Berkley x9 & x5 braid opinions

[OkobojiEagle]

Having trouble finding my preferred line (8lb original Fireline). Looking for opinions about Berkley x9 & x5, particularly comparisons with original Fireline. Will be spooled on small spinning reels and fished in/around weeds. Thanks


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[ECobb91]

You take take x5 off the list. I have it on a few of my reels and it’s ok but not great. Not nearly as smooth as fireline or as thin. It works well but I prefer power pro.

Gliss is a great line similar to fireline. The abrasion resistance is horrendous but a leader helps. Also you’d want atleast 24lb test. The line is so thin that even 24lb is what I mainly use on a trout rod

[bassman3800]

I have a bulk spool of 8 lb smoke color Berkley Fireline Ultra 8 Carrier that has a little line left on it. I would sell it if interested but keep in mind the shipping costs might be high. Let me know.

[M1RT]

X9 is very smooth and works great on spinning reeks. It's round, 8 carriers wrapped around a single strand. X5 looks and feels like a traditional braid, but also round; 4 carriers wrapped around a single strand.

X9 is available in 3 colors; yellow, crystal, and moss green. I've been using the 10lb X9 crystal for my drop shot and ned rig rods for 3 years and haven't replaced it yet. I did the reverse spool trick this spring to put the unused line towards the top of the spool.

[DrewFlu33]

I've not used X5, but have had low-vis green X9 on a topwater rod for the last 3 years after a local shop had a coupon to spool up a reel for free with it. I've been happy with it. Really smooth, holds up well, casts well, knots well, seems to hold its color well. In fact, I just ordered quite a bit more of it to put on several reels I have needing new braid as Omnia is having a nice sale on it right now at 25% off. These will all be spinning/bottom contact applications getting a fluoro leader so I went with the flame green color. Obviously not terribly helpful now, but I will update after I've had the chance to put it through its paces.

One thing you'll definitely want to pay attention to: diameters are drastically different from Fireline. Just as an example, 8 lb Fireline is actually thicker than 20 lb X5 and X9.

[M1RT]

DrewFlu brings up a good point about Fireline's diameter, but Berkley Fireline typically has a breaking strength at twice the labeled amount. The "new" Fireline is an 8-carrier superline.... think Ultra 8.

[DrewFlu33]

Updating this one...

I've started putting that X9 I ordered to work in several applications. Overall my impressions are positive, but I have two caveats, the first of which kind of flies in the face of what I mentioned above:
1) The listed diameters are wrong, at least in smaller lb tests. The 15 lb X9 that apparently has 0.14 mm diameter is noticeably thicker than the 10 lb Sunline Asegai I have on another reel that's listed at 0.171 mm. I don't have a micrometer to measure, but I'm convinced Berkley has understated their diameters here.
2) It takes some breaking in. The first spinning reel I spooled up with it I thought I had a burr or something on the lip of my spool as it did not want to cast. After about 30 or 45 minutes it loosened up and is casting very well.

The color is holding up very well so far, and the strength, smoothness, and overall performance is good. I'm peeved about the diameters though...It's bad enough there's no standard that US companies follow which leads to lb tests being all over the place, but not being able to trust what should be objective measurements of diameter is enough to drive me up the wall. I especially care about this on a spinning reel where I'm fishing with lighter presentations, as I find myself fishing in the wind most days. Thicker diameters make a huge difference when they're acting like a sail that pulls your bait away from where you casted it.

[Jtreed99]

My experience with the x9 is similar. Ordered a bunch of 15 and 20 and the listed diameters are flat out lies. It’s nearly double the advertised diameter. In 10# or less it seems to handle well.

[MainelySmallmouth]

Updating this one...

I've started putting that X9 I ordered to work in several applications. Overall my impressions are positive, but I have two caveats, the first of which kind of flies in the face of what I mentioned above:
1) The listed diameters are wrong, at least in smaller lb tests. The 15 lb X9 that apparently has 0.14 mm diameter is noticeably thicker than the 10 lb Sunline Asegai I have on another reel that's listed at 0.171 mm. I don't have a micrometer to measure, but I'm convinced Berkley has understated their diameters here.
2) It takes some breaking in. The first spinning reel I spooled up with it I thought I had a burr or something on the lip of my spool as it did not want to cast. After about 30 or 45 minutes it loosened up and is casting very well.

The color is holding up very well so far, and the strength, smoothness, and overall performance is good. I'm peeved about the diameters though...It's bad enough there's no standard that US companies follow which leads to lb tests being all over the place, but not being able to trust what should be objective measurements of diameter is enough to drive me up the wall. I especially care about this on a spinning reel where I'm fishing with lighter presentations, as I find myself fishing in the wind most days. Thicker diameters make a huge difference when they're acting like a sail that pulls your bait away from where you casted it.

I totally agree with this post. My experience is exactly the same with breaking in the line and the line diameter size when compared to other "higher end" braids. You really have to pay attention to reading the line diameter, not lb test, as the diameter is what tells the story. I have been using two braids exclusively on my spinning reels (all 20 of them) for the past two to three years. For all my 10lb applications, I have 10lb Sufix Nanabraid. Stuff is rugged, casts a mile, is super supple and manageable and takes a knot really well. The other braid I have been super impressed with is the Daiwa J Braid Grand in 15lb. This line casts a mile, takes a know really well, lays on the spool well and has been reliably rugged (admittedly I do a lot of open water fishing with this line). The Grand version of J Braid is ALL I WOULD BUY, the other versions are hot garbage. All that said, I still have 15lb Power Pro Vermillion Red line on my jerkbait rods (3 years now) and it is incredibly bullet proof. PP is a truly reliable, hard to beat, all around braid.

[DrewFlu33]

I totally agree with this post. My experience is exactly the same with breaking in the line and the line diameter size when compared to other "higher end" braids. You really have to pay attention to reading the line diameter, not lb test, as the diameter is what tells the story. I have been using two braids exclusively on my spinning reels (all 20 of them) for the past two to three years. For all my 10lb applications, I have 10lb Sufix Nanabraid. Stuff is rugged, casts a mile, is super supple and manageable and takes a knot really well. The other braid I have been super impressed with is the Daiwa J Braid Grand in 15lb. This line casts a mile, takes a know really well, lays on the spool well and has been reliably rugged (admittedly I do a lot of open water fishing with this line). The Grand version of J Braid is ALL I WOULD BUY, the other versions are hot garbage. All that said, I still have 15lb Power Pro Vermillion Red line on my jerkbait rods (3 years now) and it is incredibly bullet proof. PP is a truly reliable, hard to beat, all around braid.

I'm with you on comparing lb tests and focusing on listed diameters but my point with the post you're replying to is that the X9 listed diameters are waaaaay off too. That's really frustrating.

I'm a big fan of the J-Braid Grand as well, it just doesn't hold its color the same way the X9 does. Casting and winding that's fine, but for line watching applications that makes a big difference.