Preston's line diameters

[Jeff Woodhouse]

In the past I bought Preston's Reflo Power lines and after testing the diameters of them found them woefully out, by a large margin sometimes. I.e.: a 0.19mm Ø measured on my micrometer at 0.21mm. Even worse on a 0.22mm Ø that measured 0.25mm.

You might think 'So what?', but it does matter when you're trying to match hooklinks to mainlines. I even complained to Preston about it and they said that the line manufacturer gave them the wrong diameters, but that didn't wash with me. They should be checking and making sure that the line diameters stated on their product are accurate!

I'm still not sure whether the breaking strains of the lines are accurate, they seem to be in a straight pull, but do they allow for wet knot strength, which always used to be quoted at one time? They seemed good enough to me and I've not lost many fish because of line strengths.

Recently I decided I needed some new spools and can't get the Reflo Power any longer so looking around I see they have Accu Power now. I ordered the 0.18mm and 0.20mm Øs to see what they were like fully expecting them to be understated yet again.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE! I just measured them and they are spot on +/- 0.004, which is acceptable. Once again I will trust the B/S of the lines, but just pulling on them (what?) they seem fine, only time will tell.

Contrarily, I also ordered some Middy Lo-Viz line in 0.16mm Ø and guess what? It's out at 0.18mm Ø so it's the same diameter as the spool of Accu Power. The Accu Power will therefore stay at home to be used tying new hooklinks and the Middy stuff will go in the bag for use whilst fishing with the label duly corrected. Why can't they all be honest?

 

[John Keane]

Known this for some time. My local tackle dealer, who is also a mate, and I, tested the range of Reflo line and all were out by at least 0.02mm on the thick side. I seem to remember when I mentioned this in a post someone told me to get a life!

 

[mikench]

We rely on blokes like you John. Are you ready?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[trotter2]

One of the reasons I use stroft is it is very accurately labeled. Preston reflo is good line but I won't now buy it, due to this type of marketing bullshitl

 

[wetthrough]

Just had a look at the Stroft catalogue. I use Fluorocarbon so won't be using it plus it's seriously expensive and not readily available. What was interesting in the catalogue is at the bottom of page 33 https://www.stroft.de/stroft_waku_catalogue_2019/stroftwakucatalogue2019.html#page=33&zoom=z. "Hint: Moistening the line is not recommended and could lead to a reduction in tensile strength" Never seen that before.

 

[iannate]

I'd never heard of this stuff either

Just had a look at the Stroft catalogue. ... What was interesting in the catalogue is at the bottom of page 33 https://www.stroft.de/stroft_waku_catalogue_2019/stroftwakucatalogue2019.html#page=33&zoom=z. "Hint: Moistening the line is not recommended and could lead to a reduction in tensile strength" Never seen that before.

New one on me as well friction free line?

I use Fluorocarbon so won't be using it plus it's seriously expensive and not readily available.

I've just had a quick look on the bay, it all seems available (including fluro), and the price compares to most lines out there (including reflo). Do you use something else.

I've been using reflo for a few years now for most of my hook lengths, but have had a couple of occasions where it just seems to snap like cotton after getting a bite, I run my fingers along the line to check for chinks before tying it up and do a good pull test before using it - must just be me, or maybe old pikey.

I've not found a good low diameter line though; i.e. one that I get on with, I usually end up with kinks for some reason - it's the way I tie em!

 

[sam vimes]

I'm not sure where the idea that Stroft is especially expensive comes from. I think I got some on special offer somewhere, but I just didn't like the stuff. IIRC it's Stroft GTM that people tend to mean when they simply refer to it as Stroft.

As far as Preston and diameters go, it's pretty harsh to single them out. The vast majority of brands understate both diameterand breaking strains. I take all line specifications given by a manufacturer with a pinch of salt. I don't care what brand it is.

 

[wetthrough]

I've just had a quick look on the bay, it all seems available (including fluro), and the price compares to most lines out there (including reflo). Do you use something else.

I'd only looked at FC1 for hook lengths which is where I use it. £11.36 for 25M FC1. As you say FC2 isn't badly priced. I use Drennan Supplex FC at around £5.5 for 50M.

 

[iannate]

I'm not sure where the idea that Stroft is especially expensive comes from. I think I got some on special offer somewhere, but I just didn't like the stuff. IIRC it's Stroft GTM that people tend to mean when they simply refer to it as Stroft.

As far as Preston and diameters go, it's pretty harsh to single them out. The vast majority of brands understate both diameterand breaking strains. I take all line specifications given by a manufacturer with a pinch of salt. I don't care what brand it is.

I'd only looked at FC1 for hook lengths which is where I use it. £11.36 for 25M FC1. As you say FC2 isn't badly priced. I use Drennan Supplex FC at around £5.5 for 50M.

GTM 130m £7.95, but yeah £5.95 for 25m of the same stuff is steep. And I see the fluro is in 25m spools so see your point.

I'm the same as Sam though and just use it if I like it accepting that sizes may vary inordinately from quoted values.

