Power Pro Super 8 Slick: First Impressions

I have been lure fishing for years and until now I have only tried and used a bunch of braids. My first choice has been the TUF Line XP. A braid that I used with good success for years. A regular 4 strand braid with good castability and abrasion resistance. I had friends who used the regular Power Pro saying that it was the best braid out there. In all these years I have tried it only once on my friend's reel and I didn't see much of a difference compared to the TUF line. It was good but in my opinion not any better than the Tuf XP.
Last year, after extensive reading on the net, I decided to switch to a 8 strand braid made by Varivas (Super PE) and I was quite pleased with the smoothness and the overall small diameter of the braid. I quickly felt  the  the difference of four strands vs eight strands.The advantage of 8 strands was so clear that I decided to stick with it for my future purchases. Just when I was about to ditch the TUF line and the Power Pro, I read about the new Power Pro Super 8 Slick braid. My first thought was "If Power Pro is good, a 8 strand version must be even better". I finally placed an order over the net and this week I received my Power Pro Super 8 Slick from Cabelas. 

10 lb test 150 yards

It is still on the box and I haven't spooled it yet. For now I will just give my first impressions and later do a proper test on the water. I got a 10lb aqua green color spool.

Aqua Green color looks much better than the previous green.

At first look, the aqua green color is an improvement over the "old classic" dark green. It looks fresh and the color is bright enough to be seen in the water. Not as flashy as the yellow but still easy to spot in the water without scaring fishes.
The braid looks tight woven, round and neat. There isn't anything sloppy or presence of frayed fibers.

The braid is smooth.

Time to spool it on my Elf 2500.

At the  touch, I can easily tell the difference with a regular Power Pro. This things is smooth as silk. The 8 strands do really feel great. Compared to the Varivas I couldn't tell much of a difference. It is just smooth. Maybe it is a little larger in diameter than the Super PE at a similar breaking strength but still feels light and silky.

The question is how it casts and how it resists abrasion. Also wind knots are a big question. These are details that need to be checked on the field. Details coming soon...

Info:


8 yarn Spectra Fiber.
Available sizes: 10,15,20,30,40,50,65,80lb
Available colors: Hi-Vis Yellow, Aqua Green, Timber Brown and Marine Blue)
Price:   $19.99 for 150 yd (135 mt)