Braided line test articles : twenty four 20 lbs braids tested

[aquaholik]

Anybody seen this test? I'll link the YouTube video which has a link to the magazine's article available for free online because I don't think Tim will allow links to external site besides youtube that is non self promotional. Basically if you look at the test and the charts comparing strength and diameter, you can see that line strength is a function of diameter and so is abrasion. What is interesting and by now you guys should know, is that Japanese line are accurately rated and American rated line are underrated and European is whatever. I was interested since the test also measure line diameter using a microscope and averaging the images. Very interesting fact which agrees with my excel chart.

 

1. Japanese PE rated line is fairly accurate in terms of strength.

 

2. Japanese PE line are hardly worth the premium price over your Power Pro, Daiwa J braid, Berkeley, or Yozuri American label line. Why? Look at the strength to diameter chart. They are actually below average in terms of strength to diameter ratio. Basically all Japanese PE line that breaks around 22-27 lbs are the same as American labeled 10 lbs braid. And interesting, they all have an average diameter of about .23 mm. Look at the dropbox excel chart and you will see that most American 10 lbs braid that break at 22-28 lbs have an average diameter of about .23 mm. Japanese PE line are not magically thinner just because they carry a premium price.

 

3. The microscope measurement and averaging the diameter confirmed the dropbox excel chart. And remember, the excel chart DERIVED the diameter from the mass of the line without actually measuring braid which is flat when squeezed.

 

4. The American labeled 20 lbs line average 35-45 lbs but in term of strength to diameter ratio, they fare just as well if not better than the Japanese PE line. Most of those line have a diameter ranging from .31 mm to .36 mm, again confirming the excel chart that we did years ago.

 

 

 

Edited February 2 by aquaholik

[EricL]

Who's one to say it's not worth it?

 

Some lines are extremely well made in higher grade raw materials with extremely high QC. It can literally feel like silk.

 

You can't expect companies to charge the same or similar prices in a free market society just cause XYZ sells something for X amount.

 

Buy what can afford and like to use.

 

I like using Japanese lines because it's a standardized measurement system. Easy to use, I don't need to guess line diameters, and don't need a microscope to measure diameters  adding complexity.

 

If my reel is rated for 300m of PE 2.0.   I know I can buy any PE 2 rated brand of line and know I can fit the whole spool on.

[EricL]

I actually dig berkley now because they started using the PE # on the braids now.  Someone in the company finally realized it's a better to give correct info on the box.

[Saltfruit]

30 mins ago, EricL said:

Who's one to say it's not worth it?

 

Some lines are extremely well made in higher grade raw materials with extremely high QC. It can literally feel like silk.

 

You can't expect companies to charge the same or similar prices in a free market society just cause XYZ sells something for X amount.

 

Buy what can afford and like to use.

 

I like using Japanese lines because it's a standardized measurement system. Easy to use, I don't need to guess line diameters, and don't need a microscope to measure diameters  adding complexity.

 

If my reel is rated for 300m of PE 2.0.   I know I can buy any PE 2 rated brand of line and know I can fit the whole spool on.

Agreed. I buy a certain japanese line cause it's silent as whisper when I cast.

 

Slightly less wax and a controlled "hairy" braid feel = half or less the casting audio. 
Soft too. 
 

YGK makes sickeningly expensive line, but what I've bought so far I've liked.

[MikeAck]

I just switched from original 20 lb Power Pro to an amazon line called GPC Proline in 20 lb. Either I had the worst batch of PP ever made or this GPC line is a real option when it comes to braid. Very cheap for the amount of line. Casts were significantly longer with the same effort. Less line noise on casts and, while I don't actually have the numbers, felt legitimately strong when I unfortunately had to break off a snagged swimbait. Long story short, I'm very impressed with this particular line at this price point and you shouldn't be afraid to try . I'll update if I start to notice a significant decrease in performance. Used PP for years, maybe I got used to it and just accepted its performance.

[billthe5th]

1 hour ago, MikeAck said:

I just switched from original 20 lb Power Pro to an amazon line called GPC Proline in 20 lb. Either I had the worst batch of PP ever made or this GPC line is a real option when it comes to braid. Very cheap for the amount of line. Casts were significantly longer with the same effort. Less line noise on casts and, while I don't actually have the numbers, felt legitimately strong when I unfortunately had to break off a snagged swimbait. Long story short, I'm very impressed with this particular line at this price point and you shouldn't be afraid to try . I'll update if I start to notice a significant decrease in performance. Used PP for years, maybe I got used to it and just accepted its performance.

that's what he's saying in the original post, I believe.

 

the GPC might actually be 20# line, and is much thinner than the "20#" power pro, since the PP is actually 40# and much thicker.

 

it sounds like 10# PP might actually be similar to the 20# line you're talking about for strength and diameter, and might cast like it too.

