I have fished Power Pro classic and Slick 8 in 40 lb and 50 lb. Love it!! But, I am looking to set up a "heavy" chunking outfit. I am looking to pick some some 80lb braid.

To be honest, I am on the fence about whether to go with Power Pro Slick 8 or Suffix 832. Both lines have their strengths. For example, Power Pro Slick 8 is thinner by 2 lb of mono equivalency. Suffix 832 is a tighter weave with an one GORE® Performance Fiber for more abrasion resistance.

I have seen DIY YouTube videos that compare these lines. But, let's just say there are less than scientific. :-(

Has only fished both of these lines? If so, what are your impressions?

Thank you in advance for your valued feedback.

I've been using #65 832 suffix for the last year and a half, I always loved PP50. I lost some good fish to rocks with the PP, haven't lost one yet to one the rocks with the suffix65. My cast distance has been reduced to this switch.

That being said, Fireline Original Fused might be the way to go. The #30 fireline acts like braid in terms of sensitivity but more like mono in terms of abrasion resistance. It's the equivalent of #65 braid diameter about 0.35mm. I suppose there is a break-in period, but I have not been able to get past a few outtings without hating it. I think I will give it one more go before I swear it off forever, some swear by it. I swear at it.

Want to add that #30 fireline fused breaks in the real world well past #50 braids of almost all brands.

Here are a few specs I found online, and actual breaking strengths

Berkley Fireline Original #30(listed) Dia 0.36mm actual break strength 89#
Power Pro #50 Dia 0.36mm actual break strength 60.8#
PP SuperSlick #50 Dia 0.32mm actual break strength 62.6#
Suffix832 #50 Dia 0.34mm actual break strength 75.2#

Those test strengths were found on a site called Paulus(sp*) or something like that... I think the dates on those lines were 2012 so maybe all or some of the formulations of the lines are different now? The disclaimer on the site is that users who wanted to know what their line was actually breaking at could send in good faith a certain length of their line and the person who ran the site would test them on a machine. Seems legit based on all the work put into the amount of testing done.

The reason I am considering Fireline once again is the fact that it is heat fused, so there is a chemical bond which holds the fibers together. In my mind I see when comparing a braid to the the fireline, the braid fails in increments (8 strands) and the fireline fails in a smooth transition (one fused glob of 8 strands)

If anyone is serious about testing some line let me know. I have access to a machine that can test this.....raw data, along with a charted plot of the force needed at the break point. It is a very accurate and calibrated piece of equipment.
If you are interested in what the machine can do.....look up Lloyd LR10K.

http://www.cscforce.com/xcart/Lloyd-Instruments-LR10k-Plus-Digital-Material-Tester.html

Have you considered samurai braid by Daiwa? I've been using the stuff for a few years. Bought a 1300 yard spool of #50. It's smooth, supple, and thinner than most other lines of the same diameter.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Have you considered samurai braid by Daiwa? I've been using the stuff for a few years. Bought a 1300 yard spool of #50. It's smooth, supple, and thinner than most other lines of the same diameter.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I know people who swear by Samuri. I've had great results with PP Slick. for 2 years.

Everything you need to know:

http://www.paulusjustfishing.com/4linetesting.htm

I just had some of Daiwa's new J-Braid spooled on as the shop was out of 30lb sufix 832.. Extremely castable/pliable/smooth/round. However, I did get lots of wind knots as I often do with a new (probably overfilled) spool - and it was windy this morning. $22 for 330 yards of the stuff. After awhile I had no issues. Feels like a much more expensive line. Can't recommend it yet, but odds are good that I will.

THANK YOU! Much, much, much appreciated. You guys rock!

Based on the test results (http://www.paulusjustfishing.com/4linetesting.htm), 80 lb Power Pro Slick 8 breaks at 105.02 lb and and 80 lb Suffix 832 breaks at 92.1 lb.

80 lb Power Pro Slick 8 is available in 1500 yard spools, which makes for efficient line spooling and minimal line waste.

50 lb Fireline has an insane breaking strength of 119.7 lb. Unfortunately, this line is very difficult to find. 30 lb Fireline is as pervasive as the seals in the outer cape.

That said, these test result make sense, given the chemical composition of these three lines. Yes. I was a science geek in college.

