The Regalis LT2500D is a buy. At 190g, the list price is JPY 13,600 (excl. tax) and max drag is 10kg. Only anglers who use it in the sea a lot should look first at the Freams with its Mag Shield.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
The body and rotor are made of the same ZAION V as the Caldia, which costs more than twice as much. That is why 190g is possible at JPY 10,000-something, and the remaining gap to the upper models is not lightness but how water is kept out and how the body is built. So I start with the Regalis, and step up on the day I want that mechanism.
Key points
- The gap to the 5g-lighter Caldia is JPY 15,700. That is JPY 3,140 per 1g
- 133.3 turns to wind 100m. With the LT3000-CXH, 107.5 turns
- 11 sizes. List price JPY 12,600-16,100 (excl. tax)
The Regalis vs Caldia gap: JPY 15,700 for 5g
The Regalis LT2500D is 190g with a list price of JPY 13,600 (excl. tax). Daiwa's Caldia LT2500 is 185g at JPY 29,300. The gap is 5g and JPY 15,700, or JPY 3,140 per 1g (15,700 ÷ 5). Expensive.
The Freams LT2500 in between costs JPY 6,600 more and weighs 195g. That makes it 5g heavier.
How I judged it
I first looked at weight and list price. Then I set it against the two models above and read what the price gap adds. What it adds is the Mag Shield, a monocoque body and one ball bearing, not lightness.
What I struggled with is that no Mag Shield is included. Even so, the body and rotor use the same ZAION V as the Caldia. I recommend it as a first reel or a second.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Daiwa Regalis LT2500D
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 9,946 (as of Oct 14). Some stores go up to JPY 14,242. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on NaturumSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanRegalis sizes and official numbers
The official name is "23 Regalis," a current model on Daiwa's spinning reel list. There are 11 sizes. Bearings are 5 ball and 1 roller on all of them.
Swipe the table sideways →
| Model | Weight | Gear ratio (retrieve) | Max drag | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LT1000S | 175g | 5.2 (64cm) | 5kg | JPY 12,600 |
| LT2000S-P | 175g | 4.8 (63cm) | 5kg | JPY 12,600 |
| LT2000S-XH | 175g | 6.2 (81cm) | 5kg | JPY 12,600 |
| LT2500D | 190g | 5.3 (75cm) | 10kg | JPY 13,600 |
| LT2500S-XH | 185g | 6.2 (87cm) | 5kg | JPY 13,600 |
| LT2500S-DH | 200g | 5.3 (75cm) | 5kg | JPY 14,800 |
| LT3000D-C | 195g | 5.3 (80cm) | 10kg | JPY 14,100 |
| LT3000-CXH | 200g | 6.2 (93cm) | 10kg | JPY 14,100 |
| LT4000-CXH | 225g | 6.2 (99cm) | 12kg | JPY 14,600 |
| LT5000-CXH | 245g | 6.2 (105cm) | 12kg | JPY 15,100 |
| LT6000D-H | 310g | 5.7 (101cm) | 12kg | JPY 16,100 |
The LT2500D holds 150m of 12lb nylon or 360m of PE size 1.
Dividing line retrieve by gear ratio shows the spool size
Line retrieve per handle turn is set almost entirely by spool diameter × pi × gear ratio. Daiwa's table has no diameter column, but divide backward and you can see it.
For the LT2500D, 75 ÷ 5.3 gives about 14.2cm per rotor turn; for the LT3000D-C, 80 ÷ 5.3 gives about 15.1cm.
133.3 turns to wind 100m
Turns to wind 100m on the LT2500D are 10,000cm ÷ 75cm = 133.3. With the LT3000-CXH at gear ratio 6.2, it is 10,000 ÷ 93 = 107.5 turns. That saves 25.8 turns.
Choose this one if you want to retrieve fast. Weight is 10g more at 200g, and max drag stays at 10kg.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Daiwa Regalis LT3000-CXH
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 10,311 (as of Oct 14). Some stores go up to JPY 15,230. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on NaturumSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanHow it differs from the Freams, Caldia and Mirabel
Swipe the table sideways →
| Model | Weight | Gear ratio (retrieve) | PE line capacity | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daiwa Regalis LT2500D | 190g | 5.3 (75cm) | Size 1, 360m | JPY 13,600 |
| Daiwa Freams LT2500 | 195g | 5.3 (75cm) | Size 0.8, 200m | JPY 20,200 |
| Daiwa Caldia LT2500 | 185g | 5.2 (73cm) | Size 0.8, 200m | JPY 29,300 |
| Shimano Mirabel C3000 | 200g | 5.0 (73cm) | Size 1, 400m | JPY 17,300 |
Gap to the Freams: What it adds is the Mag Shield on the pinion and a thinly built Air Drive spool. The Mag Shield is a wall of magnetic oil that keeps seawater and dust out. The Regalis also has no spool for PE 0.8 at 200m.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Daiwa Freams LT2500 (2026 model)
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 15,499 (as of Oct 14). Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on NaturumSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanGap to the Caldia: It drops the body cover and becomes a monocoque body with the plate screwed in directly. The build raises the precision supporting the gears and the airtightness, and this is a different class.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Daiwa Caldia LT2500
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 21,476 (as of Oct 14). Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanGap to the Mirabel: This is Shimano's new generation, out in Sep 2026, with the X-Protect water-resistance mechanism. The table also lists a practical drag of 3.5kg. Considerate. Weight is 10g more than the Regalis.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Shimano Mirabel C3000 (2026 model)
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 12,369 (as of Oct 14). Some stores go up to JPY 13,721. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on NaturumSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanThings to watch
This part is so-so. There is no Mag Shield. If you use it in the sea every time, you could choose from the Freams.
Look at line capacity too. If you only wind 150m of PE size 1, the spool has 210m of spare room (360 − 150).
Who is it for?
- Anglers who want a size 2500 under 200g in the JPY 10,000 range
- Anglers who want to wind a thicker line in length and use one reel for a wide range of fishing
For anglers who use it in the sea a lot, or who want exactly 200m of PE 0.8, there is another way to choose. If your current reel is around 200g and you have no complaints, there's no need to rush to replace it.
How it stacks up against the other five models in the same range is in the size 2500 spinning reel ranking, with rank and reasons. Shimano's new generation, out in Sep 2026, is covered in the 26 Mirabel review.
If you can't decide between the LT2500D and the LT3000D-C, how to choose a reel size has a quick chart of sizes by fishing method.
FAQ
Can I use the Regalis in the sea?
Yes. The LT2500D is a size used widely from sea to freshwater, and it suits bait fishing too.
What is the difference between the Regalis LT2500D and LT3000D-C?
The difference is 5g and JPY 500. The LT3000D-C winds 80cm per 1 turn and holds 300m of PE 1.5 (the LT2500D holds 230m).
What is the difference between the 23 Regalis and the 18 Regalis?
The 23 Regalis is a full model change. It is the first in the series to get a screw-in handle.
