Which is better for fishing: TPE or traditional plastisol soft plastics? Neither is universally better. And that answer is getting more interesting.
Quick Answer
For years, the easiest way to explain the difference was:
| Material | The old shorthand |
|---|---|
| TPE | Stretchy, durable and often buoyant |
| Plastisol | Soft, versatile and available in almost every bait shape imaginable |
That’s no longer enough.
In 2026, Z-Man introduced a new Sinking ElaZtech formulation that naturally sinks while retaining the durability and elasticity associated with ElaZtech. That means even one of the most familiar assumptions about elastic soft plastics—that they’re inherently buoyant—can no longer be treated as a rule.
The material category is evolving.
So anglers need to think beyond simply TPE vs. plastisol.
The complete presentation includes bait material, buoyancy or density, bait keeper, hook size, hook strength, jighead weight, weight placement, exposed vs. weedless rigging, scent, depth, current, cover and target species.
That’s the real conversation.
Don’t choose a material because somebody told you one is better. Figure out what you want the bait to do. Then build the rig around it.
What Is TPE?
TPE stands for thermoplastic elastomer.
It’s a broad family of elastic materials increasingly used in fishing soft plastics.
Depending on the formulation, TPE-style baits may provide extreme stretch, excellent tear resistance, long bait life, different buoyancy or density, unique movement and resistance to repeated fish bites.
But here’s the important part: TPE is not one material with one set of characteristics.
Different formulations can vary significantly in stiffness, density, buoyancy, stretch, texture, action and sink rate.
And the latest developments in ElaZtech make that point more important than ever.
Breaking Development: ElaZtech Now Sinks Too
This changes the TPE conversation.
In July 2026, Z-Man announced a new Sinking ElaZtech formulation.
Traditional ElaZtech became famous partly because of its buoyancy, elasticity and durability.
The new formulation adds increased density and a natural controlled sink while maintaining the durability and elasticity that made the material famous. Z-Man says the density is incorporated into the polymer rather than relying on heavy salt loading.
That’s a significant development.
Why?
Because anglers can no longer simplify this discussion into TPE floats, plastisol sinks.
That wasn’t universally accurate before.
It’s definitely not accurate now.
What Is Sinking ElaZtech?
Z-Man describes Sinking ElaZtech as a denser formulation designed to descend naturally through the water column.
The company says the new material is denser than its original ElaZtech, slightly firmer, somewhat less stretchy than the original formulation, naturally sinking, still highly durable and designed to maintain a consistent sink rate.
The first applications include the Kingpin stickbait and Stuntman soft jerkbait, both aimed heavily at freshwater bass techniques.
That’s particularly interesting considering what we’ve been seeing in freshwater.
Why Sinking ElaZtech Matters
For years, one of the limitations—and sometimes advantages—of highly buoyant elastic material was that anglers had to add weight to make it descend.
Sometimes that’s exactly what you want.
Other times it isn’t.
A naturally sinking elastic material potentially opens more options for weightless Texas rigs, wacky rigs, soft jerkbaits, suspended presentations, mid-depth fishing, weedless rigs, flipping and pitching, and finesse applications.
Z-Man’s new Kingpin, for example, is designed to sink naturally as a stickbait rather than requiring added weight to overcome the material’s buoyancy.
That’s a big deal.
TPE Is Becoming a Platform, Not a Single Behavior
This may be the larger story.
We’re moving away from “TPE does this” toward “which TPE formulation are you talking about?”
Floating. Neutral-ish. Sinking. Soft. Firm. Extremely stretchy. Less stretchy. Different densities. Different actions.
That’s exactly what happened with plastisol over decades of development.
And it appears we’re increasingly seeing similar specialization within elastic materials.
What Is Plastisol?
Plastisol remains the traditional material behind an enormous percentage of fishing soft plastics.
Its greatest strength may be versatility.
