Berkley X9 & X5 braids

[OkobojiEagle]

Berkley x9 & x5 braids... opinions & comparisons to other braids; especially original Fireline.  Thanks

 

oe

[Tatulatard]

Rated properly unlike fireline original so a 14# fireline is like a 30# braid.  9 and 5 carrier line as opposed to a 4 carrier.  Very well braided instead of that horrible braiding of fireline.  It's my favorite braid.  Fireline is still made from some special stuff that makes it hard to kill.  If using spinning reels I would stick to fireline plus a leader for those shell beds west now has.  

[FrnkNsteen]

For some reason I was thinking that Fireline wasn't a braid, but rather some kind of "Fused" extrusion. I've always liked Fireline once it gets a little broken in. It's a little course and wiry at first, but smooths out over time and is pretty abrasion resistent.

 

I've use X5 and X9 a bit, but not really enough to rate it. It seems to work well and is pretty smooth casting. I was throwing some mepps spinners on it up north though and found it doesn't hold well to toothy critters like northerns!! ?

[OkobojiEagle]

Is the x5 as "wirey" as similar test original Fireline?

 

oe

[redmeansdistortion]

The US and EU diameters are grossly inaccurate on it, but the goh rating printed for the Asian markets is a much more reliable indicator of its true diameter.  The 6lb is #0.8, which is about 0.15mm diameter.  8lb is #1.0, which is about 0.17mm, and the 10lb is #1.5, or 0.205mm, a similar diameter to your average 6lb test mono.  Other than the diameter inaccuracies printed on the label, I really like the x5 and x9 a lot.  It has been my go-to braid the last couple of years.  I prefer it to Power Pro, Sufix 832, and J-Braid.

[Tatulatard]

20 hours ago, FrnkNsteen said:

For some reason I was thinking that Fireline wasn't a braid, but rather some kind of "Fused" extrusion. I've always liked Fireline once it gets a little broken in. It's a little course and wiry at first, but smooths out over time and is pretty abrasion resistent.

 

I've use X5 and X9 a bit, but not really enough to rate it. It seems to work well and is pretty smooth casting. I was throwing some mepps spinners on it up north though and found it doesn't hold well to toothy critters like northerns!! ?

The carriers are made from a fused material and there are up to 4 woven (poorly) into the final product.  It's a real low density weave with few weaves per inch compared to a normal braid and it flattens out and unravels a bit even at the end as it wears.  That gen spun thermally fused dyneema carriers are though stuff though.  Abrasion that takes chunks out of normal braid and kills whole carriers will just fuzz up fireline original.  X5 braid is a just a quality normal braid without the fused carriers but it is better woven and is way more round.  The texture is sufficient to help cut though grass but its not the band saw that fireline is.

[OkobojiEagle]

Thanks for all opinions

 

oe