Any info would be appreciated. Never used one. What are the benefits and drawbacks? How do they outperform regular rods?
Any info would be appreciated. Never used one. What are the benefits and drawbacks? How do they outperform regular rods?
The sole benefit is that they virtually eliminate the rod torque that is associated with a conventionally wrapped casting rod. The taller the guide (measured from the bottom of the ceramic ring's ID to the rod blank) the more torque you're going to feel. The longer the rod, the less torque an angler is going to feel at the rod handle. With bass rods, the torque an angler feels is minimal at best.The running guides on bass rods are just too short. But .... just because you can't feel the torque, it doesn't mean it's not there.
As far as any other advantage, I just don't see it. Some will say a spiral wrap requires fewer guides. But that really depends on what type of spiral wrap is being used. A simple spiral wrap with a single bumper guide may use one less guide than a conventionally wrapped casting rod, but it depends. The same things that determine the number of guides you'd have on a conventionally wrapped rod, are going to determine how many guides you have on a spiral wrapped rod.
As far as a spiral wrapped rod out performing a conventionally wrapped rod in casting. I'll just say you can't bring the line from the top of the rod to the bottom of the rod, without creating friction that isn't present in a conventionally wrapped rod. An angler may not be able to tell a difference, but just like with the rod torque mentioned above, just because you can't feel it, doesn't mean it's not there.
Anyhow, I personally don't see the point of a spiral wrap on a bass rod. Were one talking about high powered deep sea rods, or freshwater rods used for fish much bigger and much more powerful than a bass, then yeah ... a spiral wrap would have an advantage.
I build both, all of my personal rods are spiral...I just prefer it. I use Rich Forhan's Revolver spacing, with that I can almost always use one less guide than with a conventional build. One other claim is that your line is almost always touching the guides on the retrieve which could lead to better sensitivity. Like Bassbme said about the other points...maybe, maybe not.
Honora Primum Vel Nullum Omnin Honorem
If your line gets on the wrong side of the blank on a conventionally wrapped casting rod, then your guides are incorrectly spaced. If you used the same spacing on a spiral wrapped rod, the line may not get on the wrong side of the blank, but IMO your guides would still be incorrectly placed.
And yes, if you use a bumper or transition guides to get the line from the top of the blank to the bottom of the blank, your line will never touch the blank with a spiral wrap. But, there are many rod builders (I am not one of them) that don't find the line touching the blank on a conventionally wrapped casting rod, to be much of a concern.
If the spiral is poorly planned out with relation to the hook keeper, there can be issues with the line getting caught in the keeper or the line getting tangled with treble hooks.
There can be issues with the rod resting on the guides when not in use on the deck of the boat depending on how the angler lays down the rods.
It can be easier to knock a guide when getting a rod into or out of the rod locker.
The main benefit is the reduced torque in the rod. I don’t think it is significant for fighting fish, but I can see how it is significant after making casts or pitching all day.
I don’t notice a difference in the number of guides when spiral wrapping, but each blank I build on is put into a jig to exactly identify where the guides will be. Hard to compare when each blank is a bit different.