A recent search for a size 16 and 12 low rider type guide for the stripper on a spiral wrap planned seemed difficult. I eventually found a Fuji 16 for fifteen dollars. Thinking that is a high quality and kinda expensive it started to get my project started. Later I found some sets of similar guides at a low fraction of the cost of the reputable ones.
My first spiral wrap rod is a re-do of a rod I've favored and almost never use. Below is some pictures of the economy ones,
The center one pictured is the Fuji, It's hard to tell them apart. They appear to be both stainless and the ring seems to be similar material. These might just need some testing? ???
Butt I've been fooled before. Good fishing 🎣
Since they became popular on surf rods and carp rods down here, we have seen a huge influx of imitations, that appear all bright and shiny or suitably black painted. Trouble is after a small amount of time on the beach, they start to rust and fail. Doing quite a business of later replacing imitations with genuine article. Inserts also tend to be more brittle that Fuji Alconites, and once chipped result in instant line failure.
Price for the genuine seems a little high though.
Is that price for titanium? I just bought some larger double foot Fuji that are similar for a lot closer to $3 each.
I think American tackle has a new line of similar guides. Might be worth a look. I've used some of their products. Got no complaints
https://www.mudhole.com/Fuji-Concept-Double-Foot-Surf-Rod-Guides-Model-LC-Clearance
Size 12 & 16, for clearance.
Jason is probably referring to the Fuji Fazlite guides. Have you checked out the Fazlites? They are using the same newer frame styles with a corrosion resistant "finish" (I am guessing passivated). Nice matte finish in a choice of grey-ish or silver-ish. The blue ceramic inserts should be more durable than the "higher end" Alconite inserts (harder inserts can be made smoother, but harder means more brittle). As I have pontificated postulated recently, the frictional differences from low end to high end inserts are not significant enough to matter.
I have been using the tangle-free frame Fazlite tips for awhile now, and have bought a full set to try on my next rod. Jeri mentioned a positive experience with Fazlites on his personal rod.
A size 16 double foot conventional guide was a little over three bucks here, but they are available from other sellers as well.
https://getbitoutdoors.com/fazlite-guides/ (https://getbitoutdoors.com/fazlite-guides/)
-J
Fazlite is a relatively new ceramic in Fuji's range, which fits price and performance wise between their standard 'O' (aluminium oxide) and 'A' (Alconite). Postulations of friction characteristic not withstanding, the real benefit that we have seen, is in the smoothness of the inserts, and their relationship with braid - basically wear. The smoother surfaces achieved with 'A' and 'S' inserts from Fuji exhibit very little wear on the braid micro-strands after 1,000+ casts, while 'O' inserts seem to be fine for about 500 casts, then wear does seem to appear in the main section of line. Fazlites are somewhere in between the two.
We have never seen any distinctive relationship between their harder inserts and softer ones with regards to cracking. chipping or breaking. Drop any of them on the floor the wrong way and they will break. Though we do see a lot of copies/imitations coming in for replacement as repairs, many fold more than genuine Fujis.