By Trevor Knight
Quantum’s exclusive ACS™ technology is now the cast control system standard because it’s the most accurate braking system ever designed for baitcast reels. The external dial allows for fine-tune adjustment of centrifugal braking to perfectly match your fishing situation, without disassembling the reel.
The engineers at Quantum took the ACS technology and refined the components to work even better than ever in the brand new ACS3 cast control system. The engineers also incorporated an amazing self-adjusting mechanism that allows the angler to maximize casting distance while significantly reducing the probability of backlashes in even the strongest wind with any size lure.
Even though this is not the first self-adjusting cast control system developed, it was designed to stand up to all the rigors of tournament fishing day in and day out. The patented, mechanical system was designed to be compact and lightweight without using delicate electronics that may be susceptible to failure in extreme conditions.
The advantages of the ACS3 system include fewer backlashes, greater casting distance, improved brake control, and the ability to make different types of casts without re-adjusting the setting every time.
The cast system works by setting the amount of control just as you would before with an external dial, which applies up to 9 braking pins to match your style of casting and the fishing conditions. It is designed to provide absolute free-spooling for close quarters flipping and pitching. However, when distance and accuracy are required, particularly with lighter baits, ACS3 technology takes over to provide total control.
When the ACS3 control is set at a low level, the brake assembly will not engage all of the brake shoes or none at all if set to zero. This would be used for flipping and pitching. When the ACS3 control is set at a high level for long distance casting or casting into the wind, all of the brake shoes will engage at maximum spool RPMs. At lower RPMs, the braking system will engage fewer brakes automatically. This means that when set at a higher level, the cast control system automatically adjusts the amount of pressure applied to prevent the spool from over-spinning, thereby eliminating backlashes. This allows the angler to make a long cast and then make a short pitch on the next cast without having to adjust the cast control dial.
ACS3 technology can be found on all of Quantum’s new 150-size PT baitcast reels. The 150-size lineup includes the Tour KVD PT, the Energy SS PT, and the Reax PT. MSRP for these reels are $299.95, $229.95, and $169.95 respectively.
No other reels give anglers the range of control they can now get with Quantum’s ACS3 technology.
