The 250 may be better as at will balance the combo nicely. Remember that the 300 is the original van staal designed for the surf so dont be intimidated by the size.. As for the size of the stripper guide it will likely be fine since braid can be choked down quickly. I just built a century S2 with a 25mm stripper guide matched to a vs 300 and it casts beautifully. This combo also balances very well and the rod does not feel nearly as tip heavy as it would with a smaller reel. As for the weight argument your talking ounces! if that makes or breaks you your in the wrong sport. You wont notice the weight of any combo when hooked into and landing a 20lb or 30lb bass.