The Stradic C3000 is a buy as the one reel you keep for years. JPY 29,100 excl. tax gets you a metal body and a wear-resistant drag. If lightness is all you want, the Ultegra, 5g lighter, or the Caldia, 15g lighter, comes first.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
The Stradic is a reel where you pay for a metal body, not for lightness. Shimano explains that if the body doesn't flex, the gear mesh is protected. So I don't mind the 5g and choose it as the one reel for lures with strong pull.
Key points
- The C3000 is 225g, 5g heavier than the Ultegra, which is JPY 9,100 cheaper
- Retrieving 100m takes 134 turns on the C3000 and 107 on the C3000XG
- The Caldia LT3000 costs JPY 2,200 more and is 15g lighter, about JPY 147 per 1g
The Stradic costs JPY 9,100 more than the Ultegra and weighs 5g more
The Stradic C3000 weighs 225g. The Ultegra C3000, 1 step down, weighs 220g. The one that costs JPY 9,100 more excl. tax is the one that weighs 5g more.
And the gear ratio, length per turn, max drag and line capacity are all the same on the two. So what does the price gap buy?
How I judged it
I first looked at weight, where it loses to the Ultegra. Next I compared the technology column. The Stradic lists a metal HAGANE body and Duracross, a new drag material; the Ultegra's column has the resin CI4+.
What I struggled with was whether the gap is worth paying for these two. It's a buy. Body flex and drag wear matter more the longer you use a reel. It suits anglers who use one reel for years and wind lures with strong pull.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Shimano Stradic C3000
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 22,407 (as of Oct 16). Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaOfficial numbers for the Stradic
There are 14 models, from the C2000S to the C5000XG. Bearings are 6 ball and 1 roller on all of them.
Swipe the table sideways →
| Sizes | Weight | Gear ratio / per crank | Drag (practical / max) | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C2000S | 185g | 5.1, 69cm | 2kg / 3kg | JPY 27,700 |
| C2500SXG | 185g | 6.3, 87cm | 2kg / 3kg | JPY 27,700 |
| 2500S | 220g | 5.1, 75cm | 2.5kg / 4kg | JPY 28,300 |
| C3000 | 225g | 5.1, 75cm | 3.5kg / 9kg | JPY 29,100 |
| C3000XG | 225g | 6.4, 94cm | 3.5kg / 9kg | JPY 29,100 |
| 4000 | 275g | 5.3, 87cm | 6kg / 11kg | JPY 30,300 |
| C5000XG | 290g | 6.2, 101cm | 6kg / 11kg | JPY 31,000 |
The C3000 and 2500S have the same spool diameter of 47mm. What differs is groove depth and drag. For light lures on thin PE, the shallow-spool 2500S fits.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Shimano Stradic 2500S
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 21,199 (as of Oct 14). Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping Japan75cm is spool diameter × 3.14 × gear ratio
The C3000 spool is 47mm in diameter, so one circumference is about 147.6mm (47 × 3.14); multiplied by the 5.1 gear ratio that is about 753mm, matching the table's 75cm. The official column is "maximum retrieve length," and as line pays out and the wound diameter shrinks, each turn gets shorter.
Retrieving 100m: 134 turns or 107?
100m is 10,000cm. The C3000 takes 10,000 ÷ 75 = 134 turns and the C3000XG takes 10,000 ÷ 94 = 107. That is a 27-turn gap, with the same weight and list price.
Faster isn't always better. In describing the C2000SHG, Shimano writes of the "heavy winding feel of high gear." So I take 5.1.
How it differs from the Ultegra, Twin Power and Caldia
Swipe the table sideways →
| Model | Weight | Bearings | Max drag | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shimano Stradic C3000 | 225g | 6 / 1 | 9kg | JPY 29,100 |
| Shimano Ultegra C3000 | 220g | 5 / 1 | 9kg | JPY 20,000 |
| Shimano Twin Power C3000 | 215g | 9 / 1 | 9kg | JPY 54,000 |
| Daiwa Caldia LT3000 | 210g | 6 / 1 | 10kg | JPY 31,300 |
Gap to the Ultegra: The only table number it wins is one more bearing. What the price gap holds is the metal body and Duracross, which Shimano's comparison test says is more than 10 times as wear-resistant as the conventional drag washer.
For a few trips a year, the Ultegra is enough.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Shimano Ultegra C3000
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 13,800 (as of Oct 14). Some stores go up to JPY 20,071. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanGap to the Twin Power: JPY 24,900 more. 10g lighter. That is JPY 2,490 per 1g of weight saved (24,900 ÷ 10). You get 3 more bearings.
It is gear only for those who accept this gap.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Shimano Twin Power C3000
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 41,800 (as of Oct 14). Some stores go up to JPY 53,542. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanGap to the Caldia: JPY 2,200 more and 15g lighter. About JPY 147 per 1g (2,200 ÷ 15), one-seventeenth of the Twin Power. If you are buying lightness with money, the Caldia is the better deal. This part is so-so.
If lightness comes first, this is it.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Daiwa Caldia LT3000
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 22,941 (as of Oct 14). Some stores go up to JPY 27,500. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanThings to watch
The official notes say it has no stopper switching mechanism.
The C3000 is a deep-spool reel that holds 400m of PE size 1. If you wind only 200m, half the groove is left empty. Practical drag is 3.5kg, about 39% of the maximum (3.5 ÷ 9).
Who is it for?
- Anglers who keep one reel for years and mostly wind and pull
- Anglers who want to wind plenty of thicker line. The C3000 holds 150m of #3 nylon
It is the heaviest of the four, so if you want every gram of lightness, there is another way to choose. If you already own the Ultegra C3000, retrieve length and drag are the same, so there's no need to rush.
Its position among size 2500 and C3000 reels from JPY 10,000 to JPY 30,000 is compared in the size 2500 spinning reel ranking.
If you want lightness at a lower price from Shimano, there is the 26 Mirabel, whose C3000 is 200g.
For choosing between the 2500S and C3000, how to choose a reel size decides from line capacity and spool numbers.
FAQ
What is the difference between the Stradic C3000 and 2500S?
For thick line choose the C3000; for PE around 0.6, the 2500S. The weight gap is 5g, but max drag is 9kg against 4kg, more than double.
What is the difference between the Stradic C3000HG and C3000XG?
Gear ratio and length per turn. The HG is 5.8 at 86cm, the XG 6.4 at 94cm. Weight and list price are the same for all three.
What model year is the Stradic?
2023. The official product page carries a video introducing it as a new product for fall and winter 2023.
