Spinning Reel Size Chart: Compare Capacity Before Choosing a Size
Choose a spinning reel by its exact model, published line capacity, and weight before relying on a number such as 2500 or 3000. The chart below puts ten US-market Shimano Stradic FM and PENN Battle IV models on one readable capacity format. It is a shortlist tool, not a rule that equates the two brands’ sizes.
Start with the line you intend to use and a capacity you need. A manufacturer’s pound-test capacity is a reference point; it may use a different mono diameter from your line. Keep the complete model code when comparing listings.
Compare the exact spinning reel model
Filter the published specifications
A missing capacity entry is not zero. When you set a minimum, models without that exact pound-test entry are excluded rather than estimated.
| Exact model | US series | Published mono capacity | Reel weight (oz) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST1000HGFM | Shimano Stradic FM | 2 lb: 270 yd 4 lb: 160 yd 6 lb: 110 yd | 6.5 | Manufacturer |
| ST2500HGFM | Shimano Stradic FM | 8 lb: 140 yd 10 lb: 120 yd | 7.8 | Manufacturer |
| STC3000XGFM | Shimano Stradic FM | 6 lb: 230 yd 8 lb: 170 yd 10 lb: 140 yd | 7.9 | Manufacturer |
| ST4000XGFM | Shimano Stradic FM | 10 lb: 200 yd 12 lb: 160 yd | 9.7 | Manufacturer |
| STC5000XGFM | Shimano Stradic FM | 12 lb: 195 yd 14 lb: 165 yd | 10.2 | Manufacturer |
| BTLIV1000 | PENN Battle IV | 4 lb: 140 yd 6 lb: 110 yd 8 lb: 95 yd | — | Manufacturer |
| BTLIV2000 | PENN Battle IV | 4 lb: 240 yd 6 lb: 180 yd 8 lb: 125 yd | — | Manufacturer |
| BTLIV2500 | PENN Battle IV | 6 lb: 255 yd 8 lb: 175 yd 10 lb: 140 yd | — | Manufacturer |
| BTLIV3000 | PENN Battle IV | 8 lb: 200 yd 10 lb: 165 yd 12 lb: 120 yd | — | Manufacturer |
| BTLIV4000 | PENN Battle IV | 8 lb: 270 yd 10 lb: 220 yd 12 lb: 165 yd | — | Manufacturer |
Swipe or scroll sideways to see all columns.
Download the full specification table (CSV). The em dash in the weight column means that weight was not supplied in the cited PENN comparison table. It is not a zero-weight entry.
What the same size label can hide
For a concrete comparison, the US Stradic ST2500HGFM lists 140 yards at 8 lb mono; the Battle IV BTLIV2500 lists 175 yards at the same labeled strength. That is a difference in published references, not proof that the PENN holds that much more of every 8 lb line. Neither entry identifies a shared measured diameter.
The useful next step is to look up the diameter of your actual series in the line diameter chart, then check the reel’s own spool label or manual. Use a diameter-based capacity only when its units and line type are explicit. Do not silently treat a braid entry as a mono entry.
A short purchase check
- Keep the full SKU. Size, speed, compact-body, and shallow-spool suffixes can identify different products. Use the exact listing that matches the specification.
- Use the right capacity column. This table normalizes mono to “lb: yd.” The source pages use different slash orders, so reading the raw numbers without their headings can reverse their meaning.
- Check weight without filling gaps. Compare published reel weight for the exact SKU. A retailer’s boxed or shipping weight does not substitute for it.
- Check retrieve separately. Capacity does not tell you how much line comes back per turn. The gear ratio and line-retrieve guide handles that decision.
When the chart cannot decide for you
A model missing from this small sample is not ruled out. The chart does not measure spool diameter, rod balance, casting performance, or suitability for a fish species. If the line you plan to use differs from the published reference, the line capacity calculator can help with an ideal estimate when both diameters are known; it cannot supply an unknown manufacturer diameter.