Y'all have been like wicked sup'ah helpful and stuff. ;-)

looked up the fireline on amazon
most of the reviews were not from fishermen(surprised) they were from people who do handmade jewelry.. here is one review.. thats some multi purpose Line

I use this product to produce beaded hand-made jewelry. It's the toughest stuff you can find, and the quality is always perfect. Shaped objects made of beads often rely on you being able to exert quite a bit of tension for the item to arrive and stay at its desired shape, and nothing I've found works as well as this

I has a #^&#^&#^&#^& ton more knots with suffix. Switched to slick and no issues. I have not put the rest of the considerations to the test.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Pp doesn't have that good of abrasion resistance. My first trip up north to Boulder country with 65lb pp was a disaster. I made a switch to 30lb fireline and although I had no issues with it, it didn't cast all that great. It was very thick. So I made the switch to the 65lb suffix performance braid and still have it on my reels to this day. Only braid I use now. And that was 10ish years ago. I never tried the new suffix 832 so I can't weigh in any option on that.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Also after having the 30lb fireline on my reel for 2 years with lots of rubbing and wrap ups on boulders and lobster pots, and minimal break offs, I then took the same vs275 with the same old like and caught and tagged over 30bft to 70lbs in one day, and also hooked up and landed a 250lb bull shark on that line. i did love the abrasion resistance but I just felt my casts were drastically reduced with the fireline.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

here is a thread I posed a year ago about 50# pp and 55# samurai.
http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=85569

in Summary, I did my own test with 5' lengths and found both failing
just under 30#.

I really think Linesider82's concerns are spot on regarding the
engineering of these lines. I was considering on moving to 30#
fireline and trying it out this fall, but now I am starting to think I
might go with 20# instead.

Last year I used 65# spiderwire invisibraid....just couldn't get around
the penalty in the casting distance. If 30# fireline has the same
diameter as 65# braid then I definitely will avoid it, but for the
chunking it may be the ticket. Especially considering you are
thinking about jumping up to 80#.

Good Luck!

I know people who swear by Samuri. I've had great results with PP Slick. for 2 years.

Samurai seems to undertest, at least in the thinner strengths. And it has horrible abrasion resistance. I tried it in the Canal and had to replace it, but it probably is great from the beach. Nothing casts like it. I've come to settle on FINS Windtamer for all my needs. 40# suits me fine, even for jigging.

I've been using 30# fireline on my 706z since 2003 and it is the only braid that I will use around rocks. It lasts forever too.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

We have been using Slick 8 in 30 & 40 in the Ditch for three years now and have had no problems with it. Going to re-spool with it when the time comes. Going to reverse it the end of this year.

I love 30lb fireline
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Update on the Daiwa J-Braid: Casts like a dream and I hate it. Constant wind knots that don't need wind to form. Maybe that's why it's 22 bucks for 330 yards? Never got a chance to test it's abrasion resistance as it's unfishable for me. This is the 30lb on a VS150. Got a loop this morning that magically broke when peeling line off to reach the loop. Reminds me of Power Pro when it first came out - totally unreliable. This is my experience and I don't plan on giving it another chance. Going back to and looking for some 832...

So I find some 30lb Sufix 832 courtesy of a fishing acquaintance and Cabelas in Berlin. My J-Braid is almost down to the backing I've lost so much of that crap so I finally make the switch and begin to spool on the 832. Hmmm. This doesn't feel like 832? Seems rough and thick? Spool it on anyway.. WTF! There's only about 150 yards of braid on the #^&#^&#^&#^&ing 300yard spool! Look closer at the package, someone put a pencil/pen through the spool and retaped it! :realmad: Appears that they took the Sufix off the spool, and put on some #^&#^&#^&#^& braid and returned it to Cabelas and #^&#^&#^&#^&ed me in the process. :fishslap:

Maybe time to buy a bulk spool of the stuff if I can find it. Will check the packaging first, of course. :)

Been running the 832 for a while now. I have no complaints. Have landed 36#, and 37# fish but nothing really big. I do have confidence in the line.

I've been using the original suffix for awhile now and have been happy with it's performance. Haven't seen a reason to switch to the newer version which seems to get mixed reviews. Original fireline is very tough as well I have been using that for a long time with no complains other than it being a little stiff and tough to deal with on the first few outings.