New Shimano Surf Reel sold in Japan
 

Shimano Power Aero Albrid ci4

This new reel apparently is becoming popular with surf fisherman in Japan... at least before the recent disaster..

Anyone tried it yet... it is not widely available in the US mkt yet. a friend bought one at RISSA for less than $300 ... not sure which dealer had it...

Looks like a great reel from the specs...

Shimano Power Aero Albrid CI4 Surf Fishing Reel - Fareast Fishing Tackle

I've got the small version for sweetwater stuff, I like it so far.
Curious to see how it's big brother is ?

Did you buy it online or at a tackle shop?

lightest reel you've ever owned?

i think the carbon fiber will take over

Got it from the hook up. ( they did have to order it, and it took a while to get in )
It weighs about half what you think it should.

I bought 5 of them last May, kept two for myself and used and abused them all year. Best upper mid-sized long distance plugging reel I have ever owned.

One rides on a CTS S8 11'-6" and another rides on a CTS 12' Parabolic.

Tons of fish on them with zero trouble. Biggest fish was a 67" Brown Shark; a dozen bass over 40" and many, many big blues to 17lbs.

http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/r..._16_10a725.jpg

http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/r..._16_10b725.jpg

I pretty much have only used JDM reels for the last 30+ years starting with Daiwa Tournament Whisker SS9000 and SS3000 back in the 80's.

The Albrid has sister reels that are identical; in Japan it is the Spin Joy and in the UK the reel is called the Ultegra XTB "Baby Pit". They use metal and the "old" Shimano Carbon fiber in the frame and rotor and weigh about 2.5oz more than the CI4 version.

Here is the Albrid next to the Spinjoy:

http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/r...id_SpinJoy.jpg

For size here is the Albrid between my 27 year old SS3000 and a Sustain 8000.

http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/r...ru/compare.jpg

Another size comparison shot; Spin Joy surrounded by (clockwise from 12:00, Penn Slammer 560, Daiwa SS3000, old Emblem Z 4500 and Daiwa SS2600:

http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/r...0427101818.jpg

Great post! I've thought about picking up one. I wish they would bring the longcast design across the pond(s). My only concern is parts.

Grabbed one myself...also throwing it on a CTS S8 11'-6"
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Reelin rod ( seperated at birth )
 

Boy you and Big " D " look like brothers

Love mine too. You'll be seeing a few of these on the Canal this year.
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