The Difference Between 4-Strand & 8-Strand Braided Line
- By: Justin Ritchey
- on July 20, 2021
- Found In: *Tackle & Gear, Braid, Fishing Tips, Line, Weekly Newsletter: 7-25-21
What exactly is the difference between braided lines?
And is one superior over the other?
In this video, you’ll learn:
- Pros & cons of each braided line
- The biggest difference between 4-strand and 8-strand
- How braided line is made
- And more
Check it out below!
4-Strand Vs 8-Strand Braided Line [VIDEO]
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Click here to get PowerPro Original
And click here to get Daiwa J-Braid 8 Grand
Before we dive into the differences, let’s talk about how braided fishing line is made.
And don’t worry, we will not be giving a test or having a spelling bee when we’re done!
What Is Braided Fishing Line?
It’s gel spun ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.
While that sounds complicated, the process for making is relatively simple.
A raw material (polyethylene) is melted down and extruded through a porous membrane.
Then that polyethylene is spun onto bobbins and these bobbins work in conjunction with one another to weave the strands together.
Think of a merry-go-round.
This process produces the raw product.
Two common trade name fibers commonly used are spectra and dyneema.
And there’s really not one that’s superior over the other because molecularly they are very similar.
What really separates them is how a company manipulates the raw product to create the final product that you use on the water.
The Difference Between 4-Strand & 8-Strand Braid
Companies like PowerPro and Daiwa create the line you use on the water with different resins, coatings, heat-treating processes, dyes, etc.
And those final components are what sets the lines apart from each other.
So what are the application differences?
While the diameters are the same when comparing a 10# PowerPro (4-strand) to a 10# J-Braid (8-strand), the 4-strand performs very differently.
The 4-strand PowerPro casts far, it’s strong and it’s very abrasion-resistant.
And the coarseness of the line helps it cut through grass or debris pretty easily.
A con of a coarse line is that it’s really audible.
You can hear a raspiness on the guides of your rod as you retrieve but this does not affect performance.
A pro is that it’s more economical because it’s made with less material.
Another con of 4-strand is it’s not as round and consistent as an 8-strand.
The increased number of fibers in the 8-strand makes it stronger.
And Daiwa J-Braid 8 Grand is made with the ‘super fiber’ IZANAS.
The molecular structure of this fiber is known for being 4 times more abrasion resistant than the traditional 4-strand fibers of PowerPro.
So this 8-strand is very round, consistent, smooth, abrasion-resistant, and super strong!
Conclusion
While PowerPro is a great braided line, Daiwa absolutely knocked it out of the park with this J-Braid 8 Grand!
You can get both braided lines from our shop here:
Have any questions about how braided line is made?
Or which one may be better for you?
Let me know down in the comments!
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My one big issue with Power Pro I’m using now is it tends to dig into the spool. I listened to a pro angler yesterday say to go with the more rounded braid to avoid this. However I just read that the rounder is more likely to do this. Now I’m confused. Could you explain to a dummy like me which braid is less likely to dig into the spool?
In short, any braid (regardless of whether it’s flat or round) has the potential to dig into a spool for 2 reasons:
1.) It’s a VERY thin braid (6lb. or 10lb, depending on the application), and this line was put under significant tension causing the line to “dig” between the layers on the spool.
2.) The line was not put on the reel very tight, which can also cause line to “dig” when tension is added.
Walk your spool out. I tie a snap swivel to my braid then to my fence and walk it all the way down to the backer. Then reel in while walking back with a ton of tension on your rod.
Bravo! Let’s all throw away another American made product and buy made in Japan. Well done.
Do you buy all your televisions and cell phones from American manufacturers too? 🙄
Great break down Justin, good info to know, thanks for sharing.
Thank you Stephen!
Very well done Justin. I figured out years ago that 8 strand Sufix 832 was such a better line on my low profile baitcasters but I didn’t know why. It’s back to the “roundness” of the line. 8 strand braid now allows for 20lb or 25lb in baitcasters where before I wouldn’t drop below 30lb.
Good stuff.
Appreciate that, Tom! Glad you enjoyed it.
Great presentation Justin. One question that I’ve been wondering for a while is that it has seemed that Power Pro (4 strand) has been the go to by most professional anglers for quite some time SaltStrong team included. I completely understand the switch to 8 strand and have been fishing it for around 12 years give or take. Is there any specific reason that the SaltStrong team chose the Daiwa 8 strand line over PowerPro’s 8 strand line?
Really good question, Travis. We actually talked about adding this line to the Shop Page, but after Luke tested it in a video in terms of Casting Performance and Knot Strength, it really didn’t seem to be that much of an improvement over their original 4 Strand. Check it out: PowerPro Super Slick V2 vs. PowerPro Original [Casting & Strength Comparison] (saltstrong.com)
Very informative, Thanks for posting Justin!
Thanks Mark!
I don’t know about J Braid, but I have never had a wind knot problem with Power Pro and will not switch
Power Pro is still a great Braided line! I’ve just found some advantages to the J-Braid x8 Grand. Each angler fishes a little differently, and many love Power Pro, and for good reason!
Great overview – thanks for the breakdown on the 4 and the 8 strand braided lines
Thanks Pablo!!!
Here you say that the Power Pro is “very abrasion-resistant”. Compared to what? In earlier tests braid was way worse at abrasion resistance compared to mono and flourocarbon. If the new 8 way braid is 4 time as resistant, it’s still WAY worse than mono?
You’re absolutely right, Bob. Braid does not hold a candle when compared to Monofilament, Fluorocarbon or other Nylon-Compound Lines (as mentioned in the video around the 9:00min mark). For Inshore Anglers, the benefits that Braided Fishing Line offers in terms of casting performance, line capacity and Zero Stretch for better hook sets all make it a Go-To Main Line over traditional Monofilament line. But it’s still essential to use a Monofilament or Fluorocarbon Leader Line to be the bulk section that makes contact with abrasive surfaces, like Barnacles, Oysters and Dock Pilings. When you compare Braid Vs. Braid (not Braid Vs. Any Nylon Material), a standard 4 Strand Braid tends to hold out a little bit longer when fished up against Rough Structure than a current 8 Strand Braid. In summary, The Daiwa J-Braid x8 Grand line is made out of material that is 4x more abrasion resistant than other 4 Strand Braids, not 4x more abrasion resistant to Nylon Monofilament.
Off the beach I have had the same wind knot experience with the 10 lb J-braid. On an insider tip, and like David, I moved up to 20 lb J-braid and the wind knot issue has been pretty much eliminated. I’m finding my casting distance to be the same if not a bit further than the 10 lb PP. Something to consider…
Good intel, Art. Thank you for sharing this. Lots more research to come with the J-Braid x8 Grand, that’s for sure.