One of my first rods was a Daiwa Megaforce rod, which had similar steel guides, and after awhile the guides developed line grooves.  Which pretty much rendered the rod useless.

What is you are your experience with the Berkley guides?  Is it really that much better than ceramic guides?  

Has anyone had any problems with the guides developing grooves over time?

Not many people fish berkley rods on this forum I assume, but I just bought my first berkley rod. It's a series 1. I won't be able to use it until warmer weather.

I hope wonder how it'll be.

My Fenwick HMX rods have those guides.  No problems at all.  They are light, that's for sure.  I think the steel inserts are hard chromed.  I don't use braid with these rods (I actually don't use braid at all).  So I don't know how they would stand up to that type of line.  But I wouldn't expect them to groove at all with just mono, copoly or fluoro.  

I have a few Fenwick HMX's that have been used with braid for years, not one problem with those guides.

I have and use extensively 3 berkley rods. I have two Berkley Lightning Rods and one Bionix rod, all three have the ss304 guides and I have never had a problem with any of them and I actually prefer these over the ceramic guides. How many times have you had the inside of the guide fall out. I have never had this happen on any of my berkley rods.

I never have any trouble with those guides and I have some rods that I've had for over ten years.

Thanks for all the replies. If I find a good deal, just might have to try them out.

Thanks for all the replies. If I find a good deal, just might have to try them out.

try out the amps by berkely they have ss guides and split grips and reely weird reel seat BUT seems like it will work i think u can get um between 25 and 30 bucks 29.99 at boaters world prob cheaper other places BTW i have a few lightning rods from 2008 and 2007 with those guides NO problems so far and i put um through war

I think that chrome guides are just a bit more sensitive than ceramic guides.  The Carrot Stix rods I have, they have chrome guides....looks cheap on the rod, but have found that it made it more sensitive.  Also the zirconia guides on Kistler Heliums are quite sensitive too.

I have two lightning rod and have had no problems so far

my only dislike is that if they get bent and you try to bend them back in place they break. >