TackleTour

It's been a few years since I've purchased braid, any new braids out better than the Samurai 8 strand braid?

I like seaguar smackdown better but they are pretty close.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Maxima is the best I've found. Don't laugh, it's as good as it gets.

You know what? I'm going to make a deal with the forum. I offered this same deal to another via PM, I'll not state whom out of respect, and I'm about to offer it to you. So, here is the deal: I will buy it from you if you don't love it.
----------------------
It's been over a year now and I'm tired of checking this thread. Happy to honor any previous arrangement, of course, but I'm bowing out. As of this day you cats are officially on your own. I had fun with this one. Peace all and best wishes.

Interesting. I think the only 3 braids I haven't tried are Maxima, the new Power Pro stuff, and J Braid. My favorite is Seaguar Smackdown. Smackdowns diameters are just a very slight hair smaller than Maxima if we're splitting hairs. Good Year - Have you tried Smackdown? I bet the lines are very similar.

Yup, I'm out

I can appreciate your enthusiasm, however you're really revving this product up, and I'm not sure I see where you have explained exactly how it is better than Smackdown or any other braid from a performance perspective. In your review at Hi's you mention flaking, bleeding, wind knots, tip wrap, and digging with previous braids you have used. Are you saying this line does none of that? Cause if it doesn't - count me in. Though I need 300 yards of braid like I need a 3rd grape, I may try a smaller spool. It just seems like with so many different preferences on line characteristics, it's like me saying "dude, you have to try these apples. They are the best apples you will ever eat"! Though that person may not care for the taste/texture of said apple, and likes something totally different. None the less I'm happy you found a braid you like so much. Braid drives me bonkers in the wind, and this time of year there is wind no doubt. I use to use braid only, but I'm over it with the exception of a few reels.

Over

I have a finesse reel running low on Smackdown. I was all set to try a spool of J Braid, but now I think I'll give this a shot in the near future. I'll pick up a 150 yard spool of 30 when the time comes. I did encounter some break offs with the 30 lb Smackdown.

Redlinerobert wrote:It's been a few years since I've purchased braid, any new braids out better than the Samurai 8 strand braid?

Are you telling me you're actually gonna spool up all these reels and go fishing?!?!? Martha says you can go?!?!?

Lmao dude!!

Call me!

capt1fish wrote:

Redlinerobert wrote:It's been a few years since I've purchased braid, any new braids out better than the Samurai 8 strand braid?

Are you telling me you're actually gonna spool up all these reels and go fishing?!?!? Martha says you can go?!?!?

Lmao dude!!

Call me!

It's only been what...3 years or so.

GOOD YEAR 71 wrote:I've said it before, I'll say it again. Maxima is the best I've found. Don't laugh, it's as good as it gets. Literally. The Hi-Vis review was written by myself. Let me guess... It's not JDM so it must suck, right? Wrong. This stuff is durable, knots well, casts great, really thin. Do some diameter comparisons, you'll see. To date, I've spooled 30 (.25), 40 (.28), 50 (.33) and I'm not going back. All are excellent.

http://www.histackleboxshop.com/Maxima- ... -hivis.htm
http://www.histackleboxshop.com/Maxima- ... agreen.htm

Picked up a 300m spool of the Maxima,it sure looks good.
Spooled a couple of reels,now for some testing.

I had the same experience with Smackdown as with Seaguar's other braid they released the year or two before it, phantom breakoffs. Not at the knot either, always between the tip and the bait.
Mind you, this was in the lower pound tests and used for vertical jigging and snap jigging walleye. Multiple rods, and reels, so there was no issue with equipment. The draw was that the ultra thin diameter would allow me to stay vertical in current in the Detroit River, and aid in cutting weeds while ripping bucktails in northern lakes. Issue after issue.
I came to realize that the diameter/test thing is just a shell game. Sure it's thin, and yes, it breaks nearer or at claimed breaking strength. But it was no different than just buying the same true diameter line from other premium brands.
To pay the premium because it is the "thinner" is asinine. Just buy a lower lb test in equivalent diameter from another manufacturer and you have the same result. It's silly.
Haven't tried Maxima yet, I will give it a go if I can get my hands on some locally. With the CDN$ at about 70 cents USD, ordering across the border is as crazy as paying more money for "thinner" line that breaks at a lower pound test.
Want the super thin diameter that Smackdown offers in 20lb? Just find the 10 or 15lb in another line and save yourself 10 bucks a spool.

Done

I think I will try some of the maxima braid also.

GOOD YEAR 71 have you tried pline TCB 8?
Its been amazing.