When it comes to quality spinning reels, Shimano and Daiwa have cornered the market for decades. So, when Shimano sent me its new premium spinning reel to test out, I was pretty pumped.
Then I was floored when I saw the price tag on the new Exsence B: This bad boy comes in at roughly $650. Admittedly, very few of us can legitimately justify purchasing a fishing reel at that cost—I know I’m not even one of them. But, if you are one of the few who relies heavily on quality finesse gear to catch big smallmouth and spots on a regular basis, you might want to stay tuned into this one.
The Exsence is butter smooth and the nicest spinning reel I’ve ever picked up. Is it worth it? That’s for you to decide—but, hopefully, my experience will help with that.
Key features
I think this reel includes every innovative process and part Shimano has to offer. Here’s the laundry list: InfinityXross, InfinityLoop, Infinity Drive, DuraCross Drag, Anti-Twist Fin, Hagane Body, Hagane Gear, MicroModule Gear II, MGL Rotor, Rapid Fire Drag, X-Ship, X-Protect, SilentDrive, CI4+, Long Stroke Spool, Propulsion Line Management System, Rigid Support Drag, One-Piece Bail, G-Free Body, and Aero Wrap II.
So what does all that do? The MGL Rotor allows the reel to start and stop with considerably less effort. The Hagane Body and Hagane Gear are both cold forged, creating a more powerful reel with less flex. InfinityXross results in a more durable gear. InfinityLoop translates to the spool moving up and down slower to lay the line on the spool more evenly. And Infinity Drive plays the biggest part in that smooth reeling.
The DuraCross Drag is ridiculously smooth and crisp, and can be adjusted cleanly during the fight. I like the paddle knob Shimano went with on the handle. And the overall reel is light as a feather: I tested the 2500 size and it weighs a mere 6.3 ounces.
Shimano 2025 Exsence B Spinning Reel Specs
- MSRP: $649.99
- Model: 2500XGB
- Gear ratio: 6.4
- Line retrieve per crank (inches): 37
- Line capacity: 8-140, 10-120
- Weight: 6.3 ounces
- Ball bearings: 11/1
Personal experience
Because I wanted to try to get in as much time with it as possible for this review, I’ve had this reel for a few months now. In that time, I’ve caught about a couple dozen bass with it, the biggest weighing around four pounds. I also took a buddy out, and he tied into a few five- to seven-pound stripe with it in one day.
I can definitely say that I’ve never fished with a smoother spinning reel. Whether we’re talking about fighting a fish or just chucking and winding, this is the smoothest operating spinning reel I’ve ever fished with. (It’s worth mentioning that I’ve tested a little more than two dozen spinning reels this year alone.)
The Exsence B casts really well too, with both light baits and heavier baits. I’ve fished the smaller Berkley Krej 100 on it and it’ll launch that 1/2-ounce bait. And it’s also really capable with the lighter wacky rigs and other things. I did not try casting any of the marabou jigs or anything like that on it; we just don’t do much of that down here. But this feels to me like a versatile powerhouse that you can do a lot with.
Final thoughts
There’s no doubt in my mind that the Shimano Exsence B is a fantastic spinning reel, which I could have said before I ever cast with it and can certainly attest to now. It’s packed with every bell and whistle you could imagine.
At the end of the day, though, it all comes down to whether or not the quality of the reel outweighs the price tag. I really wish I had even more time with this one, to know if it would be as good in a year, five years, or 10 years. I think that’s really going to be the deciding factor. If this reel will hold up season after season like it should, I think the investment makes a lot more sense. But that’s something we won’t know for a while.
