well, i have another great product to tell y'all about. i was making a bearing order a few weeks ago on the boca web site and noticed that you can now get what is call an 'ultra-dry lube' treatment for precision bearings. so, i decided to try a few out and bought a set of ceramic hybrids treated with the UDL for my alphas. when they came in, they looked a little different, a little darker in color; but, they still spin very fast. so on to the test......
after installation, i go right out to test them. i spooled the alphas with ~95 yd. of 14 lb test (.35 dia) triple fish perlon line and go to casting. i was really amazed at the results. i could almost spool this little reel throwing a 1/4 oz. in-line spinner. amazing stuff! plus, the reel didn't seem any more prone to backlash. in fact, i could actually set the wind break to a LOWER setting than i would ever think about doing with stock bearings(keep in mind that the stock bearings in the alphas are pretty top-notch!!). in high wind, i crank up the wind brake, and i have no problem with backlash; and i still get longer than average casts.
now it has been a few weeks since i first started my test of these bearings, and the results are still amazing. in fact, i used the alphas with the udl bearings in it for a tournament 2/14/09. and the only things my partner could say was 'that's obscene, absolutely absurd!!', and 'order some of those bearings for me!!' i was easily outcasting him by 20%-30% with lighter lures.
as for the udl process itself: well, i really don't know much about it. i do know that it takes about 1 week to treat a bearing and that the lube itself is very durable stuff. it is impervious to mild solvents so you can still flush your bearings as needed. and, you never have to worry about oiling them, though other lubricants will not hurt the UDL. so, too me, they seem very convenient. now, they do cost a little more(charge is per bearing). but too me, they are very much worth the price.
BTW, i am working on filming a couple casts as it really has to be seen to be believed!
note: please keep in mind that i am in no way being payed or sponsored by boca. i am genuinely amazed that their products can make such a difference, especially in a reel that is already top of the line!
