop spare spools aren’t exactly cheap.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[mikench]

Cheers Alec and thanks. I'm on the lookout now as they sound a great reel to have. I will also check out the biomasters.

 

[Keith M]

I’m still not any wiser as to what the ‘Twin Power’ actually refers to

Keith

 

[steve2]

I have a 14ft spliced tip twin power match rod have never understood what twin power means. Only used it for one or two matches and don't remember using it again. I just never needed it where fish.

 

[Keith M]

I can understand what a twin power rod might mean as I have an old Drennan Specialist rod which advertised dual test curves; a 1.25lb test curve at its tip and a 2lb test curve a little further down the tip section; but I’m still a little puzzled about a ‘Twin Power’ reel; especially if it isn’t referring to its different types of drags

Keith

 

[tigger]

I think it was just a name for a range of tackle, similar to stradic etc.

I've had several twinpower reels which were all rear fighting drag. In all honesty, they just felt like the ordinary rear drag stradics.

I've never used the kind Chris has, but I know he likes em.

 

[sam vimes]

When it comes to the Twin Power Ci4 RAs, the Twin Power bit means nothing. It's just a name. That particular reel having front, rear and "fightin'" drag was a feature that Shimano called "Tri-Drag". As far as I'm aware, it is the only Shimano reel ever to have featured both front and rear drag in a single reel. If I could put a Stradic Ci4+ RA diameter spool on a Twin Power Ci4 RA it would be my idea of perfection.

I’m still not any wiser as to what the ‘Twin Power’ actually refers to

Keith

Nothing at all, it's just a name. Stradic (or Catana, Stella, Vanford, Cardiff or Ultegra) doesn't mean anything in particular and neither does Twin Power. As far as I'm aware, the Twin Power name was first applied to a range of rods (carp, specialist, match and feeder). Since then it's been used on a few different types of reel.

 

[hague01]

The one extra bearing does make a minor difference although I detected that in the white stradics too between a 3k and a 4. Why the 3 was much smoother always intrigued me. I think the angler who needs 3 drags is perhaps a perfectionist I would prefer not to meet. On the Tri drag, I do lock down the front drag as I prefer operating the rear drag lever with a thumb. But that's just me.

 

[bullet]

In the front drag saltwater ranges, the Twinpower was one of the two reels Shimano built in Japan, the top of the range Stella was the other.
It's better than the Stradic, IMo, but perhaps not that much better to justify the price difference.

 

[xenon]

as has been said, no idea what the term "Twin power" means, but have a couple of these dating back 15 years-superb reels with a drag system that really works.

 

[mikench]

Thanks everyone for your responses . I might try one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk