Alps Ring Guide

[Nina Zahra]

Nearlyidentical to the ALPS medium MXN guide in titanium, this is the stainless steel version to turn to when building your rod. These medium MXN guides are superb when looking for a casting guide for light to medium applications. Rated for 12-30lb test, due to the SS316 stainless steel frame construction, it also provides extreme corrosion resistance. ALPS medium MXN guides in stainless steel feature the sought out recessed ring design (RRD) creating a wider gluing surface between the ceramic ring and guide frame, enhancing the bond between the ring and frame while also protecting the ring from impact. One of the many unique features, that sets the medium MXN guides apart from the competition, is the frame design. This frame design nearly eliminates all line wrap while increasing strength without adding needless weight.

It's been almost two seasons abusing Batson's ALPS SS316 guides with Zirconium rings on a few St. Croix Avid Inshore rods and I am impressed with the quality of the guides. I thought these guides would be cheap, fall apart, rust out, shred up braid and that would be that. It's been nothing like that. New to rod building here with 6 builds under my belt and will add more. I may try ALPS on the next build.

"the internet is the greatest platform for people who don't know anything, to tell people how much they don't know, to people who don't know anything and believe everything they read."

-Billy 40:16

Just about everything I see from Batson, including their Alps stuff, impresses me. A few weeks ago I ordered a triangular reel seat, and the thing is sweet: light, very, very strong, and solid as a rock. I've yet to try Alps guides, mostly because I'm a lazy creature of habit, but it's good to hear they've held up for you. I'll have to try them.

Batson deosn't make ALPS products, they import some of thier product line. THere are a lot of colors that are unavailable here in teh US, but are available in Australia, probably other countries as well. Smart move on their part to import them though, good products.

I do not know what country they are made in, maybe Korea, maybe Tiawan. The company is ALPS though. They were available from Ross Van Eckevort in Australia (Rod & Reel Works I think is the name) before they were available here. I don't think it matter who makes them, because whoever does, is doing a great job.

Alps guides are top notch.I also have a avid inshore 8 footer with the S-6 frames and they have performed great.Batson adds new models on their website periodically.I have not heard of any problems with the zirconium rings coming loose.Some of the ALPS guides are specifically made and reinforced to prevent ring popout.Check there site on the ( rrd) frame types.

I was thinkin of using the NX and LNX combo on a 1508 heaver i am building, just to change it up, away from Fuji.... now Im not to sure, I am not "abusive" to my rods, but I would like them to last without rings popping out

This is the very first time I've heard of a ring falling out of a frame without the insert breaking on an Alps guide. Of all the guides I've used, the Alps have worn better than any other manufacturer (except american tackle and pac bay, because I've never used them).

ALPS heavy HXN guides in the ALPS XN guide family boast a SS316 stainless steel frame and an added overall stoutness, this is the most rugged guide ALPS has produced to date. The ALPS heavy HXN guides are perfect for a line class of 50-80lbs, and these guides are a perfect match for anything from a boat rod, to a stand up rod, and even a trolling rod. The heavy HXN guides are the most durable guide on the market to date, while still maintaining a slim look that will not take away from the natural aesthetics of the rod build. Featuring the same recessed ring design (RRD) as the rest of the XN guide family, the wide gluing surface prevents ring failure. Trust your next build to the heavy HXN family of guides.

ALPS have been manufacturing high quality rod components since 1985. The ALPS products are distinctive by their functional and attractive designs and the quality workmanship apparent in each product that comes out of the factory door. As a result, ALPS have a strong following domestically and abroad.

Innovation and evolution have become the culture at ALPS. Recent examples of the innovation at ALPS are the CAH ultra light reel seats, AGC range of high modulus graphite exposed reel seats and the new XN, MXN and LXN guide designs and more recently the iF, DY and LF series guides.

What is the difference between Zirconium rings and SIC? I know that Hardaloy rings are a cheaper substitute for the SIC, but I have not heard anything about the zirconium rings. I want to order a set of the ALPS guides with zirconium rings for a braided line fluking rod, and was wondering if they would be ok.

He probably stopped reading before reaching the end of the sentence. That's titanium nitride, not titanium. Which is a fine material. I believe it's used because it may be cheaper to apply a TiN coating than to polish zirconium surface. Either way, it's good stuff. Zirconium's close to SiC in smoothness and hardness, but lacks in the heat capacity and conduction departments, which is not much of an issue for most applications. Alconite is high grade aluminum oxide, Hardloy is lower grade. I hate Hardloy because braid makes funny noises on it. On the other hand, the hiss of spectra on SiC at 30+mph is the sexiest sound in the world. I need to find a girl who can immitate it.

I did leave out the nitride part, I was assuming they were fine for braid, but hearing that they do not conduct heat as well makes me thing they might not be ok for a rod for schoolie bluefin, could the rings potentially crack, or am I being ridiculous?

i got the guide info off rodworks, "Black chrome stainless steel frames. Electric blue titanium nitride coating over a Zircon ring." these are a turbo style guide, listed as "offshore zircon stand up."

I would stay away from teh coated guides for SW fishing. For BFT, teh ring material is fine. Heat will not make the guides crack, it will make the line break. The better the ring material, the better it disapated heat, teh longer line lasts, and doesn't break on long runs.

I thought the guides could be fine for the type of fishing I want to use them for, I'm planning on building a fluke rod with the ALPS guides, as well as a striper casting rod, which I may also use for the schoolie BFT.

The fluke rod will be matched with an Avet SX and 50/65lb braid, as will the casting rod. Is it possible to acid wrap the ALPS guides and what's wrong with the coated guides? I'm not going to be fishing for anything over 75lbs at the most, so I'm pretty sure I don't have to worry about the coating coming off the guides.

The ALPS were designed as a saltwater guide to match colorwise to their seats and gimbals. I was not really worried about the finish coming off the rings, rather the possibility of grooving them with braid and a heavy drag. He problem seems to be solved, ALPS zirconium ring guides in an acid wrap...and now to select the rest of the components...

I like to run the 50lb braid becuase I use the fluke reel as my bass jigging/chunk rod, and yes, we do grow our fluke big in RI Plus, with 8-10oz of weight, and the possibility of hooking a good sized bass, it's nice to have the extra bit of poundage there if you "hook a big un."

The finish wont' come off the guides, the finish MIGHT corrode on teh frames. You have to check he Manu's and see if they recommend that finish in SW. Some of them used to, until there were abortion guides on teh rods fom te SW eating them in VERY shrot order. TEhy now are much more honest and accurate when they give recommendations, lol.

Since their inception, the ALPS Medium-Heavy XN guides have proven to be ideal when looking for a casting guide in medium or medium-heavy applications. The ALPS Medium-Heavy XN guides are for 25-50 lb. test, and boast SS316 stainless steel frame construction that also provides extreme corrosion resistance. The ALPS Medium-Heavy XN guides have the unique recessed ring design (RRD), creating a wider gluing surface between the cermic ring and guide frame. This inevitably enhances the bond between the ring and frame while also protecting the ring from impact. Like all Medium-Heavy XN guides, the unique frame design virtually eliminates all line wrap while increasing strength without adding needless weight.

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