[billthe5th]

14 hours ago, aquaholik said:

Anybody seen this test? I'll link the YouTube video which has a link to the magazine's article available for free online because I don't think Tim will allow links to external site besides youtube that is non self promotional. Basically if you look at the test and the charts comparing strength and diameter, you can see that line strength is a function of diameter and so is abrasion. What is interesting and by now you guys should know, is that Japanese line are accurately rated and American rated line are underrated and European is whatever. I was interested since the test also measure line diameter using a microscope and averaging the images. Very interesting fact which agrees with my excel chart.

 

1. Japanese PE rated line is fairly accurate in terms of strength.

 

2. Japanese PE line are hardly worth the premium price over your Power Pro, Daiwa J braid, Berkeley, or Yozuri American label line. Why? Look at the strength to diameter chart. They are actually below average in terms of strength to diameter ratio. Basically all Japanese PE line that breaks around 22-27 lbs are the same as American labeled 10 lbs braid. And interesting, they all have an average diameter of about .23 mm. Look at the dropbox excel chart and you will see that most American 10 lbs braid that break at 22-28 lbs have an average diameter of about .23 mm. Japanese PE line are not magically thinner just because they carry a premium price.

 

3. The microscope measurement and averaging the diameter confirmed the dropbox excel chart. And remember, the excel chart DERIVED the diameter from the mass of the line without actually measuring braid which is flat when squeezed.

 

4. The American labeled 20 lbs line average 35-45 lbs but in term of strength to diameter ratio, they fare just as well if not better than the Japanese PE line. Most of those line have a diameter ranging from .31 mm to .36 mm, again confirming the excel chart that we did years ago.

 

 

good stuff, thanks for posting. 

 

I was always a little skeptical of the anti-powerpro sentiments, as I fished it for decades now in everything from 8# in FW to 80# backing when chunking tuna, and never saw an issue that wasn't my own screw-up. 

[AClarke]

58 mins ago, billthe5th said:

good stuff, thanks for posting. 

 

I was always a little skeptical of the anti-powerpro sentiments, as I fished it for decades now in everything from 8# in FW to 80# backing when chunking tuna, and never saw an issue that wasn't my own screw-up. 

 

Agreed, maybe its just that 30 lb PP is strong in comparison to the majority of the fish I am catching. The average fish, even pulling it our of a hard current, cant be pulling more than 15-20 lbs. That being said when I do fish rips and drift plugs I do swap my spool out with 50 lb PP.

 

To be honest thats really the only reason I continue to spool up with it. It has just worked in my experience. I have no experience with anything else and am hesitant to spend the money to try something that may be worse.

 

I just purchased a new Avet and had a slammer replaced by Penn so will need to spool those up this spring. Maybe I will try the "Japanese" stuff.

[codfish]

1 hour ago, billthe5th said:

good stuff, thanks for posting. 

 

I was always a little skeptical of the anti-powerpro sentiments, as I fished it for decades now in everything from 8# in FW to 80# backing when chunking tuna, and never saw an issue that wasn't my own screw-up. 

[MikeAck]

I'm in no way anti Power Pro. I've used it for years and have never had an issue until recently hence the trial of another line. Like I said, I acknowledge that its possible that I had a subpar quality batch or some form of quality control issue. Part of it could be that when I went from mono to PP, the increased performance with that change itself was simply enough to keep me from looking at or trying another line.

[Rhett]

Kind of a crappy article. It didn’t really say anything. I guess they were worried about pissing of advertisers. I’d like to know the results of the tests. Maybe they could do a test of all the same diameter braids and then tell us who was superior. Oh well, I’ll just stick to Sufix 832 for my solid braid and Threadlock for hollow.

 

I did recently buy a reel that came with PowerPro Depth Hunter 40lb and it felt pretty nice and small. I don’t like the larger PowerPro as much but only because it’s so rough as a 4 strand.

[aquaholik]

3 mins ago, Rhett said:

Kind of a crappy article. It didn’t really say anything. I guess they were worried about pissing of advertisers. I’d like to know the results of the tests. Maybe they could do a test of all the same diameter braids and then tell us who was superior. Oh well, I’ll just stick to Sufix 832 for my solid braid and Threadlock for hollow.

 

I did recently buy a reel that came with PowerPro Depth Hunter 40lb and it felt pretty nice and small. I don’t like the larger PowerPro as much but only because it’s so rough as a 4 strand.

Yeah they didn't specifically state the diameter. You have to eyeball the graph and guess what line has what diameter based on their strength test. I was hoping for a chart that listed the diameter but you can't tell exactly from their graph since you can only blow up the pdf so much in the linked article in the video description.

 

[EricL]

Just think of it like this.

 

Buy lines based off diameters you like or want.

 

which is what the Japanese PE# is based on.

Absolutely breaking values are always close to what the diameter it should break at.

 

US 20lb lines are PE 2.5, it usually breaks at 32-40lbs.

 

This does not take into account abrasions.

 

More weaves = less abrasion line, but smoother.

Less weaves = stronger resistant, but rougher.

 

Thicker lines or individual weaves = more resistance. 

 

It's really that simple.