Winston Changed the Guides on the BIIIx

[fadeaway263]

The one thing I learned from my 6wt thread that got moved from the GF to Gear Talk is in 2016 Winston changed the guides from "snake guides" to what they now call "shooting guides" which are more circular in design. The blurb from the company is the new guide is stronger and will provide longer casts. Sounds like the promotional BS you hear each year when Taylor Made comes out with a new version of the "R" series driver. If anyone has tested the new guides I'd like to hear your thoughts if the guides are better. The reason I ask is that the 2015 BIIIx is now about $100 cheaper on Ebay.

 

[turkey]

I didnt see a pic of the new Winston guides but they sound like Snake Brand Universal guides or a facsimile thereof. Maybe Winston is using these?

If there are better guides out there than Snake Brand I've never seen them.

 

[Cold]

Material quality aside, what's the advantage to the Snake brand design? At first glance, I think I'd rather have the "foreign guides", or at least their design, as it'd keep the wet line away from the blank, to help avoid having it stick.

It'd only be a minor thing, I'd imagine, but I'd rather have a bit of wire being the only point of contact as opposed to several inches along the blank.

 

[Millsertime]

turkey wrote:
If there are better guides out there than Snake Brand I've never seen them.

Why do you say this? My preference is single foot guides with ceramic rings all the way up the rod. I feel the alconite rings let the fly line pass faster/smoother than other rods I have with stainless steel Snake brand guides. Curious about your opinion.

 

[fadeaway263]

Here is the link to the Winston website discussing the new guides:

http://winstonrods.com/category/rods/winston-rod-features.php

 

[pete41]

Mr. fade--since you strike me as a gentle man and a gentlemen who does not feel obligated to show off his casting ability, I think you will be perfectly happy with the last years model and it with you. [and feel more in tune with the tradition].
That said,having used rods with the new guides if you are thinking about 8wts and shooting heads you will feel like part of the in crowd. However unless you hold your rod upside down,probably not notice any difference.Like you said-gotta get the boys to shell out for the newest model.
hey,we need some excuse.

 

[turkey]

I guess I'm speaking in terms of ease of use when building. Feet on the Snake Brand are concave and center themselves on the rod with a little thread pressure. The biggest advantage is the feet are all the same, no filing or grinding. They're GTG out of the bag. Also Mike uses a proprietary coating that is supposed to increase hardness and reduce friction.

Actual on the water performance? I don't know. Oversized guides were big for awhile (no pun intended) but it was pointed out (by Tom Morgan maybe?) that no matter what dia. your guides are your fly line contacts the guide at only one point so friction is theoretically the same regardless of guide size. Mike McCoy's (Snake) notion is that there is actually a pinch point with the "teardrop" guides where the fly line contacts 2 points on the wire thus creating more friction.

Can I cast 10' further with my Snakes? In my mind I can Obviously everyone has their own preference and I'm all for that.

Sorry for hijacking your thread Fade. Carry on.

 

[pete41]

turkey wrote:
I guess I'm speaking in terms of ease of use when building. Feet on the Snake Brand are concave and center themselves on the rod with a little thread pressure. The biggest advantage is the feet are all the same, no filing or grinding. They're GTG out of the bag. Also Mike uses a proprietary coating that is supposed to increase hardness and reduce friction.

Actual on the water performance? I don't know. Oversized guides were big for awhile (no pun intended) but it was pointed out (by Tom Morgan maybe?) that no matter what dia. your guides are your fly line contacts the guide at only one point so friction is theoretically the same regardless of guide size. Mike McCoy's (Snake) notion is that there is actually a pinch point with the "teardrop" guides where the fly line contacts 2 points on the wire thus creating more friction.

Can I cast 10' further with my Snakes? In my mind I can Obviously everyone has their own preference and I'm all for that.

Sorry for hijacking your thread Fade. Carry on.

no hiJACK -good post-thoughtful

 

[moon1284]

I haven't used the new guides but I've used a lot of different guides (single foot snakes, double foot snakes, single foot recoils, double foot recoils, and ceramic insert guides). Advantages of single foot - only one foot to wrap. Disadvantages of sf - they ice up faster than double foots. Double foot advantages - better with ice. df disadvantages - twice the wrapping as sfs. Recoil advantages - more durable, they bend back into shape, easiest with ice. Disadvantages - most noisy. Ceramics - advantages most quiet, fly lines last longer. Disadvantages, heavier than snakes, slows the speed of the blank down at the tip section, especially on lighter line weights.

As far as shooting line, I don't notice a difference. I'm doubtful the new winston guides will shoot further but I've never tried them so I can't comment.

 

[Cold]

Good stuff all around!

Thanks for adding your knowledge, guys.

 

[KeithS]

Doesn't this just show the difference between old European style guides and more recent American style?