Manufacturers can create plastisol baits that are extremely soft, relatively firm, salted, scented, floating, sinking, dense, lightweight or flexible.
That’s why plastisol has produced nearly every soft-plastic shape imaginable.
Worms. Paddletails. Minnows. Craws. Shrimp. Swimbaits. Jerkbaits. Grubs. Creature baits.
TPE isn’t replacing plastisol.
It’s giving anglers another increasingly versatile material platform.
Some of Our Favorite Baits Are Still Plastisol
Let’s make something very clear.
We talk a lot about TPE. We increasingly fish a lot of TPE. We like the durability. We like the value. We like what different elastic formulations can do.
But some of our favorite soft plastics are still traditional plastisol.
Two brands we fish regularly are Zoom and Keitech.
Why?
Because they catch fish.
Simple as that.
Why We Still Love Zoom and Keitech
There are traditional soft plastics that simply have incredible action.
Zoom has produced some of our favorite freshwater plastics for years.
Keitech has built a reputation around incredibly effective soft swimbaits with tremendous movement.
Are they as durable as highly elastic TPE?
Generally, that’s not why we’re fishing them.
We’re fishing them because fish eat them.
And that’s ultimately the point.
Can Zoom and Keitech Work on The Upgrade?
Yes.
We’ve successfully used traditional plastisol baits like Zoom and Keitech with both the Upgrade Multi-Purpose Jighead and the Upgrade A.T.V. Weedless family.
That’s important because we never wanted The Upgrade to become TPE-only terminal tackle.
The goal has always been broader compatibility.
TPE. Elastic plastics. Traditional plastisol.
Different tools for different baits and presentations.
Can Soft Plastisol Blow Out on The Upgrade Keeper?
Yes.
We’re not going to pretend otherwise.
Some extremely soft traditional plastisol can tear or blow out around a more aggressive tapered keeper.
But here’s what we’ve also found while actually fishing those baits: they’re incredibly soft in the first place.
After a couple fish, many of those baits are often torn up regardless of how you’re rigging them.
The nose gets damaged. The hook tears through. Fish pull the bait. The body splits.
That’s part of the tradeoff that comes with fishing extremely soft plastics.
Sometimes a Bait Is Too Good Not to Fish
This is exactly how we feel about some Zoom and Keitech baits.
Could we choose something substantially more durable? Absolutely.
Do we always? No.
Because sometimes the fish want that bait.
And if they’re eating it? Feed it to them.
This is why we don’t want this series to become TPE good, plastisol bad.
That’s nonsense.
The real equation is durability + action + presentation + cost + bites.
And the most important variable is still bites.
TPE vs. Plastisol: Which Lasts Longer?
Durability remains one of TPE’s biggest advantages.
In our fishing, very soft traditional plastisol may sometimes be damaged after only 2–5 fish or aggressive bites.
Sometimes one toothy fish is enough.
A quality elastic TPE bait can sometimes survive dozens of fish, and under favorable circumstances potentially substantially more.
But that doesn’t automatically make it the better bait.
If a Keitech gets crushed and another bait doesn’t? We’re throwing the Keitech.
Which Is the Better Bang for Your Buck?
If both materials are producing similarly? We increasingly lean toward TPE.
Why? Cost per fish. Not simply price per package.
If two premium baits are reasonably similar in price but one survives dramatically longer, the durable bait can become much cheaper over time.
A Simple Cost-Per-Fish Example
| Plastisol example | TPE example | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per bait | $1.00 | $1.20 |
| Fish per bait | 3 | 20 |
| Cost per fish | $0.33 | $0.06 |
Those are hypothetical numbers.
Real prices and bait life vary.
But the principle is what matters: the bait with the lowest package price isn’t necessarily the cheapest bait to fish.
Rerigging Time Has Value Too
This becomes especially obvious during a hot bite.
Stripers schooling. Bass blowing up. Speckled trout stacked up. Redfish chewing.
