Abu Garcia Black Max VS Silver Max Reels Compared

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Now, one of the most popular brands out there when it comes to the world of fishing and fishing accessories is Abu Garcia. Two of the most popular baitcasting reels that come to us from Abu Garcia are the Black Max and the Silver Max.

In the grand scheme of things, yes, these are both baitcasting reels and they both come from the same brand name, so they are somewhat similar, but with that being said, there are some fundamental differences between the two that you need to be aware of.

So First off we will be reviewing both of these fishing reels separately and then comparing them to see whether the Black Max or the Silver Max is better for you.

Contents

Abu Garcia Black Max Review: Features & Specs

The first of these two baitcasting reels that we want to take a look at is the Abu Garcia black Max. There’s a whole lot to cover, so let’s get to it.

Abu Garcia BMAX3-L Black Max Low-Profile Baitcast Fishing Reel, Left Hand
  • Lightweight design with one-piece graphite frame and side plates
  • 4 stainless steel ball bearings
  • Power Disk system
  • MagTrax brake system boosts range and accuracy of casts
  • Compact bent handle and recessed reel provide an ergonomic grip

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Available Sizes

The Abu Garcia Black Max Baitcasting reel comes in two models, the BMAX3 and the BMX3-L, both of which are actually the same size, the with latter of the two, the BMX3-L, being the left handed model.

However, although this reel only comes in this one specific size and model, when it comes to the style, you can choose between clam and box.

Weight & Ergonomics

One thing that needs to be said about the Abu Garcia Black Max is the fact that it does have a little bit of weight to it, although in the grand scheme of things, it’s still a really lightweight baitcasting reel. It comes in at 10.2 ounces, or just under 290 grams.

For a modern baitcasting reel this might sound a bit heavy, but the fact of the matter is that it’s actually still fairly lightweight.

Most would agree that it’s more than lightweight enough to use all day long without fatiguing.

You may also appreciate how this particular baitcaster comes complete with a bent handle and a recessed reel, both of which allow for great ergonomic friendliness and ease of use.

The Black Max also features a fairly comfortable dual handle grip setup.

Composition & Materials

Something that you may appreciate about the Abu Garcia Black Max is the fact that it is made with a solid graphite frame.

Graphite is of course extremely durable. It’s lightweight and it is also corrosion resistant.

Well, you also get here is and really nice aluminum spool that also happens to be corrosion resistant, lightweight and durable.

What you also get here is a stainless steel handle as well as stainless steel ball bearings, which also happened to be resistant to rusting and corrosion.

It also features a brass gear. All in all, we would say that this particular baitcasting reel is made with high quality materials.

Overall Durability

Seeing as the Abu Garcia Black Max is made with high quality materials and comes to us from a trusted brand name, you can rest assured that it is certainly durable.

Not only is it lightweight, but tough enough to deal with fighting fish and to handle serious impacts and pressure too.

Ball Bearings & Smoothness

Next, we want to look at how many ball bearings the Abu Garcia Black Max has, and how smooth they are.

Well, this baitcasting reel features four ball bearings and one roller bearing, all of which are made out of durable and rust resistant stainless steel.

In fact, this baitcasting reel is well known for its smoothness, as that high quality ball bearing system allows for very smooth operation, or in other words, you get great casting distance out of it along with a really fast and smooth retrieval.

Drag System

The Abu Garcia Black comes complete with a Power Disk drag system, a very high quality drag system that is adjustable and can put out up to 18 pounds of drag for all of your fishing purposes.

Brake System

The Abu Garcia Black Max comes complete with a very high quality and fully adjustable MagTrax braking system that allows for great control when casting, something that helps you achieve great casting distances, as well as accuracy.

Gear Ratio & Retrieval Speed

The Abu Garcia Black Max features a gear ratio of 6.4 to 1, which means that it can retrieve 26 inches of line per handle crank.

Now, this is not the speediest of all fishing reels out there, but it is definitely on the faster side of things, thus allowing you to retrieve fish fast, something that is important when time is of the essence.

Line Capacity

The line capacity of this particular baitcasting reel is 145 yards of 12 pound monofilament line.


Abu Garcia Silver Max Review: Features and Specs

Abu Garcia Max STX Low Profile Baitcast Reel, Size LP (1539732), 5 Stainless Steel Ball Bearings + 1...
  • LIGHTWEIGHT CONSTRUCTION: The frame and sideplates of the Abu Garcia Max Pro Baitcast Reel are made from graphite...
  • RECOVERY RATE: Recover 25” | 64cm of line for every turn of the crank. Gear ratio of 6.4:1. Made with the...
  • BRAKE SYSTEM: The MagTrax brake system gives you consistent brake pressure throughout your cast. Left handle...
  • DRAG SPECS: Synthetic Star Drag, Max: 15lb | 6.8kg. The Power Disk drag system gives you smooth drag performance....
  • LINE CAPACITY: Mono Capacity yd/lb: 150/10 120/12 85/17. Braid Capacity: 155/20 120/30 80/50. 5 stainless steel...

