Stren Brute Strength diameter?

[dustlane]

I was recently at my local tackle store and I had a chance to check out the new Stren Brute Strength. First off, I really like the green color. It is like no other green that I have seen on a fishing line. However, I did see one issue that bugged me. Stren advertises Brute Strength to be the line that is super tough without having big diameters. That is definitely not the case. That stuff is fat. The 15 lb. has the same diameter as 17 lb. Trilene XT. It is even fatter than P Line CXX. I really like Original Stren. It is one of my favorite lines. So I was excited to see the new Brute Strength available locally. But when I saw that the diameters are bigger than just about every other mono/copoly out there, I was extremely disappointed. Especially since Stren makes specific statements to the contrary. I actually can't find any other line with diameters as large as Brute Strength. In each line weight, the diameters of Brute Strength are as big as I have seen. Too bad. I really like that green color.

[steve1206]

You are exactly right. I don't know if the formula is different or not, but the diameter is bigger. I have been using 20 lb. Flourescent original stren forever for our night tourneys. I actually went looking for 25 lb last year b/c I figured flipping a big Brush Hog into a dock slip at night--who cares how big the line is, and I wanted to go as strong as possible even though its not totally necessay. My reasoning is that Lake of the Ozarks has developed a seriously bad zebra mussel issue on its lower 10 miles or so....Instead of finsing 25, I got the Brute strength 20, which may as well be 25. It is .019, whereas original is .018 in 20lb. test...If you are looking for a stronger line with the same diameter, the Brute Strength is not as it claims...If you are looking to go big like I was, it works...

Side Note: I bought the 20 lb. Stren Fluorocarbon flourescent, and it did not hold up anywhere near as well as the mono.

[Snyder Rods]

Yes, the diameters do run big compared to the listed test. But you should be picking your line by diameter... most lines are overrated anyway, except for a select few and IGFA lines.

[dustlane]

Yes, the diameters do run big compared to the listed test. But you should be picking your line by diameter... most lines are overrated anyway, except for a select few and IGFA lines.

That is generally what I do. However, in this case it is difficult for me to do because the diameters are so big. To get a small diameter line you end with a really low pound test. I just can't make myself buy 8 lb line just because I need a smaller diameter. I don't want to sacrifice tensile strength to get a smaller diameter. That seems to be the case with Brute Strength. And the kicker is that Stren advertises the line to be super strong and tough without making it fatter.

[Snyder Rods]

Yes, the diameters do run big compared to the listed test. But you should be picking your line by diameter... most lines are overrated anyway, except for a select few and IGFA lines.

That is generally what I do. However, in this case it is difficult for me to do because the diameters are so big. To get a small diameter line you end with a really low pound test. I just can't make myself buy 8 lb line just because I need a smaller diameter. I don't want to sacrifice tensile strength to get a smaller diameter. That seems to be the case with Brute Strength. And the kicker is that Stren advertises the line to be super strong and tough without making it fatter.

- I understand, but you should not let the low lb. test rating on the box scare you away. You are doing yourself a disservice.

I don't know who started it, but as much as ten years ago, several lines were severely underrated... namely Maxima, P-line, and Berkley Trilene XT. Many of the new Pure Fishing lines are underrated, even Stren Super knot 10lb. is .033 inch diameter. That's normally a 12lb. diameter. The manufacturers like to play the game. I suspect they have to keep doing it to compete with the other big lines already on the market.

I used to use 12lb. Ironsilk until it was discontinued. Now I use 16lb. Stren Magnathin... it's the same stretch, break strength, and diameter as the 12lb. Ironsilk was. It's just that the Magnathin is rated closer to actual strength.

For your information, the Stren Brute Strength 8lb. break strength is in the neighborhood of 19lbs. It should be close in break strength to P-line CXX in the same diameter. Both will be a little bit stronger than XT in the same diameter.

[Snyder Rods]

Update:

I've been using this line for awhile now. It is stronger than most, dia. for dia. I don't really use it for the strength though... I like the low-stretch, sensitivity, control, less twist, and better hooksets.

Knot strength is fine also.

It is as it states on the back of the package, extra strong, "yet with lower memory and improved manageability vs. other "extra strength" monos". Just read my posts above and go by diameter when you buy (I use the 8lb. brute strength, a typical 12lb. size). I was surprised that it had lower memory and was more supple than the Stren Magnathin I have. In a nutshell, it's a clone of P-line CXX without the memory.