If the feeding window lasts ten minutes, every minute spent replacing destroyed soft plastics is a minute you’re not casting.
Durability saves bait + time.
Sometimes the second one matters even more.
TPE vs. Plastisol: Which Has Better Action?
There’s no universal answer.
Action depends on material, bait shape, tail design, thickness, stiffness, weight, weight placement, retrieve speed and current.
A very soft Keitech-style swimbait can have incredible movement with minimal speed.
A particular TPE paddletail may behave completely differently.
Neither is automatically better.
Watch the bait.
Then watch what the fish tell you.
TPE vs. Plastisol: Which Is More Buoyant?
This question needs a new answer.
It depends on the formulation.
Some traditional elastic plastics are highly buoyant.
Some plastisol formulations sink. Some float.
And now we have Sinking ElaZtech, specifically engineered to naturally descend through the water column.
So stop using TPE = floating as a universal rule.
The material category has already moved beyond that.
Scent: Freshwater and Saltwater Have Not Been the Same for Us
This is another area where our actual fishing experience doesn’t fit neatly into a universal rule.
We fish scent. We experiment with scent.
And from what we’ve observed, the value of scent seems to change substantially by species and environment.
This is our on-the-water observation—not a claim that every fishery or angler will experience the same thing.
But we’ve seen enough of a pattern that it’s worth discussing.
Does Scent Help Bass?
In our fishing? We haven’t seen a meaningful correlation.
We’ve caught plenty of bass on scented baits, unscented baits, TPE and plastisol.
And we haven’t seen enough consistent improvement from adding scent to bass presentations to say yes, this clearly makes a difference.
Could scent help under certain conditions? Sure.
Other anglers may have completely different experiences.
But based on our own fishing, scent isn’t high on our list of bass variables.
We’re much more concerned with location, depth, profile, movement, speed, color and presentation.
What About Scent for Pike and Musky?
Same basic observation.
We haven’t seen a strong enough correlation in our fishing to make scent a major part of the decision.
For pike and musky, we’d put much more emphasis on location, profile, movement, speed, vibration, durability and terminal tackle.
That doesn’t mean scent can never help.
It means we haven’t personally seen enough evidence on the water to prioritize it.
What About Scent for Striped Bass?
Again, we haven’t seen a strong correlation.
Stripers can feed aggressively based on bait schools, current, depth, movement and feeding windows.
When they’re chewing, they’re chewing.
We haven’t personally seen scent become a major deciding factor with our artificial soft-plastic presentations.
Where Have We Seen Scent Matter in Freshwater?
Two categories stand out more to us: walleye and catfish.
That makes intuitive sense from an angler’s perspective, and it’s also where our actual fishing experience has given us more confidence in scent as part of the presentation.
For walleye, especially when the bite slows down, scent can be another variable worth testing.
For catfish? Scent is obviously deeply embedded in how many anglers approach the fishery.
So our freshwater experience isn’t scent doesn’t work. It’s that the importance seems highly species-dependent.
Saltwater Has Been a Completely Different Story for Us
This is where our experience changes.
Can we catch saltwater fish without added scent? Absolutely. We do it all the time.
But with species such as redfish, speckled trout and flounder, we’ve seen enough positive results from scent that we believe it’s worth using—especially when the bite gets tough.
That’s an important distinction.
We’re not saying no scent = no fish.
We’re saying when fish get difficult, scent can be another tool that helps turn follows, inspections or hesitant bites into committed bites.
Redfish and Scent
Redfish are one species where we’re particularly comfortable experimenting with added scent.
When they’re aggressively feeding? You may not need anything extra.
Put the right bait in front of them and hang on.
But when they’re pressured, slow, difficult or following without committing, we’ve seen enough benefit that we’ll add scent.
It’s another sensory cue.
Speckled Trout and Scent
Same basic philosophy.
Aggressive trout will crush unscented plastics. No question.
But during a slower bite, we like adding scent.
