“HAGANE”

“HAGANE” is more than just a material name; it’s a design philosophy centered around creating reels that offer unmatched longevity and smoothness. The term "HAGANE" itself, which means "steel" in Japanese, symbolizes strength and resilience. However, in Shimano's context, it transcends traditional interpretations, representing a suite of advanced technologies aimed at enhancing performance and durability. In other words, when they say "HAGANE", they do not actually mean that HAGANE(= steel) is used. “HAGANE” promises robustness that can be used with peace of mind even in the harshest of conditions, an unchanging, exquisite winding feel, and winding power that exceeds the imagination."HAGANE Gear" or "HAGANE Body" is Shimano's engineering concept and philosophy.

INFINITY DRIVE

INFINITY DRIVE is a new system developed by Shimano to achieve more powerful and lighter retrieves. It replaces one of the two grease bearings supporting the pinion gear—the one on the spool side, which causes greater rotational resistance. Instead of using this bearing, the pinion gear is supported internally by the spool shaft. Additionally, the support distance and gear thickness have been thoroughly optimized to maintain high support rigidity. This new design reduces gear rotational resistance by up to approximately 60% without compromising gear strength.

X-PROTECT 

X-PROTECT combines a labyrinth structure with special water-repellent grease to provide strong protection against water intrusion into the reel's interior. The system is designed with a non-contact structure to maintain light rotational performance. In addition to traditional water-repellent treatments, the labyrinth structure effectively blocks water entry, ensuring high waterproof performance without direct contact. X-PROTECT provides robust protection for the spool-side bearing of the drive gear shaft. Additionally, a waterproof barrier is placed inside the spool to further reduce water intrusion into the spool shaft bearing.

S COMPACT BODY

The S COMPACT BODY design reduces the diameter of the reel on the palming side compared to the handle side, creating a more comfortable grip that feels as if the reel is one size smaller. This enhances palming comfort and control.

SA-RB

A-RB bearings feature a special anti-corrosion treatment that significantly improves their rust resistance. The SA-RB takes this further by sealing the sides with anti-corrosion materials, greatly reducing salt crystallization and salt damage inside the bearing.