Hialoy guide material

[The Rooster]

I asked this question once before, about whether or not Pacific Bay guides were any good on a rod and the general answer from quite a few people here seemed to be that they were junk. 

I looked around on the internet and found several sites claiming that hialoy material is the highest grade of aluminum oxide available on the market.  It's supposed to be diamond polished to last for years of use. 

Seems like the product description reads well enough, but then seeing that this year Bass Pro Shops put Pac Bay Hialoy guides on every single rod they offer from the Extreme rod down to the Graphite Series ($100 rods down to $35 and everything in the middle) then it seems to me that the "general answer" I got before is more likely to be right.  So why then am I seeing it being said that it's the highest grade aluminum oxide available today??

Personally I'm sold on Fuji, but I just wanted to know about this.  It bugs me that the same guides are on a $35 Graphite Series rod, a $50 Tourney Special, a $80 Bionic Blade, and a $100 Extreme.  Cabela's did this too, put them on several of their rods in those same price ranges.  All this just serves to make me think they're cheap guides, and yet I keep seeing that it's "the highest grade available".  Anybody know for sure??

[hmongkidBee]

hialoy guides SUCK straight out.  They're good for spinning guides or mono fishing line.  I would stick with fuji alconite guides and don't go beneath that if you are looking to use braid or flourocarbon.  Mono can be used on any type of guide.  Braid and superlines will break the insert off of the hialoy guides.  The reason I believe why bass pro is switching to these cheaper guides is that it saves them a lot of money and they make more profit out of it.  As far as those guides go just avoid them whenever possible. 

[The Rooster]

That's the general way of thinking about them I believe, and apparently there's something to it since they put them on every rod model they have on their lower end.  Hate to see their higher midrange rods go that way..........but hey I'm a Shimano man anyway when it comes to rods and so far they're still using Fuji's.  I just wanted to know about this hialoy thing for my own knowledge and that's it.

However the rods I get have hardloy guides and I do use fluorocarbon with those.  So far no trouble though.  I was also told by Bantam1 on this board that those are fine for braided line as well.  He works for Shimano so I think he'd know on that.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The Fuji Alconite is by far the best value in guides at this point in time.

[trevor]

Does amybody know what kind of guides are on a fenwick HMX? I dont think that they are fuji

[The Rooster]

Only thing Cabela's catalog states about it is "chromium SS 304". 

[dodgeguy]

alconite are only slightly harder than hialoy.sic guides are far harder than either of the other 2.st. croix has used pac bay guides on the premiers for years.

[OnthePotomac]

Everyone may find this line guide hardness chart of value:

Ring Hardness Values

Stainless Steel (SS): 400

Chrome: 800-1000

Carbaloy: 1000

Aluminum Oxide: 1200-1400

Alconite : 1300-1500

NanoLite : 1800

Zirconia: 1000-1400

Zirconia PVD: 1600

SiC: 2200-2400

[MarauderYak]

If you compare similar models of Pac Bay and Fuji guides you should find similar quality.

As I've said before, the reason so many companies have started using more Pac Bay guides is because Fuji had availability issues, and they continually raised their prices.

I think they've got the message now as I heard they plan on actually lowering their price on some of their guides now.

[.ghoti.]

Tom Kirkman, the founder of Rodmaker magazine and the Rodbuilding.org website, an acknowledged master of the craft, has stated that if PacBay made their Minima guides in all the sizes he needs, he would never buy any other guides.

If Pac Bay guides are good enough for him, they're good enough for anybody.

All propaganda to the contrary, Fuji is NOT the I Ching of components.

[LAO162]

Fuji guides have the reputation for quality that Toyota automobiles has had.