Especially when we’re slowing the presentation down and giving fish more time to inspect the bait.
Flounder and Scent
Flounder are another species where we believe scent can be useful.
A slower bottom-oriented presentation naturally gives fish more time around the bait.
That’s exactly the kind of situation where scent becomes another variable worth testing.
Again: not mandatory. Useful. There’s a difference.
Scent Isn’t a Substitute for Finding Fish
This matters.
You can’t cover a bad presentation in garlic and magically fix it.
Location still comes first.
Then depth, profile, speed, movement, color, weight and presentation.
Scent is another layer.
Not a replacement for fishing correctly.
Does Scent Work on TPE?
Yes.
This is another misconception we want to get rid of.
Compatible externally applied scents can be used with TPE and traditional plastisol.
Fishing TPE doesn’t mean giving up scent.
Externally Applied Scent Washes Away
This matters whether you’re using TPE or plastisol.
Cast. Retrieve. Current. Water. Grass. Fish. Structure.
All of it removes or disperses externally applied scent.
If scent is important to your presentation: reapply it.
One application at the beginning of the morning isn’t necessarily doing much two hours later.
How Often Should You Reapply Scent?
There’s no magic number.
Different scent products adhere differently.
But when we’re intentionally using scent, we’ll consider reapplying after several casts, after catching a fish, after pulling through heavy cover, or when the bait no longer appears to retain much scent.
Especially when the bite is slow.
Does TPE Need a Special Jighead?
Not necessarily.
But it needs a compatible retention system.
Highly elastic material can behave very differently from traditional plastisol around molded lead collars, wire keepers, screw locks, spring locks and large barbs.
A keeper that works beautifully with Zoom or Keitech may be frustrating with a highly elastic TPE.
And vice versa.
Why TPE Can Be Difficult to Rig
Push highly elastic material over a large obstruction and it may stretch, bunch, twist, resist seating or pull backward instead of simply sliding over it.
That’s why some TPE and conventional jighead combinations feel like you’re wrestling the bait.
Fishing shouldn’t require a hydraulic press.
Sometimes the keeper and material simply aren’t a good match.
Are Screw Locks Good for TPE?
Sometimes.
Screw and spring systems can be fantastic with traditional plastisol.
Highly elastic TPE may react differently.
It can stretch around the screw instead of threading normally.
Again: keeper compatibility matters.
What About Wire Keepers?
Same answer.
Wire keepers are excellent for many traditional soft plastics.
Some elastic materials work with them. Some fight them.
There is no universal keeper that’s perfect for every bait.
What About Molded Lead Collars?
They’ve caught fish forever.
And many work extremely well with traditional plastisol.
But TPE can sometimes stretch, bunch or resist larger molded collars.
That’s one of the design problems we wanted to approach differently.
Why We Designed The Upgrade Keeper Differently
On the Upgrade Multi-Purpose Jighead, we moved our tapered lead keeper farther down the hook shank toward the belly of the soft plastic.
We wanted the keeper to do more than hold plastic.
It solves three different design problems.
1. Leave the Hook Shank Open for Tying
Traditional nose retention occupies valuable real estate directly behind the jighead.
That’s exactly where anglers may want to tie bucktail, living rubber, feathers, flash or synthetics.
Move the keeper farther back and that area stays open.
Now you can create bucktail + TPE, living rubber + plastisol, feathers + paddletail and countless other combinations.
2. Move Some Weight Toward the Belly
Lead has mass.
If we’re adding lead for retention anyway, its position matters.
Moving the keeper farther down the hook moves some additional mass toward the belly.
That can influence balance, fall, roll and retrieve.
It isn’t the same as our Hover Hook.
But the underlying principle is related: weight placement matters.
3. Hold the Bait Farther Into Its Body
Many soft plastics get thicker farther into the body.
So why make the nose do everything?
Moving the keeper farther back allows it to engage more material deeper inside the bait.
That can provide useful retention with both TPE and traditional plastisol.
