Shimano Sustain FI Spinning Reel Review

When I was at ICAST in 2017, the winner of the “Best of Category – New Saltwater Reel” award was the Shimano Sustain FI.

The Shimano Sustain has been around for a time now but underwent its first modification in seven years this last year to kick this premium reel up a notch.

The Shimano Sustain FI finds itself positioned in between the Shimano Thunnus Ci4 and the Shimano Stradic ci4 in the extensive lineup of reels from Shimano.

The primary differences between the Shimano Sustain FG, its predecessor, and the Shimano Sustain FI are on the surface small. However, I feel that these differences do make a good case to step up from the Stradic ci4.

New this year to the Sustain FI is including Shimano’s Hagane gear technology and body design along with X-Protect, Cross Carbon Washers, and the MGL Rotor.

Keep reading this Shimano Sustain FI review, and I will do my best to help you decide if the few extra dollars needed to step up from the Stradic ci4 spinning reel make sense to you.

The Bottom Line

My favorite mid-tier saltwater spinning reel under $300 for inshore fishing
Extremely smooth reel and bail design
As close to waterproof as you can get
Very strong and stiff Hagane® body design

The Shimano Sustain FI reel is a winner for those wanting a higher-end reel without breaking the bank.

Features

Hagane® Body design

The Hagane® body is a unique design that creates a very stiff body and therefore reduces any body flex. When this is combined with the Hagane® drive gear, you get a reel that is just going to perform better and have less wear on the gears.

G-Free Body

The center of the mass of the reel has been moved closer to the rod to improve the weight and balance in your hand. What this means is that you can feel the strike better and that you can fight the fish better.

Additionally, you will not tire as easily after a long day on the water = no forearm fatigue. This design was first utilized in the more expensive Shimano Stella and is also available on the Shimano Stradic FK and Stradic Ci4+

Ultra-hard Hagane® cold forged drive gear

The Hagane precision cold-forged gears provide one of the smoothest retrieve experiences you will ever have, especially under a load. The cold forging process uses nearly 200 tons of pressure to instantly create a precision gear without the need to do any cutting.

The advantage of this is less room for error in the manufacturing process. This proprietary process creates a gear drive system that is both durable and smooth in this Shimano spinning reel.

Magnumlite Rotor

Magnumlite is a new material lighter than Ci4 and Ci4+ by as much as 30%. Shimano uses the Magnumlite material to manufacture the rotor, reducing weight in the overall reel while still providing strength where needed.

X-Ship pinion gear

X-Ship combines features that create much greater efficiency. Positioning the pinion gear closer to the oversized drive gear’s center line transfers more power from the handle directly to the rotor.

Two Shimano SA-RB roller bearings also support the pinion gear. This creates more stability and minimizes pinion gear twist and rotor deflection in extreme situations, delivering a much smoother experience when the fishing reel is under load.

X-Protect water resistance

We all know that when fishing in saltwater conditions, keeping water out of our reel is the most important thing, as well as catching fish. X-Protect by Shimano uses a three-lipped rubber seal that they describe as a “Labyrinth design,” meaning that it is nearly impossible for water to penetrate the seal.

This is combined with a water-repellent coating, called water channeling, to minimize water penetrating the fishing reel.

This design was first introduced on the premium Shimano Stella and adds grease between the ring’s second and third lips to keep high-pressure water out and deliver a smooth, silky feel.

Cross Carbon Drag system

The cross-carbon drag system is infinitely adjustable, meaning you have a series of clicks on the drag adjustment that allow you to dial in precisely the amount of drag you want from almost free spool up to the reel’s maximum drag capacity.

The Sustain FI 2500/3000 has 20 lbs of drag, and the Sustain 4000/5000 has 24 lbs of drag.

8 S A-RB shielded stainless steel ball bearings

The 8 ball bearings used on the Sustain are in the same family as the average ARB bearings except that they are shielded on both sides to reduce the likelihood of any salt, dirt, or water penetrating and affecting the smoothness of the bearings.

