Testing fishing line is a very contentious subject with various methods producing vastly different results.
On the bottom end is home testing, with tying line to a scale and pulling until it breaks. As other companies have already pointed out, this does not work very well and should only be used to compare one brand of line against another.
On the top end of the scale is testing line by splicing a sample between two hollow lines and then testing it in a certified testing machine. This is the preferred way of most braid manufacturers as it will achieve the highest and most consistent results as there are no friction points from the clamping mechanism on the line testing machines.
The splicing method was employed by Tasline in New Zealand also for many years and it’s the “Actual Average Break” you can see on this chart
| Test | 8LB | 12LB | 16LB | 20LB | 30LB | 40LB | 50LB | 60LB | 80LB | 100LB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIAMETER IN MM | 0.100 | 0.128 | 0.175 | 0.225 | 0.229 | 0.317 | 0.332 | 0.422 | 0.48 | 0.545 |
| PE RATING | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1 | 1.7 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| ACTUAL AVERAGE BREAK | 14.7lb | 20.6lb | 24.5lb | 34.7lb | 49.0lb | 59.2lb | 78.5lb | 91.6lb | 116.2lb | 138.2lb |
| NUMBER OF STRANDS | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
As production is moving to Australia in 2021, we are now also testing every single spool that comes off the braiding machines. These spools are typically between 3000m and 5000m in length and are made from the same cone of fibre. This is what we call a micro batch test.
The testing is done on a US made Mark-10 testing machine supplied, certified and calibrated by IDM Instruments. This machine is essentially the same as the Instron machine used by the IGFA, with the same air gripping clamps which is seen here: https://igfa.org/videos-line-testing/
The test results with this method is considerably lower than splicing as the line will typically break at the friction point where the line is clamped. However, we believe it is the most relevant method to use and it is fast enough for us to check every spool of line and record the results.
Each spool of Tasline braid now has a # number on the back of the spool and you can look up the test result of your line here:
Check Test Results
What you will see online, is details of the test sample, the date it was tested, the results and the graph.
Example:
We believe this is an unprecedented level of service and quality control and we hope you continue your trust in Tasline to be one of the finest fishing lines you can buy.