Rod guides

[axle27]

I picked up a St. Croix Avid 9ft, 3pc, 10wt recently. I noticed that this rod has single foot, circular guides. I got my boss another Avid and a Colton Tradewinds (both 9ft 10wts, the Colton is 4pc and the Avid is a 2pc, both used) that has snake guides.

My question: although the answer is probably going to be "because somebody at the rod company decided it should be that way" but why would someone put a single foot guides in lieu of the snake guides.

Is one considered better than the other?

 

[Ard]

Hi Robert,

Two things that come to mind are; single foot guides are quicker to wrap and finish (half the work) and for what it's worth, weight and action. I have heard some profess that the less wraps and finish on a blank, the more true or unencumbered the action of the blank may be.

Ard

 

[flymark]

Other than tradition - there's no benefit to traditional double foot snakes over single foot snakes. Most high end rod makers are making the switch to single foots, because they weigh less, and when you're shaving tenths of ounces off your rods, less thread, less epoxy, and less metal is better. Like Ard said, you get a truer action to the rod that way.

 

[Liphookedau]

The only disadvantages The Single foot guides have are because there is not as much Binding & perhaps on Heavier Rods they can be dislodged easier,however if looked after there shouldn't be any problems.
Brian.

 

[Rip Tide]

Yeah that's it.
With the heavy weight rods, you're not going to see many with the single foot guides.
It's too easy for a knot or small tangle, flying through the guides at top speed, to rip one off

 

[flymark]

Yeah that's it.
With the heavy weight rods, you're not going to see many with the single foot guides.
It's too easy for a knot or small tangle, flying through the guides at top speed, to rip one off

My Echo 8 weight has single foot guides. Their 10+ might use snakes - but I don't think they are worried about pulling a guide out of the wraps by casting or fighting fish. You'll probably break the rod blank before pulling a guide out, unless the guide wasn't wrapped very well.