The Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast Reel is one of the higher-quality options for low-profile baitcasters that deliver serious power and drag. The reel certainly lives up to its “Beast” namesake, allowing anglers to tackle monster fish in freshwater and saltwater environments.
When it comes to low-profile baitcasting reels that are tough and strong enough to handle monster fish, you can typically expect to find some expensive options as engineering such products requires the best quality components.
Abu Garcia is no stranger in producing great quality low profile baitcasting reels. They are among the handful of companies that serious anglers trust to design and engineer a reel that can withstand the pressures associated with hard-pulling fish.
I’ve taken all of the Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast Reel’s features and capabilities to compile this review and cover some of the points of interest most anglers would have concerning a reel like this. Please keep reading to learn more about why I like this reel, as it is built for cranking power and versatility.
- Exceptionally smooth drag
- Magnetic braking system
- This is a premium reel with high-end performance
Table of Contents
Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast Reel Overview
In my fishing career, I have learned a few main criteria that serious anglers have when it comes to a baitcasting or spinning reel geared toward handling giant, hard-pulling fish. The reel must have sufficient line capacity on the spool and enough drag and cranking power to withstand the intense fights that all-too-often result in lesser quality reels coming up short and the fish going free.
To reel in and land a large game fish like amberjack, redfish, striped bass, or others, you need one made of solid materials and well-engineered.
The Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast is a reel capable of delivering on all these points and more. Anglers who have used this low profile casting reel for more than a few trips say that it has all the power, line capacity, and drag necessary to land just about any fish you happen to hook, but it also includes some added perks. One of those bonus performance aspects consists of the reel’s smooth casting and retrieval.
Compared to other heavy baitcasting reels, the Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast Reel presents an exceptionally smooth drag and a great feel when casting and reeling. This results from Abu Garcia’s intense efforts to ensure that the Revo Toro Beast is engineered and designed to give anglers what they need regarding raw power.
When you look inside the Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast Reel, it’s clear why it is rated as one of the best power reels on the market compared to other low-profile baitcasting setups. In addition to having what it takes on the water, Abu Garcia also offers this reel in a left-handed version, which sets it apart from the vast majority of other power casting reels available.
Construction
A reel designed to go after larger-sized fish and handle the extreme pressures associated with doing so is typically made out of heavier material than most others. The Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast Reel is made with the brand’s specialized X2 Craftic alloy material. This unique metal alloy material is as tough as aircraft-grade aluminum but lighter to alleviate some of the difficulty in casting and handling the reel.
This Special X2 Craftic alloy material makes up the body and side plates of the Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast Reel, giving it plenty of rigidity and durability. This handles both the strain of reeling in monster-sized fish as well as dealing with the common corrosion issues that are often caused by fishing in saltwater environments. This alloy material is also coated with a titanium exterior to strengthen further its ability to withstand both challenges.
The reel targets large fish, but it weighs just 13.5 ounces and is packed with other notable features within this tough outer covering. The InfiniMax magnetic brake switch is on the reel’s lid, making it fairly easy to access and adjust whenever needed while reeling in your catch.
Spool
The spool on the Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast Reel is specially-made to allow you to have an excess amount of fishing line. This is an absolute necessity for power reels for tackling the largest of the world’s game fish because you’re likely to have an exceptionally-large fish rip off more than a hundred yards of line on its initial run. Certain large saltwater game fish are known to do this several times before you can get them near the boat as they tire out.
The spool is made of highly durable aircraft-grade aluminum and will withstand any pressure you encounter from a fish in fresh and saltwater. The spool uses an intricate system of bearings and other parts that combine to give the Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast Reel its buttery-smooth action without taking anything away from power.
The spool can hold up to nearly 300 yards of 12-pound test monofilament fishing line and a much smaller diameter fluorocarbon or braided line.
Carbon Matrix Drag System
The main reason the Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast Reel is one of the better power low profile baitcasting reels in the fishing industry is its Carbon Matrix Drag system. Without this critical feature, it would be mostly useless in terms of having the ability to handle larger-sized fish that are expected to pull very hard on the reel and tear away dozens of yards of fishing line at a time.
The Carbon Matrix Drag system is advertised as having up to 25 pounds of max drag weight, but some anglers report it’s a few pounds more. Abu Garcia is being slightly humble that their premium power casting reel is on the same level as some of the offshore casting reels designed for going after monster-sized fish. When the drag is at its maximum power setting, it still performs beautifully without some reels’ usual slipping issues when an angler is reeling in a massive catch.
In terms of high-power, heavy low-profile baitcasting reels, it’s tough to find one that offers a drag that’s as smooth as the Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast Reel’s Carbon Matrix Drag system.
Braking System
One of the more premium qualities about the Revo Toro Beast is the reel’s magnetic braking system. This intricate brake system operates using an axial brake on the reel handle while a magnetic brake helps to dampen the spool’s rotation from the upper lid. Compared to other low-profile baitcasting reels, this braking system performs quite well, and novice anglers can easily use it.
The braking system utilizes 6 centrifugal weights on the spool that help dampen the reel’s rotation and reduce the excess line being fed out from the spool through an axial brake regulator.
Performance
There is no denying that the Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast Reel is made for catching giant fish and handles the task with surprising grace in both saltwater and freshwater. It casts very easily and effortlessly with most types of lures and rigs, and the reeling action has a reputation for being one of the smoothest of any baitcasting reel in its class.
There are virtually no qualms regarding the reel’s performance and anglers who demand the maximum out of their gear and equipment. The lightweight feel and action of the reel work well with its overall drag and functionality.
Pros
- Exceptionally smooth drag
- Magnetic braking system
- This is a premium reel with high-end performance
- Durable aircraft-grade aluminum for corrosion resistance and lightweight
Cons
- A high price tag that not all amateur anglers can afford
- A lower gear ratio than other high-speed baitcasters can be difficult to fish with buzzbaits or spoon lures
Specifications
| Model | Ball Bearings | Weight (OZ) | Gear Ratio | Max Drag (LB) | Retrieve Rate (Inch/Crank) | Mono Capacity | Braid Capacity |
| REVO T3 BST60-HS | 6 | 13.8 oz | 6.2:1 | 25 lb | 34 | 295/12 250/14 205/17 | 380/20 285/30 200/50 |
| REVO T3 BST60 | 6 | 13.8 oz | 4.9:1 | 25 lb | 27 | 295/12 250/14 205/17 | 380/20 285/30 200/50 |
| REVO T3 BST61 | 6 | 13.8 oz | 4.9:1 | 25 lb | 27 | 295/12 250/14 205/17 | 380/20 285/30 200/50 |
| REVO T3 BST61-HS | 6 | 13.8 oz | 6.2:1 | 25 lb | 34 | 295/12 250/14 205/17 | 380/20 285/30 200/50 |
- Exceptionally smooth drag
- Magnetic braking system
- This is a premium reel with high-end performance
Conclusion
There’s no denying that anglers who want to fish with the Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast Reel will have to shell out a few hundred dollars. Most beginners or novice anglers wouldn’t want to spend that much on one single reel.
Seasoned offshore and freshwater anglers who regularly go after the largest fish species on Earth should see the price as a reasonable deal.
This solid reel delivers on each of the essential aspects you need in terms of a baitcasting setup geared toward reeling in heavy and hard-pulling fish.
