Texas Tested

Texas Guns
January 3, 2014
Industry Insider
January 3, 2014

Abu Garcia Revo STX

Whether you cast inshore waters for specs and reds or ply lakes and rivers for largemouths, chances are you’ve heard of the Abu Garcia Revo line of reels. Now, there’s a new, third-generation Revo in town.

Let’s look at the Garcia Revo STX. This is a mid-priced reel which MSRPs at right around $200, but it has some features usually found on pricier competitors. Take bearings, for example: the STX has a whopping 11 of them. It also has dual braking systems (centrifugal and magnetic) to prevent backlash.

The centrifugal brake acts during the first half of the cast, when spool rotation is at its maximum speed. Then, as the spool begins to slow, the magnetic brake kicks in and maintains complete control during the second half of the cast.

The STX comes in three versions with different gear ratios, 6.4:1, 7.1:1, and 8.0:1. That super-high 8.0:1 ratio reel cranks in 33 inches of line, with every revolution of the handle. All three of these models are rated to hold 145 yards of 12-pound test monofilament, or 140 yards of 30-pound braid. They can put out up to 20 pounds of drag, and yes, lefty models are available.

The 6.5 ounce Revo STX is constructed with light-weight, carbon side plates, and an alloy frame. The drag is carbon matrix, and the handle with EVA grips and star drag maintains the reel’s sleek, low profile. Overall, the use of these materials cut about 2.5 ounces—that’s about 29-percent—off the weight of previous generation reels.

Other changes include a profile that’s been lowered even more, a slightly wider spool that doesn’t increase the reel’s overall width, a gear design upgrade, and more corrosion-resistant alloys. For more information, head to  abugarcia.com.

—Lenny Rudow

 

2014 Chevy Silverado

I recently had the privilege of driving the new 2014 Chevy Silverado for a month, and I was outright impressed. I’m not usually a fan of any type of vehicle, but Chevy changed my mind. The truck is loaded with features that made me look forward to several hours on the road to my various events.

The MyLink Infotainment center has GPS navigation, OnStar, SiriusXM Radio, vehicle information and even the speed limit at your fingertips, on the display and even in the dash. It has Bluetooth connectivity, USB docks, an SD card port, and even a 110V AC power outlet.

LED lights brilliantly illuminate the bed of the truck, interior and consoles. It has a sunroof, folding side mirrors, power sliding rear window and even air-conditioned seats perfect for our Texas summers.

Safety features include backup video cameras, 360 degree sensors and a collision alert system that will vibrate your seat and flash red lights in a HUD display if danger approaches.

It has plenty of cargo space that is easily reachable with built in steps on the bumper. The rear seats fold up easily to load the rest of your cargo. The Silverado’s drive also saved me several times from walking as clay roads got too saturated for normal vehicles to maneuver. MSRP for a standard package starts at $25,575.

Customize yours at chevrolet.com/silverado.

—Dustin Ellermann

 

BioBor: Prep for Winter

Yes in the past, we’ve told you about the Hammonds fuel additive, Biobor. And yes—unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past few years—you’ve also heard plenty about the problems with ethanol in your fuel supply. But now’s the time to really pay attention. Many small engines get left sitting idle for months at a time during the winter, and the fuel in them is almost guaranteed to go bad.

Ethanol is hydroscopic. As it sits it will bond with water molecules and sink to the bottom of your fuel tank. This causes your fuel to break down faster than ever before. When you start an engine up after the fuel has been sitting for more than a couple of weeks, that stuff will gunk up your carburetors, shut down your engines, and create sludge in your fuel tanks. It happens in everything from outboards to lawn mowers to ATVs.

Biobor EB prevents this issue by stopping phase separation for up to 18 months, which is obviously more than enough to get you through the winter. It comes in a squeeze bottle with a built-in measuring section on top, which makes it easy to figure out exactly how much of the additive to pour into your tank. With some competing products, you have to make your best guess.

One ounce treats up to 15 gallons of gasoline. At about $20 for a 16-ounce bottle, that means it only costs about eight cents a gallon to prevent phase separation and eliminate those ethanol problems. As an added bonus, it also cleans and disperses sludge in your fuel tank.

I’ve tried Biobor EB (the EB stands for ethanol buster) in my lawn mower, the 15-hp outboard on my waterfowl boat, the 90-hp outboards on my bay boat, and the fuel tank I keep for a leaf blower and chainsaw. In all cases, as long as I added it in, the engines have run fine. I forgot to add it into the lawnmower once and yup—a couple weeks later it ran terribly. Other Biobor additives, called Biobor MD and Biobor JF, address fuel problems specific to diesel.

You can get more info, at biobor.com.

 

—Lenny Rudow

 

Sure Grip Racks

Sure Grip Racks provide a large variety of gun and bow racks that will fit anyone’s need. I tested the basic mount on my ATV and found it to be very secure and easy to use. It held strong on the toughest trails and I never had to worry about my bow being damaged. Although it comes with extra Velcro straps to help secure your bow or gun, I found it wasn’t necessary because the rack held so well.

The mounts come with high quality foam inserts to hold a bow and will convert to hold a rifle by removing a small piece.

The basic mount starts at $54.95 and they have an amazing number of racks for every off road vehicle and mounting position.

Find out more at suregripracks.com  

 

—Dustin Ellermann

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