Korum Radius Freespool Reel

How well is it built?

At this price most baitrunners come with a plastic spool and a thin wire bail. Korum have gone further with the Radius.

The spool is machined aluminium and anodised, so it will not crack or chip if it takes a knock on the gravel, and the bail arm is an oversized aluminium one rather than a thin wire.

The body and rotor are graphite, which is how Korum keep the 4500 down to 380g. Inside there are five ball bearings plus a needle bearing, and the handle is CNC-machined aluminium that swaps to either side, so left-handed anglers are catered for too.

Small details like the water-drop shaped bail holder and the line-friendly clip show the reel has been designed by people who fish.

The graphite body will not be as rigid as an all-metal reel under the very heaviest loads, but for barbel, tench and carp on specialist rods it is more than up to the job, and the weight saving is exactly why it balances so nicely on a lighter rod.

How well does it cast and retrieve?

The 4500 holds 200m of 0.30mm mono, which is plenty for barbel, tench and small-water carp at the ranges most of us fish for them. It is not a distance reel and it does not pretend to be, but at short to medium range the aluminium spool lets the line peel off cleanly on the cast.

A 5.1:1 gear ratio sits nicely in the middle, quick enough to catch up with a fish swimming towards you without being so fast that you lose feel close in.

Korum have fitted a titanium line roller designed to cut down line twist, which matters more than people think when you are casting to the same spot all day, and there is a line-friendly clip on the spool for marking your distance.

On a 1.75lb to 2.75lb rod, a reel this size keeps the whole setup light and balanced, which is what you want when you are holding the rod for long spells on a river or feeling for bites on a lake.

How useful is the drag system?

The freespool is the reason you buy a reel like this.

The lever sits at the back of the reel with the tension knob behind it, where your hand naturally falls, and with it switched on, a fish can take line off the spool under light tension without pulling the rod in, and a turn of the handle puts you back on the main drag and in contact with the fish.

Behind that is a front drag rated to 8kg, more than enough for barbel, tench and carp on a lighter rod, and a one-way clutch that stops the handle turning backwards.

In plain English, there is no slack or play in the handle when you pick the rod up and lean into a fish, which is exactly what you want on the strike.

It is worth setting the freespool tension to suit the conditions. On a still day a light setting lets a shy tench move off without resistance, while on a river you will want it a little firmer so the flow does not pull line off the spool.

Is it good value for money?

Scoring 8.5 here, the Korum Radius Freespool is a lot of reel for under fifty pounds. An aluminium spool, bail and handle are usually things you pay more for, and Korum have not skimped on the bearings either.

It is a touch heavier than the dearest compact baitrunners, but it is far lighter than the big-pit style budget reels and it is built to last. For anyone putting together a first pair of barbel or tench rods, it is a very easy recommendation.