[forthetug]

What's up with their labeling of lines?
Recently purchased three skagit max heads and it's like an easter egg hunt to find it, the labeling is all over the place. Besides having to hunt for the location of the label, you need an electron microscope to read it. And on a couple of lines, it's on the thinnest part! And to make it more difficult, one is on the color change! Wait, to make it even more difficult, if it's possible, it's appears to have been done with a 1980's dot matrix printer. Who's in charge of this?

Kudos to Airflo, they know how to label a line!

 

[Leo M]

I have one in the mail. It will be interesting to see what it's like.

 

[Bill S]

I agree completely. Rio's line labeling system is extremely user unfriendly. It's better than nothing, but not by much.

 

[coastrider]

I sold off all my Rio heads for Airflo just cause they were a pain. Airflo ' old color chart was almost as bad. Who wants to carry a chart fishing

 

[sisyphusmpn]

And then there's Nextcast which makes no attempt to identify their lines. I get that they assume folks who buy their lines are hardcore and probably will modify the lines, but they could do some color coding for ease of identification. Great lines, crappy marketing...

 

[Jason]

I have had some confusion with Rio's labeling as well. I understand that they used to mark all of them at the rear loop, as opposed to the front loop (like Airflo)... but then they switched recently? I have some new and some old, and some Airflo lines, it's kind of a nightmare for a dyslexic like me to try and keep straight which heads go which way. Pretty sure I've actually fished a few backwards ...
totally explains ALL my casting faults right there.

Seriously though, I have to agree about Airflo lines being very simple to identify. Clear and consistent, makes it simple for me.
JB

 

[tascaso]

Agreed I found one of my Skagit Max Lines lying around after a trip one day and picking it up to check the weight I could not find it anywhere! I finally had to get my scale out to weight it!. Plus my eye sight is shot what with being an old coot!

I am moving to airflow just so I can see what line I am putting on!

 

[kweetech]

Huh, I never seem to have a problem reading the Rio lines..at least the ones I have Same with my SA lines...pretty straightforward...

 

[fyshhead]

I use a super fine magic marker on my lines and write the grain weight just behind the front loop, it does take a steady hand and you need to re-mark it once a year or every other year. Airflo does have it dialed now!

 

[speyforsteel]

And then there's Nextcast which makes no attempt to identify their lines. I get that they assume folks who buy their lines are hardcore and probably will modify the lines, but they could do some color coding for ease of identification. Great lines, crappy marketing...

We're now working on that.





Starting to label lines and tips.

 

[sazan]

The new NC Steelhead Finder 45 heads which arrived last week are labeled. BTW, outstanding heads !!!

 

[Steeliebum1414]

Airflo vs Rio

I'm in the middle of selling all my Rio lines and replacing them with the new Airflo lines. Love the easy to read ID on the front loop.

 

[fish0n4evr]

Haha - I think its funny how those being confused by all the different heads they own to the point that they don't know what the have are the same who prefer head systems...

 

[Nooksack Mac]

First, any spey fisher beyond the occasional-use level should own and use a small scale for identifying unlabeled lines. It costs a fraction of one short head.

Second, have a selection of small plastic bags with paper for labels. Either folder systems from Rio or Airflo, or just sandwich bags in a larger freezer bag. Fast and easy to use; avoids most confusion.

Factory labeled lines are good. As a standard, I'd suggest the printing about ten feet forward of the rear loop on interchangeable heads, on the thickest part of the belly for easy reading.

 

[GOTY]

Rio redid their labeling, check OPST's skagit heads to see it. It is now on the front of the line and easier to read.

 

[Phil Fravel]

Just one more great thing about Rio lines. They always seem to crack. I have never had that problem with any other line manufacture. I no longer buy Rio. It is hard to pay $70 for a piece of S#!H. Fool me once shame on Rio. Fooled me twice ...Ok so Im not so smart. Fool me again NEVER

 

[fyshhead]

Just one more great thing about Rio lines. They always seem to crack. I have never had that problem with any other line manufacture. I no longer buy Rio. It is hard to pay $70 for a piece of S#!H. Fool me once shame on Rio. Fooled me twice ...Ok so Im not so smart. Fool me again NEVER

You hit the nail on the cracked head for sure! I gave up on rio years ago do to that same issue, even after one season of fishing that was happening. It was mainly on single hand lines not 2hand, they do have some great tapers and lines though.. Just wish they would figure out the crack factor.