These are similar to the bearings used on the Stradic Ci4+.

Super Stopper II anti-reverse roller bearing

Shimano uses a one-way roller bearing called the Super Stopper II that allows you to set the hook without any backplay in the reel instantly. This gives you a solid feel in the reel, which screams quality.

Features at a Glance

Hagane® Body design
G-Free Body
Ci4+ carbon material
Ultra-hard Hagane® cold forged drive gear
Magnumlite Rotor
X-Ship pinion gear
X-Protect water resistance
Cross Carbon Drag system
Cold-forged aluminum spool
8 S A-RB shielded stainless steel ball bearings
Super Stopper II anti-reverse roller bearing

The Shimano Sustain FI fishing reel is available in 4 sizes. Model 2500, a C3000 with the same size body as the 2500 but a deeper cut spool for more line capacity, with 20 lbs of drag capacity, comes in a 6.0:1 gear ratio.

Then the models 4000 and C5000, again with the deeper cut spool for additional line capacity with 24 lbs of drag capacity, come in a 6.2:1 gear ratio.

While the Sustain is a great all-around reel that can be used for all of your freshwater fishing, it is especially good for your inshore saltwater fishing and even some smaller offshore species such as dolphins, smaller tuna, bluefish, and stripers.

If you want to target larger species such as tarpon, cobia, and more enormous billfish, I recommend looking at something like the Shimano Twin Power SW, Shimano Saragosa SW or the Penn Slammer III.

What I like about the Shimano Sustain FI is that it is designed to keep saltwater out of the reel components with the X-Ship technology. Shimano uses a three-groove sealing system in critical areas to keep water channeling away from the reel.

The first ridge of the seal keeps low-pressure water from intruding. The groove between the second and third ridge is packed with grease to keep water under higher pressure from penetrating. This is what Shimano refers to as their labyrinth construction which is a fancy name for lots of water protection.

This, combined with the water-repellant coating, means you will have a reel that will last longer and require less maintenance. As usual, I will say that the 30 seconds it takes to spray your reel with something like Salt-Away and then rinse it after each use in saltwater is well worth the investment of time and product.

Field Test

The field test that I was able to perform has so far been limited to the “On The Water” event at ICAST 2017. When casting the reel, I noticed that the bail was extremely easy to open and just as easy to flip shut with the crank of the handle.

The micromodule gearing that is part of the Hagane® design makes for a very easy start to your retrieve and allows the spool to continue to spin easily when not loaded.

I felt that the GBody design makes for a highly well-balanced reel that will go well with something like a St. Croix Mojo Inshore or the new St. Croix Legend Tournament Inshore that just won Best Saltwater Rod at ICAST 2017.

Pros

Nearly waterproof
Smooth
Easy trip rotor

Cons

Higher price point

Alternatives

Sticking with the Shimano brand, I would have you take a look at the Shimano Stradic ci4+, which has a number of the same features as the Sustain FI such as the Magnumlite Rotor, G-Free Body, Hagane gears and X-Ship technology.

The Stradic ci4+ is a bit lighter and will save you a few dollars.

Switching brands take a look at the Penn Slammer III which has an excellent reputation. The Penn Slammer III was the winner in the category of “Best Saltwater Reel” at ICAST in 2016.

The Penn Slammer III is a heavier reel with a Slammer III model 4500 weighing in at 14.7 oz, compared to the Sustain FI model 5000 weighing in at 10.1 oz.

Lastly, I would like to have you look at Quantum’s offering in this category of reels, the Quantum Cabo PSTE.

In Conclusion

Overall, I think that the newly updated Shimano Sustain FI is an excellent reel that will prove, like other Shimano reels, to be a smooth, durable reel over an extended period.

I will probably fish the Shimano Stradic ci4+ as it is a lighter-weight reel, which I enjoy.

About
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David Edwards

David is a freelance writer. He enjoys fishing as much as you do. He understands the challenge to pick the best fishing rod or learning the lifestyle. He provides a detailed review of the available products in the market. He wants to ensure you make the right decision for your next shopping day.