Hello! My question is ,what criteria you use when choosing the type of ceramic rings in your guides
most all of my rods will be for braid or mono.

It's highly unlikely that you'll ever groove or wear any of the quality ceramic rings available today. In many cases, the ultra-smooth and hard SIC type rings are overkill. However, being harder they can generally be polished to a finer and smoother finish. That might make a difference with very light lines or at the opposite end with very heavy equipment used for big game fishing. But if your concern is simply getting a ring that can withstand the wear from such lines, almost any good ceramic ring is going to be fine.

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We have many more quality choices these days. With that in mind I tend to consider price and who I want to support. I have been pleased with nanolite as a material. I felt alconite offered good value in the past. I'll often spring for a SIC tip top on an important rod. Really the old hardloy guides were adequate. I just didn't like the color!

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Im with russ. Really to me the frame is the biggest consideration. Here in fla most of our customers are salt and man if you arn't willing to pay you are replacing guides for a guy in a year. For rings I do love sic but only when the guy is willing to pay for it. Actuallly i have become really partial to recoil for my own guides. No problem with corrosian and you can't break them. I don't use there tips though so I will add a sic titamium tip. FULLPROOF in my opinion.

Billy, just curious. What is happening to the guides that they need to be replaced? Is it the frame or the ring, and is there a practical difference in the stainless offered for the frames (304, 316)

Greg

For saltwater I'll spring the extra $$ and use titanium frame guides with ceramic inserts - as above ANY of the ceramics will do the job vis-a-vis grooving. None of the new ones will.

I've never had any ceramic guide ring groove, and I've used some cheap rods for quite a few years as I don't want my good stuff banged around an aluminum boat in Canada. I have had tiptops groove on the cheaper rods. I always use high end tiptops-for a couple bucks extra I have more confidence, and I've never grooved one.

I'm looking to see how the 316 guides stand up over time. I have always had problems in the weld/braze area of guides in the past. The boat style have been some of the worse.

I ordered some titanium guides to try but the post office destroyed them. When I asked here, about bending them back into shape, the general feeling was to toss them and buy again. I can't aford the hit in the pocket now. Maybe in the future.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Geg I had more problems with all guide material before switching to titanium recoil. I would not use anything else for rods fished in the salt water here in fla. As you know the salt content in a tropical climate is higher and just the salt air will rust metals fast. The investment in titanium is well worth it. I would suggest you buy from a reputable dealer and leave a note that the mail guys here are rough on boxs. Most will pack 'bomb proof" anyway but just make a note. I know they will back it up to assure you get what you pay for. Your guides will last for ever too and be lighter too boot. Any problems getting them email me as I will get you a set and make sure you get them in good order. Billy