Stainless Steel Guides?

[MrTexasRigs]

Alright, so I see a lot of things being said about stainless steel guides, and I was wondering the reason? Do they not last long? I thought it would only matter if you were to use braided line with them. Given, I'm not a tournament angler (atm), should this not effect me since I'd probably only fish just about every weekend that I could in the spring/summer. I was wondering because i bought a Powell Inferno when they came out and I really like it. It may be a stupid question, but I really don't know.

 

Thanks

[S Hovanec]

I'm not a fan for multiple reasons. The biggest one being that I'm not a fan of metal touching my line. It doesn't take much to scratch or nick them, thus creating a rough spot to damage the line.

[MrTexasRigs]

I'm not a fan for multiple reasons. The biggest one being that I'm not a fan of metal touching my line. It doesn't take much to scratch or nick them, thus creating a rough spot to damage the line.

Since you were my only response. I would assume the stainless steel guides on the Inferno will be pretty decent, they are all Fuji guides. What do you think?

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

It sounds like you're talking about two different things. SS frames are fine for most apps. Ti are lighter and more corrosion resistant. S Hovanec's talking about guides with stainless rings like Minima 4s. These have worked well for me  on light line, lite and ultra-lite builds. As to the OP, those are good guides for a rod in that price range.

[S Hovanec]

Yea. I was talking about the SS304/Minima4 style of guides. There is nothing wrong with SS frames with ceramic inserts. I just don't like the SS ringed guides.

[ww2farmer]

I have actually had way LESS trouble with the SS guides than with ceramic guides.........at least once, if not more, times a year I have an insert fall out on a ceramic guide. Brand dosen't matter either, Fuji, Pacbay, etc.... I have had inserts fall out on them all. I fish braid and have never had one the SS guides groove, nor have I had any inserts fall out...............because there are none to fall out. They are lighter than some ceramic guides, BUT they are louder with braid than most ceramic guides. I don't scoff at a rod that has them, but I don't seek them out either. If I pick up a rod and like the way it feels and it just happens to have those guides on it I will buy it and not think twice, because, as I said before, those guides have never given me any trouble in the past.