Demise of Micro Guides

[Mr. Bassin II]

Been shopping new rods recently and noticed that hardly any new offerings have micro guides.  Just a few years ago the tiny things were the greatest things since sliced bread.  Am I missing something or is the micro guide fad officially over?

[BayouSlide]

If so, somebody should tell Falcon. Their Lowrider series feature very small guides which I assumed were micro size and are nice rods at an execellent price point: I own a number of them now. They don't advertise them as micro guides (perhaps a trademark issue, don't know) but as "Fuji 100% tangle free K frame guides." 

[Pogues2300]

Every Loomis, Megabass rod I’ve purchased has had them. Wouldn’t hurt my feelings if they didn’t.

[GReb]

19 minutes ago, BayouSlide said:

If so, somebody should tell Falcon. Their Lowrider series feature very small guides which I assumed were micro size and are nice rods at an execellent price point: I own a number of them now. They don't advertise them as micro guides (perhaps a trademark issue, don't know) but as "Fuji 100% tangle free K frame guides." 

“When first introduced in 1995, Falcon’s LowRider series defied convention by using small, single-footed, rod guides. These guides also sat lower, resting much closer to the blank. Compared to other rods of similar length, there were also more guides. These much smaller, more numerous, guides worked to limit line slap and friction up the entire length of the rod, resulting in longer casts. The “low-profile” rod was born”

[Smalliefan2]

Looked at new St. Croix, talked with rep. The older style are being replaced with a micro guide, about 50% larger than the original micro's. Much smaller than the "traditional" guides, larger than the old micro. Their new rods are all the newer micro, i.e Victory etc.  

[T-Billy]

15 minutes ago, Smalliefan2 said:

Looked at new St. Croix, talked with rep. The older style are being replaced with a micro guide, about 50% larger than the original micro's. Much smaller than the "traditional" guides, larger than the old micro. Their new rods are all the newer micro, i.e Victory etc.  

ARK is also using these larger micros. I'm a fan of them. Small and light, big enough for an Alberto to pass though. Perfect size IMO.

[NorthernBasser]

1 hour ago, Pogues2300 said:

Every Loomis, Megabass rod I’ve purchased has had them. Wouldn’t hurt my feelings if they didn’t.

 

Which Megabass rods do you have? Neither my Orochi XX Diablo Spec-R or Lavante Jerkbait Special have micro-guides. 

[Pogues2300]

1 hour ago, NorthernBasser said:

 

Which Megabass rods do you have? Neither my Orochi XX Diablo Spec-R or Lavante Jerkbait Special have micro-guides. 

P5 destroyer x-bites and dark sleeper… maybe they aren’t considered micro guess I’m not sure but they are plenty small.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Again, there is no standard definition of a “micro” guide. Guides are sized by the ID of the frame ring (OD of the insert). At one point in time a size 6 running guide and top was pretty standard. I think Duckett used 3’s which is really small. A size 4 will pass a well tied Alberto knot between 50# braid and 15# mono. Some rod maker touted “macro” guides, another made up term, which I estimate to be 5 or 5.5. The correct guide is the smallest, lightest that will pass your connections, stand up to the application and serve the environment (ice, algae…). 

[Bankbeater]

The BPS Carbonlite spinning rod I bought at the end of 2020 has them.  It's a good rod, but it has taken a while for me to warm up to those micro guides.