Lew's Team HyperMag Baitcast Reel

Description

The Lew's Team HyperMag is the reel in the Lew's range built specifically to answer the question of how light a baitcaster can be made without compromising durability. At 5.2oz it is noticeably lighter than most of the rest of the line-up — the Speed Spool RX comes in at 6.8oz and the Super Duty LFS at a full 8oz — and that difference is the kind you feel in your wrist and forearm over a long tournament day rather than anywhere a spec sheet can show you. That weight saving comes from a genuinely different build: a one-piece magnesium frame paired with C40 carbon sideplates, rather than the aluminium or Tanso Tech composite used elsewhere in the range. It is not weight-saving at the expense of speed or refinement. An 8.3:1 gear ratio recovers 33 inches per turn, among the fastest in the whole Lew's line-up, and the P2 Super Pinion keeps that quick retrieve running true rather than sloppy. JDM-style Winn knobs on a 95mm bowed carbon handle, a recessed 6-pin QuietCast brake dial, and an aircraft-grade Duralumin spool round out a reel built to handle everything from topwaters to jerkbaits to soft plastics without ever feeling like the lightest thing in your hand is also the flimsiest. - Retrieve: Left Hand - Gear ratio: 8.3:1 - Line recovery: 33in per turn - Weight: 5.2oz - Frame: One-piece magnesium, C40 carbon sideplates - Gears: Hard-anodised aluminium alloy Speed Gears with P2 Super Pinion - Braking: QuietCast 6-pin externally adjustable centrifugal brake (ACB), recessed dial - Bearings: 11-bearing system - Spool: Aircraft-grade Duralumin, double anodised, drilled and chamfered, 32mm - Drag: Carbon fibre with carbon drag star, up to 20lb max - Line capacity: 110yd/12lb fluorocarbon, 50lb braid - Handle: 95mm bowed carbon, JDM-style Winn knobs - Extras: Speed Keeper, Speed Dial, Speed Knot, titanium-coated zirconia line guide, external lube port, one-year limited warranty Where to use it: - Tournament days where cumulative fatigue over many hours is a real factor - All-round bass techniques — topwaters, jerkbaits, crankbaits, soft plastics - Anglers who like the Custom Lite's weight-saving focus but want more speed - Anyone prioritising a genuinely light, fast, tournament-grade reel over budget One thing worth knowing before you buy: magnesium is more corrosion-sensitive than the aluminium used elsewhere in the Lew's range if it is left wet, so make rinsing and thoroughly drying this reel after every session a non-negotiable habit — not just after a rare saltwater trip. It is a small routine that protects the exact material choice giving you the weight saving in the first place. How much lighter is this than other Lew's reels? At 5.2oz it is noticeably lighter than reels like the Speed Spool RX (6.8oz) or Super Duty LFS (8oz) — a difference you will feel most over a long day's casting rather than on any single throw. Is this the fastest gear ratio Lew's offers? At 8.3:1 it is among the fastest in the range, shared with a couple of other specialist reels, rather than uniquely fastest — but it is certainly on the quick end. Is a magnesium frame more fragile than aluminium? Not in normal use, but magnesium alloys benefit from more diligent drying after fishing than aluminium does, since they are more prone to corrosion if left wet — a habit worth building in given what this reel is built from. How does this compare to the Custom Lite? The Custom Lite uses a Tanso Tech aluminium-composite frame at a 7.5:1 ratio, focused on all-day comfort. The HyperMag steps up to a magnesium frame and a faster 8.3:1 ratio — Lew's lightest and quickest flagship pairing.