Does The Upgrade Keeper Work With Plastisol?
Yes.
And Zoom and Keitech are perfect examples of why that matters to us.
We didn’t want a TPE-only jighead.
We still fish traditional plastics. A lot.
The Upgrade Multi-Purpose Jighead and A.T.V. family can both be used with traditional plastisol.
But extremely soft plastics can tear.
That’s the honest tradeoff.
If My Keitech Tears, Does That Mean the Keeper Failed?
Not necessarily.
This is where anglers have to distinguish between retention failure and soft-plastic durability.
A very soft bait may tear because a fish grabbed it, the hook cut through it, the nose became damaged, repeated casting weakened it, or the material is intentionally extremely soft.
Sometimes that softness is exactly why the bait has such good action.
That’s the compromise.
After a couple fish, some extremely soft plastisol baits are pretty well destroyed regardless of what they’re rigged on.
And we’ll still fish them.
Because they’re just too damn good not to.
TPE vs. Plastisol + Exposed vs. Weedless
Now add hook configuration.
You have four basic combinations:
| Combination | What you get |
|---|---|
| TPE + exposed | Durability + maximum hook exposure |
| TPE + weedless | Durability + snag resistance |
| Plastisol + exposed | Softness/action + maximum hook exposure |
| Plastisol + weedless | Softness/action + snag resistance |
Choose material based on the bait.
Choose hook configuration based primarily on where you’re fishing it.
Why Hook Gap Matters With Weedless Baits
A weedless bait has to move out of the way during the strike.
If a thick soft plastic completely fills the hook gap, hookup performance can suffer.
That matters with thick TPE, thick plastisol and EWG-style hooks.
Choose hook size based on bait thickness, body height, hook gap and material—not simply bait length.
Bigger Hook Doesn’t Automatically Mean Better
Eventually you can put so much steel inside a soft plastic that you start changing the bait.
That can affect movement, balance, fall and action.
The goal isn’t use the biggest hook that fits.
It’s use the smallest hook that provides the gap, placement and strength you need.
Hook Size and Hook Strength Are Different Decisions
A 4/0 describes size.
2X generally describes a stronger/heavier-wire designation relative to comparable hooks within a manufacturer’s line.
They’re different variables.
Choose hook size for the bait. Choose hook strength for the fight.
Why Much of The Upgrade Family Uses 2X Hooks
This part of The Upgrade story comes directly from how we fish.
We fish freshwater. We fish saltwater. And importantly: we fish tidal rivers.
Tidal rivers are one of the reasons we don’t like assuming a small bait means a small fish.
Current adds pressure. Structure adds pressure.
And the same water can hold very different species.
One cast may produce exactly what you expected.
The next might not.
Tidal Rivers Changed How We Think About Hook Strength
Fish something like the tidal rivers around the coast and you’re dealing with current, changing water levels, docks, pilings, wood, oyster, grass and stronger fish.
Now hook strength isn’t simply about how big is the bait?
It’s what might eat it, and what am I going to have to pull that fish away from?
That’s a major reason 2X black nickel became our premium baseline across much of The Upgrade family.
You Don’t Get to Choose Which Fish Eats
That’s really the philosophy.
You may be throwing a finesse-sized bait.
A small fish may eat it.
Or the fish of your lifetime might.
You don’t know until it happens.
We didn’t want hook strength to be the first place we compromised.
That doesn’t mean every presentation needs 2X.
Fine-wire hooks have legitimate advantages.
But for the crossover fishing we do—freshwater, saltwater and tidal rivers—we wanted a stronger baseline.
Long-Lasting TPE Reinforced the Same Philosophy
If we’re fishing a TPE bait that may survive dozens of fish, why put it on terminal tackle where we’re worried about the hook?
That helped reinforce The Upgrade philosophy: long-lasting bait deserves long-lasting premium terminal tackle.
Rig it. Fish it. Catch fish. Keep fishing.
