Tungsten
A dense metal used in place of lead. Smaller for the same weight and far better at transmitting the feel of the bottom.
Tungsten is roughly 1.7 times as dense as lead, so a 3/8 ounce tungsten weight is noticeably smaller than a 3/8 ounce lead one. A smaller profile slips through grass and cover more easily and looks less unnatural on a finesse rig.
It is also much harder, which is the part anglers actually notice. Lead is soft and absorbs vibration; tungsten transmits it. Drag a tungsten weight across gravel and you can tell gravel from clay from wood through the rod.
The costs are price, several times that of lead, and brittleness, since a hard weight can crack a knot on impact. That is why tungsten weights are usually paired with a bobber stop or a bead to protect the knot.
Spend the extra on tungsten for bottom contact rigs where feel matters. Stick with lead for bobber weights and anything you will lose constantly.
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