Anyone using the Titanium Minima's? Worked on a spinning rod with the ZV style a little - they are one of the lightest guides I have ever used.

Has anyone fished them much, and has anyone used the titanium Minima tops as well?

Thanks - Marc

Keep it simple - that's all I can handle!

Yes I have, also the match guides. The ZV guides are similar in frame size to the popular Fuji "Y" guides. Don't think Pac Bay makes a titanium tip top yet, at least I've never been able to find one yet. Pac Bay makes a good guide.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/03/2016 05:11PM by Spencer Phipps.

Great guides. I use on saltwater rods and I have no complaints. If you do a topic search you will find many posts about these guides. MH

Was looking at the 2016 PAC Bay catalog and they will be offering minima 4 guides with a solid titanium frame in a Ti-black color in a number of different frame styles. The minima4 frame models include ZV, SV, M, F, T, & N. Have not yet seen them for sale anywhere. Still no solid titanium minima tip tops. Looking forward to trying these when they become available. Maybe we will see them at the expo.

They have titanium Minima tips in the 2016 catalog. Really impressed with the ZV guides I have in the shop so far. Trying the ZV style in size 20-10-6 for a really light set up right now. The ZV 20 ring is higher than the SV 25.

From what I see the only guides that can come close in weight are Recoils - have you guys seen anything else this light?

Thanks - Marc

Keep it simple - that's all I can handle!

Did not see solid titanium minima tip tops in the catalog. They have the Ti-black tip tops but they do not have a solid titanium frame. If you like the ZV try the match guides (M) they are even higher and are just as light if not lighter.

I think Fuji is the only company making titanium tip tops.

Just got a new 2016 catalog - I think the Titanium tips are in there - I'll check when I get in to work today.

Thanks - Marc

Keep it simple - that's all I can handle!

Fuji's "titanium" tip tops are NOT 100% titanium. The flat metal part is (part that holds the ring and legs), the tube is some type of steel - take a magnet and see for yourself. Minimal weight saving with that small amount of Ti material - the ceramic rings kills any weight savings verse a Mimima guide. It's the tube that always gets corrosion and still will.

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Solid titanium (alloy) guides were marketed by REC back in the 90's. It takes a long time to change tradition/inertia in the fishing world. My bet is cork grips will no longer be standard in the next decade or two.

You can always wrap on a single foot guide for use as a tiptop.

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

SeaGuide also makes Titanium tops at a reasonable price. Typically the ceramics are heavy, except for our new RS rings which are ultra light. Specific gravity (weight by volume) of stainless rings is 7.9, Zirconium is 5.8, and our new RS rings are only 3.3.

Check out our web site to find out more.

Rick Hall
Global Sales Manager
SeaGuide Corporation
406-750-2122
www.sea-guide.com

In the 2016 catalog on pg. 23 they show a TiBlack tip top - looks like titanium frame with black finish according to the p.n. - KP4KT06-04.0 - or other tube size.

TheTi-black tip tops are stainless with a Ti-black PVD coating; they match the titanium Ti-black guides but are not titanium. It appears that no company makes a true titanium tip top. Some may have titanium frames (Fuji &SeaGuide) but the tube is always stainless. As Tom mentons above, if you want a titanium tip top you can always wrap on a running guide at the tip. I have done this before in a pinch as a temporary fix when I did not have the right size tip top. It worked very well; do not know about the longevity of doing this. However, there are some builders that routinely use a running guide as a tip top to save weight and to match ring size.

I have some REC NiTi alloy tip-tops I have not used because they are ugly. I have considered pulling off their aluminum sleeves and wrapping the wire loop as a tip top but hesitate to do so for fear the wire will exert uneven pressure on the tip of the blank or might even move due to leverage and pressure, resulting in damage to the tip of the blank. Have you any advice?

Phil - never tried that with a rec tip top but do not see why it would not work. Could also use one of rec single ft guides as a tip top. If you have an old fly rod remove the tip top and wrap on the rec tip top minus the tube or a single ft guide and see how it works. Might be pleasantly surprised, if not you can easily cut it off and put the other tip back on the rod. I remember the old Aetna Foul proof guides they only came with a wrap on tip top; never had to think about tube size and they worked well.

Anyone know where and when the new 2016 Pac Bay Minima guides will be released? Specifically I'm after the Titanium BlackTi Model F guides and the Model MFT Fly tiptops.

I received my new 2016 Mudhole catalog yesterday and all the new minima 4 guides were listed. However, they were not present in their on-line site. I assume they will be out very shortly. I am sure if you call mudhole they will tell you exactly when they will be available.

I emailed Carol at Utmostenterprises.com she spent the weekend updating the site all 2016 guides are listed on the site.