The A.T.V. Exception
The Upgrade A.T.V. products use an EWG-style hook rather than the same 2X configuration used across several other Upgrade products.
That wasn’t about saving money.
We couldn’t source a suitable 2X EWG hook that met the geometry, gap, dimensions and manufacturing requirements we needed.
So we chose function.
If the right 2X EWG becomes available, we’ll evaluate it.
Why The A.T.V. Uses a Different Keeper
EWG geometry also changes where the keeper can go.
We can’t simply put the Multi-Purpose belly keeper in the same place.
The bait needs that portion of the hook.
So with the A.T.V. family, we focused on tapered nose retention.
The goal was a more gradual system capable of working across a broad range of TPE, elastic plastics, traditional plastisol and bait profiles.
Different hook. Different geometry. Same philosophy.
TPE vs. Plastisol on a Hover Hook
Now add another variable: weight placement.
A traditional jighead puts most of its weight near the nose.
A Hover Hook moves weight farther toward the belly.
That can change fall, posture, roll, glide and water-column control.
Then change the bait material.
Everything changes again.
What Does Sinking ElaZtech Mean for Hover-Style Fishing?
This is where the latest ElaZtech development gets particularly interesting.
We’ve talked about pairing buoyant elastic plastics with belly weight to create horizontal presentations.
That’s still valid.
But now anglers may also have sinking elastic formulations available.
That means we need to stop assuming the bait is fighting the weight by trying to float.
A sinking elastic bait may create an entirely different fall rate, balance, posture, glide and depth on the same Hover Hook.
That’s another reason we keep saying: watch the bait.
Don’t assume what it’s going to do based solely on the material name.
The Upgrade Hover Hook
Our exposed Upgrade Hover Hook is available in 1/16 oz, 3/32 oz and 1/8 oz, all on a 3/0 2X hook.
Same hook size. Different weight.
That allows anglers to change the presentation without automatically changing how much hook is inside the bait.
The A.T.V. Weedless Hover Hook
For cover, the A.T.V. Weedless Hover Hook gives us another option.
Available in 3/32 oz with 2/0 and 3/32 oz with 4/0, it combines light belly weighting, weedless EWG-style rigging and different hook-size options.
Now you can start mixing TPE, plastisol, floating elastic, sinking elastic, different hook sizes and different bait profiles.
That’s where this category gets fun.
Weight Isn’t Just About Depth
Anglers commonly ask: what weight do I need for this depth?
Good question. Incomplete question.
Weight also affects fall, roll, acceleration, body movement, retrieve and bottom contact.
We’ve seen the same soft plastic behave dramatically differently on a 1/8-ounce head versus a 1/2-ounce head.
Sometimes the heavier rig rolls considerably harder.
Weight is part of the action.
Weight Placement Matters Too
Now move that weight.
Nose. Belly. Farther down the hook.
Same ounces. Potentially different presentation.
That’s why total weight + weight placement both matter.
TPE vs. Plastisol in Freshwater
Freshwater is one of the most interesting areas of TPE growth.
Z-Man’s new Sinking ElaZtech is another major example: its first announced baits include a stickworm and soft jerkbait built heavily around bass techniques.
We’re also seeing increased interest around bass, walleye, stripers, pike, musky, Ned rigs, hover presentations, forward-facing sonar and finesse.
The freshwater TPE story is no longer simply this bait lasts longer.
It’s increasingly what can this material make the bait do?
TPE vs. Plastisol in Saltwater
Saltwater still gives TPE one of its clearest advantages: toothy critters.
Durability can be extremely valuable around speckled trout, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, flounder and snook.
But saltwater is also where we personally put more emphasis on scent.
Especially with redfish, trout and flounder when the bite gets slow.
That gives the material decision another layer.
TPE vs. Plastisol for Bass
For bass, we’re primarily thinking about action, profile, buoyancy or sink rate, presentation, durability and cover.
