Originally Posted by
crappieken
crappieseeker - Here is an excerpt from the BPS Outdoor Library. Hope this helps!
"Rod guides are the circular loops found along the shaft of a fishing rod that your line passes through. Guides are important to an angler as they ensure distance on your casts and help in spreading out the stress applied to the blank while fighting a fish.
When choosing a fishing rod, make sure that the guides are made of a hard ceramic. Hard ceramic will cut down on line friction by ensuring a smooth path for the line to pass through and over, while also adding durability which will lesson your chance of line fray or breakage. These high-quality guides will also ensure that the new "superbraid" lines (Dacron, Fireline) will not grind or wear into the metal. Two popular guides on the market are Fuji's Hardloy and Silicon Carbide."