Shawn -

Do yourself a HUGE favor and pay the extra 40 for the Stradic. I have used both and now own 2 2500 Stradics, a 4000 Stradic, and no Symetres. That should tell you soemthing. The Stradics are smoother and are just a plain pleasure to fish with. I also heard that the Stardic system is totally enclosed, while the Symetre is not, which is good for corrosion protection, etc., but I am not sure on that. Perhaps someone can expand. Bottom line, the Symetre is a great reel, but if it is not a matter of saving the 40 bucks, definitely go with the Stradic. Hope that helps. NCD.
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"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it."