Abel Super 7/8 Fly Reel Review

Mar 21, 2018 · 3 min read

Anodized blue Abel Super 7/8 fly reel close-up showing perforated aluminum spool and black drag knob with Abel logo

Please remember that there are no ads on this page and 100% of our funding comes from your purchases, so if you find this review to be informative, please help us keep the reviews coming by purchasing your next fly reel from us. Rounding out the classic reels in our shootout is the Abel Super 7/8. These reels haven’t changed much over the years, and that’s either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your perspective. Generally, we fall on the side of innovation, but let’s see if the tweaks that have been made to the Super series are enough to keep it competitive. 8-Weight Shootout Full Results

Weight

6.8 ounces. Actually quite light!

Drag

Blue anodized Abel Super 7/8 fly reel with cork drag washer, openwork aluminum spool and silver spindle

We’ve seen this time and time again from the Super Series. Cork drags that aren’t soaked in lubricant are just WAY too sticky. I don’t care how many world records this reel has to its name, this is a really big issue and it’s why you pay the big bucks for the SDS. The Abel maxes out at 6.5lbs of drag, but this quickly drops off and you can only really use about 2.5lbs. At the halfway mark, it’s got a mere .5lb and you’ll only see .06lbs on the bottom end. One thing that’s worth noting is that the Super Series doesn’t have any stop on the bottom end (the spool is removed by continuing to unscrew the drag), so we estimate that it has about 3 turns.

Drag Test Graphs

Blue jagged line chart showing Abel Super 7-8 fly reel drag force ~6-7 lbs across distance on white grid background.

Sound

The incoming retrieve on the Super is fantastic. It’s as nice as anything else out there. The outgoing, though, is more muted than we’d like.

Spool & Retrieval Rate

Like the Islander and the SDS, the Super is another reel that is just too small in a 7/8 size. I get that it’s trying to stay true to the classic sizes, but it just doesn’t hold enough line, or pick it up fast enough. On the plus side, it is quite narrow.

Looks & Ergonomics

Like its big brother the SDS, the Super 7/8 is a fantastic looking reel. Hand-painted, it’s a functional piece of art. It’s also got a great handle. Unlike the SDS, the Super has a classic (read: small and hard to grasp) drag knob. Not our favorite.

Finish and durability

Blue anodized Abel Super 7/8 fly reel with vented aluminum spool, black reel foot and white fly line

Due to its lighter weight, the Super did better in the drop test than the SDS. Overall, Abel’s got a solid finish, but it’s not going to beat out a super tough type 3 anodize.

Warranty

Lifetime to the original owner + $20. Price: $795 – but more for the fish graphic

Conclusion

If you had asked me where the Abel would end up in the shootout before starting, I could have more or less predicted where it would end up. There’s no room for startup inertia in this shootout. However, they have made this reel better over the years, and, while not as improved as I was hoping, its light weight shows that the road isn’t completely over for the Abel Super 7/8. Buy it with Free Shipping here.

Pros

Lightweight
Great looks

Cons

Startup inertia
Spool design

Written by

Ben Freeman

Ben Freeman founded Trident Fly Fishing in 2012 to cut through the marketing fluff and provide anglers with the technical info they actually need. He’s built his reputation by putting gear to the ultimate test in the world’s most unforgiving fisheries. With fishing stamps from over 22 countries and 17+ states, Ben’s passport is a roadmap of bucket list angling—from landing a 25lb Golden Dorado in Bolivia and 150lb Arapaima in Guyana to sight-casting for Roosterfish off the beaches in Baja. Whether it’s battling 60+mph winds to land a 20lb Rainbow at Jurassic Lake or a full day of casting 8in streamers in Mongolia, Ben has spent decades ensuring his gear performs when a trip of a lifetime is on the line.

At Trident, Ben serves as the lead gear geek, specializing in the deep-dive mechanics of rods, reels, and lines. Over the past 15 years, he's reviewed 250+ fly rods and 150+ fly reels and is likely one of the most prolific rod reviewers in the world. But he doesn't just curate the catalog; he scrutinizes every taper and drag system through the lens of a traveling angler who knows what it's like to have gear fail a thousand miles from home. For Ben, the mission is simple: leverage his experience across nearly 100 species to ensure that when you head into the wild, you’re equipped with gear that has been vetted by someone who has actually been there.

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