I don't know lindz
I've had issue with them bending in the vice and they are barbed so i have to squash it
.
But at the end of the day , i think its aesthetics again, i'm just not keen on the way the fly looks when its tied on them.
And I'm not a fan of Straight eyes, even though in theory they should be better, unless of course they are for Saltwater flies when i don't want them twisting. Its all B/S i suppose but its those things that help you catch fish
I love the SLD's and have had double figure Bows on them so i know they are strong, plus they are gunmetal and not black like the 103BL's and they are designed as barbless. Almost all my river flies are tied on either SLD's, 206BL's, 2487's, K1A's or B160's so i'm not a brand fetishist
Sandy