Topic says it al. What matters most to me is durability and smooth casting. I know all of these lines are really great in itself. But im taking my frogging/toading/rage shad game to another level this year. I prefer not using braid whenever I don't need to, but sometimes Ill need it.
What do you guys think?
Sunline Fx2 hands down best braid on the market. I fished with them all suffix is terrible and has proved it time and time again. I would say daiwa samurai braid is a close 2nd but it's just too expensive.
Regular Power Pro.
Samurai is the best, Sunline is the best value.
This is why im so d**n confused.
I don't understand how one person can say power pro then another person can say sunline, another samurai?
This would mean that all are almost exactly equal, because if one braid outperformed all of them no one would buy the other brand right?
@okechobeeangler - you say power pro but have you tried the other braids mentioned here?
From your choices above I voted FX2 but I'd also suggest regular Power Pro over all of them. I used to be a huge fan of S8S but I had a bit of bad luck while frogging last year and lost confidence in the line. It casts great and is very limp after just a little use which makes it great for getting good "walk the dog" action out of your frogs but it cuts very easily. I realize no braid is really abrasion resistant but S8S is at the bottom of the class in this regard. Regular PP is much better in this department.
832 sinks so it's horrible for frogs. Tried it last summer, only lasted two trips. Never fished the Daiwa braid so I have no opinion on it. I also tried FX2 this year, there's nothing wrong with this braid. It casts and handles great right out of the box but I found it to have a little to much stretch for my liking. I bought two spools, 60# in the blue & green color and 80# in solid green. Both pound tests exhibit the same stretchy feeling.
I'm currently fishing P-Line Spectrex braid and absolutely love the stuff. Nothing fancy, it's only a 4 carrier braid just like PP but both these lines just flat get the job done IMHO. I'm also fishing the Spiderwire Ultracast Invisibraid right now and so far I'm really liking it as well. After this I have a spool of Spiderwire's Ultracast Ultimate Braid to try. Oh the Invisibraid feels a lot like S8S so it may be in the same class abrasion wise.
SX2 or reg PP for frogging. They're both relatively coarse and I believe this helps them saw their way through the vegetation better. They are definitely tougher. Not as smooth through the guides as the 8 carrier braids, but more durable.
On 2/9/2014 at 5:05 PM, Tim Kelly said:SX2 or reg PP for frogging. They're both relatively coarse and I believe this helps them saw their way through the vegetation better. They are definitely tougher. Not as smooth through the guides as the 8 carrier braids, but more durable.
P-Line Spectrex feels and fishes just like these two lines. I really like the line but what can you expect I have some form of P-Line on most of my reels. Power Pro is almost exactly the same it just isn't as "limp" straight from the box as the other 2.
Also I forgot to mention in my first post but 832 is a really good line, just not for frogs. It's great for flipping or really anything else you'd use braid for.
I voted for power pro super slick, but i actually prefer the regular pp. I tried 832 but I didn't like it, never used fx2 or samurai although I want to try out fx2
On 2/9/2014 at 7:45 PM, Mike2841 said:I voted for power pro super slick, but i actually prefer the regular pp. I tried 832 but I didn't like it, never used fx2 or samurai although I want to try out fx2
How can you accurately vote for something if you have never used all the products the OP is questioning about? I think this Is where the confusion comes into play.
Honestly, these polls are typically pretty useless. People will vote for what they've used. If you've only used power pro, you'll vote for that. Doesn't make it the best. Like when I see people say Big Game or Yozuri make the best mono, makes my skin crawl because both are some of the worst lines I've ever used. Most people don't spend the money to buy something like Defier though, so they don't know the difference. They just vote for what they know. I'd suggest going to Google and searching for Daiwa Samurai review, 832 review, etc. I read as many reviews as I can. Try to look for patterns. If 50 people have the same issue, it's a real thing. If one person says it's the worst ever, it's probably just a fluke.
Just giving my thoughts on the lines I've used relative to the post. I don't think that objectively one line is better than the other and everyone is gonna have different opinions about different products. The only way the op is going to know which of them is the best is by using all four lines himself.
On 2/9/2014 at 1:33 PM, WhiteMike1018 said:This is why im so d**n confused.
I don't understand how one person can say power pro then another person can say sunline, another samurai?
This would mean that all are almost exactly equal, because if one braid outperformed all of them no one would buy the other brand right?
@okechobeeangler - you say power pro but have you tried the other braids mentioned here?
I would doubt that most people have tried them all. You can't find Sunline and Samauri as readily in stores, plus they are more expensive. I tend to only put any weight into advice if someone has tried them all.
50# 832
Most braids will work fine but I don't think all of them float?
Without looking I'm thinking regular pp sinks and 832 floats?
On 2/9/2014 at 11:44 PM, Hi Salenity said:50# 832
Most braids will work fine but I don't think all of them float?
Without looking I'm thinking regular pp sinks and 832 floats?
I think I have that backwards, I think it's the original PP that floats and 832 sinks
None of the above. Spiderwire Ultimate.
Ill buy 832 or slick8 if I see them on sale but SW is what I order in gerneral. Haven't used FX or Daiwa braid.
Spiderwire works fine, why fix it... All are good lines.
Whitemike, I fish both fresh and salt water 4~5 days a week all year. Ive tried most braids made. For me regular PP has stood out the most. Been using it since it came out. When salt water fishing I'll sometimes either use seaguar or ande flouro for leaders.