Based on our fishing, scent isn’t a major deciding factor.
We haven’t seen enough correlation to prioritize it.
But the arrival of sinking elastic materials makes the bass TPE conversation much more interesting.
We’ll break all of that down separately in our dedicated TPE vs. Plastisol for Bass guide.
TPE vs. Plastisol for Striped Bass
Stripers give us powerful fish, schooling bites, current and baitfish-oriented feeding.
Durability can be extremely useful when they’re chewing.
But in our fishing, scent hasn’t been a major driver.
We’re more concerned with bait profile, depth, current, speed, weight and hook strength.
We’ll cover that in TPE vs. Plastisol for Striped Bass.
TPE vs. Plastisol for Walleye
This is where scent becomes more interesting to us.
Walleye presentations can involve bottom contact, vertical jigging, suspended fish, finesse, subtle movement and slower bites.
And based on our experience, scent is a variable we’re much more willing to experiment with for walleye than bass.
Add in TPE buoyancy, new sinking formulations and traditional plastisol?
There’s a lot to unpack.
We’ll do that in TPE vs. Plastisol for Walleye.
TPE vs. Plastisol for Pike and Musky
This may be one of TPE’s strongest freshwater durability cases.
Why? Teeth. Big ones.
Large soft plastics can also be expensive.
If an elastic bait survives significantly more punishment, the cost-per-fish equation can become extremely attractive.
But based on our fishing, scent isn’t where we’d put our attention first.
We’re much more interested in profile, movement, vibration, speed, durability, hook strength, leader and terminal tackle.
We’ll cover it separately in TPE vs. Plastisol for Pike and Musky.
How Should You Actually Choose Between TPE and Plastisol?
Ask these questions.
What bait profile do the fish want?
Start here.
What material gives me the action I want?
TPE and plastisol can behave differently.
Does the bait float, suspend or sink?
Don’t assume anymore. Test it.
How important is durability?
Toothy fish and schooling bites can heavily favor TPE.
Does scent matter for this species?
Based on our experience, we’d prioritize it more for walleye, catfish and several saltwater species than bass, pike, musky or stripers.
What’s the cover?
That helps determine exposed vs. weedless.
What hook fits the bait?
Think body thickness and gap.
What hook strength fits the fight?
Think fish, current, cover, line and drag.
How much weight?
Think depth, current and desired action.
Where should the weight sit?
Nose? Belly? That changes the presentation too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TPE better than plastisol?
Neither is universally better. TPE can provide exceptional durability and different material properties, while plastisol offers tremendous softness, variety and proven actions.
Is all TPE buoyant?
No. TPE formulations vary, and Z-Man introduced a naturally sinking ElaZtech formulation in 2026.
What is Sinking ElaZtech?
Sinking ElaZtech is Z-Man’s denser ElaZtech formulation designed to sink naturally while retaining the material’s durability and elasticity. Its first announced applications include the Kingpin stickbait and Stuntman soft jerkbait.
Is Sinking ElaZtech still stretchy?
Yes, although Z-Man describes the new material as somewhat firmer and less stretchy than its original formulation while retaining significant elasticity and durability.
Does TPE last longer than plastisol?
Highly elastic TPE can often survive substantially more stretching and fish than very soft traditional plastisol. Actual bait life varies considerably.
Are Zoom and Keitech baits good with The Upgrade?
We’ve had success fishing traditional plastisol baits from Zoom and Keitech on The Upgrade Multi-Purpose Jighead and A.T.V. family. Extremely soft baits can eventually tear around retention systems or hook entry points.
Why does soft plastisol blow out?
Very soft material can tear around the nose, hook or keeper after repeated casting and fish. That’s often part of the tradeoff for exceptional softness and action.
Does scent help bass?
In our fishing, we haven’t seen a strong enough correlation to make scent a priority for bass. Other anglers and fisheries may produce different results.
Does scent help walleye?
