Fuji has long been the standard by which all guides are judged. Their Gunsmoke finish has been around a long time and has become a trademark of high end bass rods due mostly to the premium quality SiC ring. The traditional SiC ring is only available in a Gunsmoke or Titanium frame. SiC features superior hardness to any other ring material and heat dissipation characteristics that remain unmatched after decades of innovation. Recently, TORZITE® edged out SiC for toughness and weight, and offered a pared down ring that set new a standard for performance and pricing. Gunsmoke/SiC fans had no option other than the good looking Titanium/TORZITE® guides until the introduction of Gunmetal.
It’s the year of Corrosion Control (CC) for Fuji and it appears to be everything Fuji originally claimed, plus CC is priced like regular stainless. Of particular interest to Gunsmoke fans is the new Gunmetal. It is similar to the dark grey BC finish (also with Corrosion Control) but has a noticeable satin sheen that sets it apart.
More important, is the addition of a totally new, slimmer SiC ring. While not as slim as TORZITE® it is noticeably thinner. The silvery sheen of Slim SiC combined with the satin finish of the Gunmetal color will have you thinking about what thread colors would look good with it.
Slim SiC will give you about 10 percent more ID and save you a smidgen of weight, but the finished rods will rival any for a high-end look that’s both corrosion resistant and has one of Fuji’s best rings, all at about the same price as the original Gunsmoke/SiC (some guides are actually less, some are more, most are exactly the same).
Gunmetal will likely get the lion’s share of attention and publicity from Fuji going forward so check these guides out now before starting to build that next rod. Check out the complete lineup of Fuji components at anglersresource.net or call 1-251-943-4491.
