Tangled, I think there are times when clarity of leader materials really matter and as such I'll always take the opportunity to use clear tippet materials. I also like the sink rate of fluro carbons, I think it prevents a flee skating especially in glassy pool tails and keeps the flee sub surface better than Maxima. I'll state right now, I rarely if ever at all use a full fluro leader, except sometimes with full Hover and Inty. heads. I usually have a 10ft tapered mono leader or a 10ft poly as the butt part of my leader., I do like a little stretch in my leader set up.
Now also I like Seaguar and that affords me the opportunity to get a heavier breaking strain for a given diameter when I consider my tippet. However when I drop to switch rods and the smallest of flee's I consider the clarity and the smaller diameter of Seaguar for a given breaking strain a positive advantage. I can go up in diameter to gain breaking strain, or down to create more mobility for the flee with a finer diameter.
I like Fluro's inherent stiffness and its increased turn over compared to Maxima too
I'll also say this, I use small plaggy tubes most of the time now and the sink rate of fluro balances the plaggy tubes well and I find they'll fish right from the get go on touchdown.
I do concede Fluro can be awkward to knot and use, but that's down to the Angler to learn and adapt, those who don't, well it's their loss because now I've learnt how to use Seaguar or similar I don't have any problems at all. I recall similar happening when Drennan Double Strength and Diawa Super Shinobi first became available, there were those who just couldn't adapt to it!.
Before you say, no I'm not happy with the cost of Fluro at all, but there again who is?, but I'd never buy cheap just for the sake of it. Usually one 6ft tippet length will last me a day easily. A 50m spool will like as not see me out a season. One could argue good old Fog Perlon is cheap, it's thicker and certainly not clear either, but I don't see Anglers rushing to use it. I constantly hear Salmon aren't leader shy trotted out all the time, but how many of us ever try any thing different to find out. We moved away from Horse Hair and Gut casts for a reason!.
I'll take every advantage I can, when ever and however I can get it. Salmon are getting ever scarcer and harder to find so I'll do what I can to catch one.
I do also like the Hardy Mach. Fluro and I've just bought some more now it's discontinued and getting hard to get, the Fulling Mill stuff too I've found good. I've used Maxima for years n years in my Coarse Fishing and don't have a problem with it at all, my preference is however for Ultra Green over Chameleon and sorry to say I never got on with the clear!.
But for now any way, my reach for tippet will be Seaguar, well at least come next season it will any way, because I feel it just offers that bit more over a bog std. tippet material, which Maxima is!
Pedro.