* Are there any guides that have ceramic (or whatever materials are used nowadays) insets in the rings that are sturdy ,ie., the rings won't get knocked out or cracked?

I see ring guides with insets on Penn, Star, etc. standup rods but am afraid of repeating a problem I had a few years ago so I get roller guides.
I'd prefer cheaper, easier to maintain rod though.

The guides would be for standup rods in the 50-80 classr.
The rods would be treated a bit roughly ,eg., getting picked up in bunches to go in a truck, getting dropped on the deck sometimes, etc.,
The guides might have double lines knots or knots connecting to very heavy mono going throught them (something most rollers can't do anyway) .

* What type of guides would you recommend for such rods?

Thanks.

Many guides now feature rings that are swaged or inset into the frame. This makes them somewhat more difficult to knock out, but they'll still crack if you whack them hard enough.

Pacific Bay has introduced some metal matrix rings that are very hardy, but I can't say for sure what type lines they'll hold up to.

If you're at the Expo this weekend talk to Vic Cutter about them.

.............

Hi Bill,

I am glad I checked the board this morning, your question is answered perfectly by our new "Virtus" guide series! Although I don't do much stand-up fishing now, when I did I was always a fan of good ring guides for knots and casting. I also used a lot of lighter and longer rods where I didn't want a lot of thread and epoxy with longer wraps, so ring guides were the ticket. However I cracked or lost rings from time to time due to impact or frame distortion. Rollers are certainly the best for heavy rod situations but with our new Ringlock design incorporated into a heavy duty inshore and offshore "Virtus" guide you can have performance with durability. The frame gauge is slightly thinner in the Virtus lite series to reduce weight and increase flexibility for inshore applications while the offshore Virtus Heavy's are extremely tough and ideal for heavy rods. Some of their features include:

- Frames comprised of solid titanium alloy or SS316 material
- Split front leg design adding lateral stability
- Recessed ring design protecting ceramic from impact
- Ringlock press-fit ring system with larger glue reservoir preventing ring loss
- Shorter foot print with increased flexibility
- Thicker gauge material adds strength and prevents crushing
- Two series covering inshore to 20-60# & offshore to 40-80# line ratings
- Available in our Nanolite ring, an SiC equivalent

No ceramic ring guide may be impurvious to fracture or ring loss. But,,,, through design and process, we have taken every step possible to insure that the rings stay in their frames. We also used a ceramic that was close to the hardness of SiC for performance but more durable to impact for durability. I believe they are the best guides made for your described purpose. Hope you will consider them.

Best Regards,

Darrin Heim
American Tackle Company