We’ve found scent more worth experimenting with for walleye, particularly during slower bites.
Does scent help redfish?
Based on our experience, added scent can be useful for redfish, particularly when fish are slow or reluctant to commit.
Does scent help speckled trout?
We’ve caught plenty without it, but we’ve seen enough benefit during slower bites that we consider scent another useful tool.
Does scent help flounder?
In our experience, it can be useful, particularly with slower bottom-oriented presentations.
Can scent be used on TPE?
Yes. Compatible externally applied scents can be used on TPE as well as plastisol.
Do I need a special jighead for TPE?
Not necessarily, but keeper compatibility matters because highly elastic material can behave differently around traditional retention systems.
Is TPE better weedless or exposed?
Neither. Choose based primarily on cover and presentation.
Why use a 2X hook with a small bait?
Bait size and hook strength are separate variables. A small bait can still be eaten by a powerful fish, especially when fishing current, structure and tidal rivers.
Do you need different jigheads for freshwater and saltwater?
Not necessarily. Hook strength, corrosion resistance, bait compatibility, weight and presentation matter more than the label.
The Bottom Line
The TPE vs. plastisol conversation just got more complicated.
And that’s a good thing.
For years, the easy comparison was TPE is stretchy, durable and buoyant; plastisol is soft, versatile and sinks more easily.
Now we have Sinking ElaZtech.
A naturally sinking elastic formulation designed to retain much of the durability anglers associate with ElaZtech.
That’s another sign that TPE isn’t simply a single type of soft plastic anymore.
It’s becoming a broader material platform.
Floating. Sinking. Different densities. Different stiffness. Different actions.
Meanwhile, traditional plastisol isn’t going anywhere.
Some of our favorite baits are still Zoom and Keitech.
Are they always the most durable things in the tackle box? Nope.
Do we care when the fish are crushing them? Not particularly.
Sometimes they’re just too damn good not to fish.
And that’s the philosophy behind this entire series.
TPE isn’t automatically better. Plastisol isn’t automatically better.
Scent isn’t automatically important either.
Our own experience suggests scent matters more in some fisheries than others.
We haven’t seen enough correlation with bass, pike, musky or stripers to make it a priority.
We’ve paid more attention to it with walleye and catfish.
And in saltwater, we’ve seen enough benefit with redfish, speckled trout and flounder—especially during tougher bites—to keep scent in the toolbox.
Those are our observations.
Your fishery may teach you something completely different.
That’s fishing.
Then there’s terminal tackle.
The Multi-Purpose Jighead gives us exposed-hook versatility, a tapered keeper farther down the shank, open tying space and additional mass farther toward the belly.
The Hover Hook gives us an exposed belly-weighted presentation.
The A.T.V. Weedless Swinghead gives us a weedless option for cover.
The A.T.V. Weedless Hover Hook combines weedless rigging with light belly weighting.
The Upgrade Ned Rig gives us a compact finesse option.
And across much of the family, we chose 2X hooks because we fish freshwater, saltwater and tidal rivers, where current, structure and unexpected fish can put far more pressure on terminal tackle than the size of the soft plastic might suggest.
So don’t ask only TPE or plastisol?
Ask: does it float or sink? What action does it have? How durable is it? Do these fish respond to scent? Does the keeper work with it? Exposed or weedless? What hook size? What hook strength? How much weight? Where should the weight sit?
And most importantly: are the fish eating it?
If TPE and plastisol catch equally well? We’ll increasingly take the durability and cost-per-fish advantage of TPE.
If a soft Zoom or Keitech gets destroyed every couple fish but keeps getting crushed? We’ll keep opening bags.
Because the objective isn’t to win an argument about polymers.
The objective is to catch fish.
Learn what each material does. Learn what your terminal tackle does to it. Then build the presentation the fish want.
That’s the Upgrade.
Five purpose-built tools, built around what the bait actually needs to do. Shop The Upgrade family →