Went to Dicks Sporting Goods to see if they had stocked the store for Black Friday and they had recieved the new Stradics.  These reels are fantastic .  What amazed me the most is how well it is balanced and of course how smooth it is.  It was as smooth as my Sustain but the way it was balanced felt different from any other reel I have picked up.

So when the bait monkey comes banging on my door, I think I will have to pick one of these up.  It looks like Shimano has taken another step forward in their reel production  .

How much was Dick's listing the new Stradic's for?

That sounds awesome, but may I ask what you mean by the reel being balanced? This has piqued my curiosity indeed.  

I  have the Stradic 2500 MgFA and I love it.

Smooth as a baby's behind.

Will get another one or two next year as the fishing sales begin in January and February.

Only problem is that you do not get an extra spool with the MgFA.  

I have no idea why Shimano does this.