 

[Richox12]

In the past I bought Preston's Reflo Power lines and after testing the diameters of them found them woefully out, by a large margin sometimes. I.e.: a 0.19mm Ø measured on my micrometer at 0.21mm. Even worse on a 0.22mm Ø that measured 0.25mm.

You might think 'So what?', but it does matter when you're trying to match hooklinks to mainlines. I even complained to Preston about it and they said that the line manufacturer gave them the wrong diameters,
View attachment 7750

What, for the last 10 - 15 years ???? They know, they must know and they have never bothered to correct it. Rubbish excuse.

 

[rayner]

I use old reflo power in various diameters, my hook lines will need replacing soon. Hope it's still available.
My favourite for waggler fishing is .15. Probably a touch thicker than stated but I'm not so precious when it comes to diameters. If the fish accept it that's my gauge.
I try to avoid bigger fish but have had fish to 11lb on .15, for feeder fishing with shorter hook lengths heavier is needed, still reflo though.

 

[nottskev]

I'd only looked at FC1 for hook lengths which is where I use it. £11.36 for 25M FC1. As you say FC2 isn't badly priced. I use Drennan Supplex FC at around £5.5 for 50M.

Am I reading this correctly? You use a hooklength line that costs £11.36 for 25m? Can I ask what qualities it has that merit the expense? (That's a straightforward question, not a rhetorical one). The lines I use for hooklengths cost a similar price for about 200m, and I find them so good it never occurs to me to buy dearer ones.

 

[wetthrough]

Am I reading this correctly? You use a hooklength line that costs £11.36 for 25m?

I most certainly don't. I was just checking out the price and bumph to compare it to Drennan Supplex FC which I do use and find OK although the diameter does vary.

 

[daniel121]

Like john I have been aware that reflow power is understated and stronger than stated. This does not really bother me too much, I use power for all rig lines, I just take it into account it bigger and stronger than stated. No different to how I look at maxima

 

[Mark Wintle]

I've been using Reflo 0.09 for my summer tares fishing, knowing that it's really 0.10. This week I had to tie some 22 barbless and decided to find some proper 0.08 which was a spool of Shimano and subsequently had an 8-8 carp on it. In testing my old spools of Ignesti Special at 0.08 pretty much all of them had gone rotten so chucked out, a shame as it was good line.

 

[rayner]

If it's known that a line is a little thicker than stated what difference does it make, the only thing that would bother me, is the line strong enough.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

If it's known that a line is a little thicker than stated what difference does it make, the only thing that would bother me, is the line strong enough.

If it's a thicker line it may very well be strong enough if it states the BS you're looking for because in all probability it will be even stronger than that stated and what you require. (Does that make sense?)

If you're using a mainline of 0.23mm and you buy a hooklink of 0.20mm, but it is in fact 0.22mm then the difference in line strengths may not be that much different and you could suffer a mainline break rather than a hooklink break thus losing more tackle (float/feeder/etc.) than necessary.

Put it this way, if you ordered a pair of size 9 shoes from an online shop and they send you a pair that, although stamped 9s, are in fact a size 10s you'd return them, wouldn't you?

 

[rayner]

If it's a thicker line it may very well be strong enough if it states the BS you're looking for because in all probability it will be even stronger than that stated and what you require. (Does that make sense?)

If you're using a mainline of 0.23mm and you buy a hooklink of 0.20mm, but it is in fact 0.22mm then the difference in line strengths may not be that much different and you could suffer a mainline break rather than a hooklink break thus losing more tackle (float/feeder/etc.) than necessary.

Put it this way, if you ordered a pair of size 9 shoes from an online shop and they send you a pair that, although stamped 9s, are in fact a size 10s you'd return them, wouldn't you?

I understand perfectly what you are saying, I can't fault your logic.

To me if I know a line is overstated allowances can be made.
If I know a line brakes over what is stated, the simple thing for me is to go for a slightly lower diameter. Or switch to an alternative.
So long as the preferred line is capable of doing what I want that's good enough for me. Companies regular overstate their products, you can never really trust anyone who is after our cash.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

o me if I know a line is overstated allowances can be made.

But how would you know it's overstated if the company put inaccurate diameters and BSs on their spools?

I know we all trust to luck at times and we can catch fish heavier than the BS stated, but that's not a matter of how heavy the fish is, but how much it pulls, not forgetting the buffer of the bend in the rod, the drag setting, and stretch of the line. I just wish that manufacturers would submit their lines to the EFFTA line testing facility, then they and we would know the truth.

 

[rayner]

But how would you know it's overstated if the company put inaccurate diameters and BSs on their spools?

If we believe what we read on forums we get a good idea of wrongly stated lines. I know I have read a report on the web, I think by Alan Scotthorne regarding the truth on stated line diameters.
Like I said if we have an idea of the lines real BS we can make allowances. I believe thicker lines aren't so important has hook sizes, silver fish are a bit more cautious than say Carp. Especially on natural venues, commercial fish certainly where I fish seem far more gullible than say there brethren in rivers.