One of my best friends is a captain down in Islamorada, Fl. He and most of the other captains in his area have switch to regular PP also. Believe me they have used every braid line made. They use what works best to keep customers coming back.
If I had to choose a second braid it would be suffix. It will limber up.
The coated braids like tuf and super slick will eventually lose their coating and your stuck with regular braid.
I have used the Fx2, 832, and SS8. Out of them I like Fx2 the most, then 832, and lastly SS8. If you added regular PP to the mix I would put it in second behind Fx2.
You can't expect the Samurai to get many votes because not to many people use it on here due to the price.
On 2/10/2014 at 1:54 AM, mnbassman23 said:I have used the Fx2, 832, and SS8. Out of them I like Fx2 the most, then 832, and lastly SS8. If you added regular PP to the mix I would put it in second behind Fx2.
You can't expect the Samurai to get many votes because not to many people use it on here due to the price.
Little story. I just picked up some samurai in the yellow color at a fisherman's flea market near me today for 10 bucks. I'm gonna paint the line brown/green with those color sharpie markers to make it more stealthy. But I can definitely say, this line feels absolutely amazing. Almost like silk. It's 70lb test (14lb) dia and i cant wait to see how it casts.
With that said, I can see how some people say the original power pro is "tougher" and can probably cut through weeds better. So now I see why people favor different braids.
Does anyone know if samurai sinks or floats?
I like 832 and Seaguar Smackdown over the other choices. I used FX2 and like it as well but not for the price. 832 has been the most consistent for me.
On 2/10/2014 at 1:54 AM, mnbassman23 said:I have used the Fx2, 832, and SS8. Out of them I like Fx2 the most, then 832, and lastly SS8. If you added regular PP to the mix I would put it in second behind Fx2.
You can't expect the Samurai to get many votes because not to many people use it on here due to the price.
Samurai is not any more expensive than the rest of the braids listed here if you know where to look.
I like the sunline and am in the process of switching over to sunline from power pro
Tight lines
Andrew
On 2/10/2014 at 7:44 AM, livetofish28 said:I like the sunline and am in the process of switching over to sunline from power pro
Tight lines
Andrew
Yeah Sunline makes the best braid IMO I have used them all extensively and I wanna like 832 but I just can't stand a line that looses it's color in literally 1 hard day of fishing and turns my $300 cores puke green and bleeds all over the place in the boat and everything it's terrible.
OP I would say this as honest and real as it gets if you want quality braid and money is no option I would say Sunline FX2, Daiwa Samurai braid. However if your just looking for an average economical braid you really can't go wrong with the original good ole' power pro. My advice is stay away from 832 unless you want your hands,reels,boats, and everything else in between green and pukey.
On 2/10/2014 at 8:51 AM, CJV said:Yeah Sunline makes the best braid IMO I have used them all extensively and I wanna like 832 but I just can't stand a line that looses it's color in literally 1 hard day of fishing and turns my $300 cores puke green and bleeds all over the place in the boat and everything it's terrible.
OP I would say this as honest and real as it gets if you want quality braid and money is no option I would say Sunline FX2, Daiwa Samurai braid. However if your just looking for an average economical braid you really can't go wrong with the original good ole' power pro. My advice is stay away from 832 unless you want your hands,reels,boats, and everything else in between green and pukey.
Or you can just get 832 Ghost and have a great line with no loss of color.
On 2/10/2014 at 9:06 AM, Tywithay said:Or you can just get 832 Ghost and have a great line with no loss of color.
There you go OP you can have white line and a braid that sinks! Sounds like a recipe for success!
On 2/10/2014 at 9:10 AM, CJV said:There you go OP you can have white line and a braid that sinks! Sounds like a recipe for success!
Not for frog fishing. Sinking braid is absolutely the worst thing you can have for this technique.
On 2/10/2014 at 9:32 AM, War Eagle 44 said:Not for frog fishing. Sinking braid is absolutely the worst thing you can have for this technique.
I was being sarcastic LOL
about the only technique i use braid /w is frogs. good ol' 65# PP does the trick.
Between this one and the last one on the subject of braid, it seems there isn't much love for Spiderwire anymore....
Is that the general consensus?
I still like the stuff.
On 2/10/2014 at 10:03 AM, CJV said:I was being sarcastic LOL
Sorry, I totally misread your meaning.
On 2/10/2014 at 10:15 AM, Teal said:Between this one and the last one on the subject of braid, it seems there isn't much love for Spiderwire anymore....Is that the general consensus?I still like the stuff.
I like Spiderwire just fine, I currently have 50# Stealth on one setup and 50# Invisibraid on another. I also picked up a spool of Ultracast Ultimate braid in 50# to try. I've not had any problems with either of the two I'm currently fishing though I don't have much time on the Invisibraid. The Stealth has held up just fine. The ultimate braid feels like it might be the best of the bunch as far as Spiderwire goes.
I have not tried the samurai braid, but of the others I much prefer the FX2 for frog fishing.
Sunline fx2
My experience. I have used braid on a lot of techniques for a few seasons. I have tried power pro, sunline fx2, berkley power braid, samurai, suffix, suffix 832, spider wire, and viscous.
I had really bad luck with samurai last year and will not go back.
My favorite is Sunline fx2. I am in the process of switching all my braid setups to this line. Regular Power pro would be my 2nd choice. I will not use any of the other brands again.