Bauer RX5 Fly Reel Review

Feb 22, 2018 · 3 min read

Black machined aluminum Bauer RX5 fly reel with skeletonized spool, engraved center cap and blue spool rim, close-up.

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. Another newcomer to our shootouts is Bauer. You might be asking yourself, “Hey, where did you get one of those?” Yes, it’s true – Bauer’s have been a little hard to come by of late, but we have it on good authority that you can now get *at least some* of the models. The Bauer RX isn’t the newest model Bauer has released, but it is the newest model without the knuckle-busting drag knob on the same side as the handle, so it’s a reel that feel like it was designed by someone who had actually been fly fishing before. So, how does it stack up against the best reels in the business? 8-Weight Shootout Full Results

Weight

7.7 ounces. Better than most!

Drag

Bauer RX5 fly reel with blue anodized aluminum spool, brass spindle and black vented metal frame for fly fishing

With more than 10lbs of max drag, the Bauer is a serious saltwater reel. Unfortunately it quickly backs off with an effective drag of only 4lbs. At half drag it loses a whopping 85% of its drag and delivers a mere 1.4lbs. That means that instead of 2 turns, you’ve really only got like 1.5 turns of drag that’s actually useful. On the bottom end it has .2lbs which is not quite enough to prevent a free spool.

Drag Test Graph

Bauer RX5 fly reel drag test line chart showing blue trace rising to about 10 lbs then stable with small variance

Sound

Like many of the reels we’ve tested so far, the RX has a silent retrieve, which is not ideal. It does make up for it a bit with a much better outgoing click than most.

Spool & Retrieval Rate

The biggest area of improvement on the Bauer RX is its spool. It’s just a little too close to what would now qualify as a mid-arbor reel. At 8.5 inches per turn, it just doesn’t have enough pick up to compete for the top spot. It’s 40% slower than the Loop Speedrunner.

Looks & Ergonomics

The Bauer looks, and more importantly feels great. It’s a very solidly built and machined reel. You pick it up and you can just feel the quality that has gone into the machining. But back to looks. It looks great and comes with way too many customizable options to turn it into a truly unique reel. The Bauer does well on the ergonomic front as well. It’s got an easy to grasp drag knob and a great handle. Wood seems to be the classic material of choice and while I don’t know how it’s going to stand up over the years, it’s certainly comfortable for now.

Finish and durability

Silver machined aluminum Bauer RX5 fly reel with black frame, white spool, wooden handle and scuff on rim

The Bauer did well in the durability realm as well. After we beat it up, you had to really look to find where the damage was.

Warranty

Lifetime to the original owner + $18 fee. Price: $625

Conclusion

This is the first Bauer I have really had a chance to play with. I’m pretty impressed. It delivered in just about every category. I can’t help but hope that with the guidance of the good folks at Winston, Bauer will be able to return to the forefront of design and top our charts the next time around.

Buy it with Free Shipping here.

Pros

Great look and feel
Solid drag strength on the top end

Cons

Slow line pick up
Not the best in terms of drag adjustability.

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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