Much of the tackle world got its very first look at the new Quantum saltwater lineup during the ICAST show in mid-July. I, on the other hand, was lucky enough to get some “hands on” experience with two of Quantum’s newest releases – the Exceed spinning reel and Rely spinning rods – during a product testing event in Jensen Beach, FL a month prior. Suffice to say, the Quantum Exceed tested well on sailfish and speckled trout, which is good news for targeting stripers and weakies, perhaps some football season bluefin tuna as well, in hopes of exceeding our own expectations heading into the fall run.
In tackle shops this month, the Exceed spinning reel is the new premium level reel atop the Quantum saltwater lineup which includes Adapt, Merit, Strive, Benchmark, and Cabo. For those who were fans of the original Quantum Cabo back in the mid-2000s – and/or have already added the 2025 version of Cabo to your quiver – the Exceed is built on the same aluminum body/side plate as the Cabo, with new tooling of the carbon rotor and other weight-saving design measures to make the Exceed a touch lighter than Cabo, with the same great strength and even more durability.
Essentially under wraps until ICAST, the Quantum Exceed was officially unveiled on July 14th on the floor of the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, which is where I caught up with Mike Rice, senior vice president of Quantum. “The Cabo was a big success, the product is doing very well in the market, the Northeast is one of the strongest holds for that product,” Rice told me, adding, “the Exceed is built off the same Cabo platform, machined gearing inside, same as the Cabo, aluminum frame and side plate, same as the Cabo.”
The first key difference is that the Exceed line is built with a carbon rotor, which is both smooth and light. “The Exceed is the lightest weight reel that we make in our entire portfolio,” Rice said of this reel. While the Exceed is certainly lighter, it’s also a lot tougher with the addition of Cerakote on the reel body and side plate. “Cerakoting is a ceramic coating that attaches to metal, that’s used in the firearm industry a lot, but it basically protects that metal from boat rash, scratches, when you drop the reel,” said Rice, explaining how nicks in a reel can eventually lead to corrosion. “This protects the reel from the outside,” Rice added.
And then of course on the inside, Quantum Exceed spinning reels are IPX 8 waterproof. “The body, the drag system and even the line roller are sealed to IPX 8, so you can actually drop that up to 3 or 4 feet, it can sit underwater for an hour, literally nothing gets in,” said Rice of the 16 seals and 7+1 bearing count. “You can open up the gear box, the drag system, and there’s no water inside,” Rice added.
The Quantum Exceed lineup comes out this month available in six sizes, from the EX2500 on up to the EX8000, with max drag pressure from 25 to 45 pounds depending on model (MSRP: $299.95 to $399.95). Then, coming later this fall is the stand-alone rod series called Quantum Rely, with four inshore models, six surf sticks, and five jig, boat and bottom fishing rods (MSRP: $79.95 to $129.95) built on HSX24 high-strength composite blanks. Also coming in October is the new Merit Free-Liner spin reels for fishing live bait.
Look for our full ICAST interview with Mike Rice in one of our twice-weekly New Product Reviews available on The Fisherman’s YouTube page or at TheFisherman.com.