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Now that we have taken a close look at the Abu Garcia Black Max, let’s do the same for the Silver Max.

As you will see, they are fairly similar in most respects, although there are of courser a few differences that we will discuss further below.

Available Sizes

The Abu Garcia Silver Max Baitcasting reel comes in two models, the SMAX3 and the SMX3-L, both of which are actually the same size, the with latter of the two, the SMX3-L, being the left handed model.

However, although this reel only comes in this one specific size and model, when it comes to the style, you can choose between clam and box.

There is however a newer model available, the Silver Max STX, which is slightly more advanced, although that’s not really what we are here to talk about today.

Weight & Ergonomics

What many people are going to absolutely love about the Abu Garcia Silver Max is the fact that it weighs just over 200 grams, 209 grams to be exact.

This effectively makes the Silver Max one of the lightest fishing reels out there at this time, and of course, when it comes to fatigue and all day use, this is of course a big bonus.

The Abu Garcia Silver Max also features a bent handle with a recessed reel foot for added ergonomic friendliness, as well as that double handle grip setup.

Composition & Materials

The Abu Garcia Silver Max is made with a great one piece graphite frame along with graphite side plates, and yes, graphite is durable, lightweight, and rust-resistant.

It also features the same stainless steel handle and ball bearings like the Black Max, as well as the same machined alunmimum spool, and the same brass gears.

As you can see, in terms of the materials used in the construction of both reels, they are more or less the same.

Overall Durability

Just like the Black Max is built with very durable materials that allow for lightweight toughness, impact resistance, and corrosion resistance, so is the Silver Max.

We would say that the Abu Garcia Silver Max and Black Max baitcasting reels are about equal in terms of durability.

Ball Bearings & Smoothness

In terms of the ball bearings that the Abu Garcia Silver Max has, it comes with 5 stainless steel ball bearings and one stainless steel roller bearing, for a total of six bearings, whcvih is one more than the Black Max.

What this means is that the Abu Garcia Silver Max does perform exceptionally well in terms of casting distance, as well as fast and smooth retrievals.

If you need distance casting and smooth retrievals, the Silver Max is definitely a good option to consider.

Drag System

Just like the Abu Garcia Black Max, the Silver Max also comes with the exact same Power Disk Drag system, complete with up to 18 pounds of adjustable drag.

This should be more than enough for most basic fishing applications.

Brake System

Just like the Black Max, the Abu Garcia Silver Max baitcasting reel also comes complete with that same fully adjustable MagTrax braking system, which helps to provide you with plenty of casting control for those long distance and super accurate casts.

Gear Ratio & Retrieval Speed

Just like the Black Max, the Abu Garcia Silver Max also features a gear ratio of 6.4 to 1, and yes, it also retrieves 26 inches of line per handle revolution.

Once again, it’s not the fastest of all fishing reels, but it is definitely up there in terms of speed, something that can of course make a pretty big difference.

Line Capacity

The line capacity of the Abu Garcia Silver Max is also 145 yards of 12 pound monofilament line.


Differences Between the Abu Garcia Black And Silver Max

Now that we have reviewed both the Abu Garcia Silver Max and the Black Max, let’s take a quick look at the fundamental differences between the two.

Models

While both of these baitcasting reels from Abu Garcia come in both left and right handed models, the Silver Max does have a slightly newer model available for purchase than the Black Max, the Silver Max STX to be precise.

Weight & Size

One of the biggest differences between these two baitcasting reels is that the Silver Max is a bit lighter than the Black Max.

The Black Max is 290 grams and the Silver Max is 209, thus making the Silver Max just over 80 grams lighter.

Although this is a fairly negligible weight differential, it might still make a difference to some, and at the end of the day, the Black Max will cause slightly more fatigue than the Silver Max.

Moreover, do keep in mind that the Black Max is also slightly larger and bulkier than the Silver Max.

Ball Bearings & Smoothness

Ok, so there is no mistaking the fact that the Abu Garcia Black Max is very smooth, and it’s all thanks to those 4 ball bearings and 1 roller bearing.

However, when it comes down to it, the Silver Max has one more ball bearing than the Black Max, and yes, this does make a difference.

When it comes down to it, the Abu Garcia Silver Max is just a bit smoother, thus allowing for slightly longer casting distances and somewhat easier retrievals.

Related: we have covered our favorite 5 lines for the black max here.


Conclusion: Which is Better, Abu Garcia Black Max or Silver Max?

As you can see from our reviews and our comparison section, besides a few minor differences, both the Abu Garcia Black Max and the Silver Max are very similar, almost identical in fact.

The only real differences are that the Silver Max has an extra ball bearing for a bit of added smoothness, and it also weighs about 80 grams less, thus making it a bit lighter, more user friendly, and will end up causing less fatigue.

Jason Downs

I created Fishtackly to share my 30 years of fishing experience and knowledge with others with the aim to help, and hopefully get more people involved and educated in this fantastic hobby that I love.