Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Get What You Pay for with Daiwa XBRAID X8 Line

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA First time braided fishing line buyers might have sticker shock when comparing prices to old school monofilament. But the advantages are manifold, to include exceptional strength, abrasion resistance, narrow diameter, improved sensitivity, longer casts, and a much longer lifetime on the spool.

The next hurdle is sorting through the copious brands and models with wide ranging price tags. And then you’re confronted with specialty braids, when all you want is a high-quality multipurpose braid. The good news is Japan’s XBRAID has the perfect pick in its X8 8-strand braid – the #1 selling braided line in Japan. Although not the least expensive braid in the aisle, with XBRAID X8, you truly do get what you pay for.

XBRAID X8 delivers superior performance and advanced construction that establishes a new paradigm in braided line. Made using WX braiding technology, the XBRAID X8 consists of 8 tightly weaved polyethylene strands, which result in a tight body with minimal stretch.

Built in-house, the proprietary WX weaving machine and process produces the most consistent finished product possible. With a traditional weave utilized by other brands, the line comes off eight individual bobbins, causing line twists and inconsistencies. Not the case with XBRAID X8. The secret sauce is how the strands are delivered off the bobbin.

Beyond the advanced WX weave, XBRAID X8 utilizes IZANAS® strands, which are considered the next generation of Dyneema. The ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene strands offer the strength and modulus of an organic fiber – 8x stronger than piano wire of the same gauge.

We turn to DAIWA Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin, for further discussion. “Beyond IZANAS being an unrivaled base material, it’s how individual weights of the entire X-BRAID family are manufactured that makes it far superior to the competition. Other companies take a single base material and stretch it to achieve the desired diameter and weight. This creates inconsistencies, which can lead to weak spots.”

Uniquely, each diameter and weight of X-BRAID is produced from a dedicated spool. So, for example, if 10-pound X-BRAID FINESSE is the desired final weight, the base material fiber is 10-pound. No stretching. No inconsistencies.

Martin goes on to underscore the weaving process employed for all X-BRAID lines. “The actual weaving machines are proprietary and built in-house to create the ‘WX Weave’. In traditional weaving used by other brands the line comes off multiple bobbins. That means an in an 8 strand weave there are 8 bobbins spitting out line. That results in line twist and inconsistencies.”

In X-BRAID’s “top secret” WX Weave, the strands come together uniformly to yield exceptional consistency. Moreover, the X-BRAID process produces a denser weave – 1.5 X the competition – with more material in the finished product. That tighter weave results in a smoother, more abrasion resistant fishing line. The meticulous process also takes twice as long as the competition, and anglers are the beneficiaries of the patient production.

The WX Weave also generates a rounder and slightly stiffer line. This modest amount of stiffness makes it much easier to handle and tie, closer to how monofilament feels. This manageability translates into fewer bird’s nests on the cast, too. But if you happen to snarl, the micro stiffness makes it much easier to untangle the knot.

The awesomeness of X-BRAID FINESSE doesn’t end there. “The line making process concludes with the addition of a specialized coating that allows for extremely low friction, as well as heat, abrasion, and chemical resistance…not to mention longer casts,” said Martin.

XBRAID X8 FEATURES:

  • Proprietary WX weaving technology
  • High abrasion resistance
  • High breaking load
  • Perfectly round
  • Exceptional sensitivity
  • Long casting
  • COLORS: Deceptive Dark Green and high-vis Chartreuse with white markings
  • WEIGHTS: 8lb to 80lb
  • SPOOL SIZES: 165-, 330-, and 3300-yard

MSRP $25.99 to $399.99

For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: CSR@Daiwa.com. The URL for Daiwa’s web site is daiwa.us