I just received REC recoil micro guides size 4 (RSPGM) and they're extremely small, seemingly a lot smaller than a KT 4.5. I intended to use them as running guides on a 7'3 blank for heavy cover flipping, but these size 4 micros are tiny and I'm wary to put them on a heavy cover setup. Can anyone provide commentary on the strength/durability of recoil micros? Should I be concerned about putting them on a heavy cover setup?

Not the micros - but the RSPG's on my fly rods after the Stripper.
After a #20 - I use a #16, #12, #10.
The #8's are too smallfor my use - and they are larger than the micros.
Change them.
Herb

Nothing to be concerned with, unless you are using braid to flouro and you don’t like the way the line passes through them with the knot. I have numerous rods built with #3’s (non REC) as runners (I only use straight flouro or straight braid) and have zero issues

Tom,
The REC micros are not sized like the system you are used to.
Herb

Herb, I have those guides currently and their # 4 has a significantly larger opening than my ringed #3’s. Are these not the same guides they used on the Loomis NRX? I have repaired quite a few of the NRX that had broken guides but that was due to user error.

Thanks
Tom

Herb, it looks like the RSPG #6 would work, but I would still like to stay with a micro guide if possible. Is there a difference between how Fuji and REC measures their guides? The largest micro they have is a #5, which I'm willing to give a shot, but I am wary of doing that given how small these #4 micros are.

Tom, I believe the NRX does use recoil guides but I have never owned one so I cannot confirm. I do have a power tackle 104 fitted with recoil guides, but they are much, much larger than these RSPGM #4's I received. Not that they're large guides, but these #4 micros are tiny. What ringed #3's are you using? I cannot imagine a guide significantly smaller than these #4 micros. I thought Fuji #4.5 micros were small until I saw these.

Andrew

Andrew,
If you are concerned about the size of the micros, then go to a #6 or a #8 and you will have no issues.

Or, build the rod with a #2 micro and see if you can use a guide of that size.

The only way to know for sure if a particular guide is going to work for a specific application, is to tie the guides on the rod and go fishing. For a test case like this, you can tie on the guides and go fishing. You may or may not put finish on the thread wraps for the test fishing. If you find that the size guides are going to work for you; cut off the guides and then tie them on in their final configuration, coat the wraps and enjoy the rod.

But, if you find that the guides are too small, then cut them off and go to a larger size and go fishing. Continue - until you get the results that you need.

Then write up a nice summary report and share it with the rest of the readers.

Take care

I built a CTS 7 ft. 3 pc. with them, zero issues, no noticeable downside in use with Diawa Fuego magnesium 3000 spinning reel with 8 lb. mono or 20 lb. braid.

Andrew it is quite possible I could be confused on the REC, but for my ringed guides, I’ve used Alps, Fuji, Kigan and American Tackle. I’ve used size 2.5’s on a good number of my builds, I don’t care for the 2.5’s on rods that I’ll use 20 lb flouro as I feel the 3’s or 3.5’s work better in that scenario but that is just my opinion.

Tom

Andrew I just verified the guides I have on hand are indeed the ones you asked about. You are good to go use em!!!

To further illuminate what I think Herb was referring to with the sizing, I've ascertained that REC guides are in fact measured differently than Fuji's. I don't have my calipers with me, but per my conversation with Will from MudHole this morning, a recoil micro #4 is 2.6mm in diameter. I forgot to ask whether this was the ID or OD. Either way, recoils are apparently smaller than a Fuji given the same listed size. I was told a #6 recoil is similarly sized to a #4 Fuji.

Tom, are the REC guides you have on hand #4 per REC's sizing, or are they #4 per your own measurements? If you're measuring the guides under the Fuji standard, you may actually be referring to larger guides (per REC's listing) than they appear based upon measuring them the Fuji way. At this point I think I'm going to exchange the #4's for #6's, but I'd still like to hear your comments for clarity.

Andrew

Andrew, I have both 5’s and 4’s as per the mudhole label on the package. If you don’t feel comfortable using what you have then you should most certainly exchange them for what you feel will work best for your needs.

Out of curiosity, what is it that drew you to the Recoils over a micro guide having an insert? I am guessing weight? Regarding durability I have seen more broken Recoils than I have other micros by a wide margin. The broken Recoils have all been on Loomis NRX rods. In fact I have 3 rods right now in for repair of broken Recoils ( yes they are broken to user error and the users know it).

Happy fishing,
Tom



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/2023 06:52PM by Thomas Kaufmann.

Tom, mainly for weight reasons. I also like my one rod that does have Recoils. Some claim them to be more "sensitive" guides, and I wanted to further test that claim as well. Your comments regarding their durability are interesting, as I thought it would be the other way around. Doesn't make me thrilled at using Recoils in a heavy duty application if that's the case. What size Recoils are used on the NRX's? Any reason why you think the recoils break more than other micros?

Andrew

I have a NRX 852S JWR Spinning rod

It has the three Fuji stipper guides. Then recoils. One size 8, one size 7 and four size 6.

Andrew, the NRX rods use size 5’s. I feel it is completely user error of the owner stepping on the rods, this particular user has other high end builds using conventional micros and he has yet to break one. I could only guess that the frame of a conventional micro is significantly stronger but I have zero data ( other than the fact they haven’t broken on my builds) to back that up. The NRX rods I have repaired have all been casting rods so I cannot comment on what they use for their spinning rods.