KiteManFL Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 Has anyone ever flown their Rev on a Spectra fishing line? Is there any difference been a Spectra fishing line vs a Spectra kite line? Or is it just marketing? I have been told by someone who sells Spectra fishing line that many people fly with it. The price of Spectra fishing line is much less expensive and seems like the thing to use if it works well. If anyone has experience with this, I would appreciate their feedback. Thanks 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnmitchell Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 From what I have seen on the forum there are a number of negatives. - The weave is different in that the fishing line stretches where the kite version doesn't. - The color I hear is of such a nature that it is not easily seen on the ground. - wear is another fault I heard somewhere. -etc (there are more reasons which I don't recall) Save yourself some grief and even money in the long run and buy good quality kite kines such as Shanti and LaserPro. Stay away from the cheap Spectra/Dynema kite lines often coming from China. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiteManFL Posted January 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 The line I saw was made in the USA. And it is not suppose to stretch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiteManFL Posted January 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 I use Laser Pro now. I am just wondering if the fishing line may work. Thanks for your feedback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnmitchell Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 The line I saw was made in the USA. And it is not suppose to stretch. The key words are "not suppose". In actuality spectra/dynema kite lines will stretch, however is quite minute. The fishing line in, comparison, will stretch quite a bit. As a fishing line that is not critical, however for stunt kite stretch is critical. If you are satisfied with LaserPro stay with them. They are excellent. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwmf Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 I'll bet the 'lots of people fly on it' refers mostly to single line flying ... in which case you can fly on practically anything you like. When it comes to multi line, wraps and weaves .... that is a whole other ball game. Another thing to keep in mind is that there are TWO types of stretch... Permanent stretch is where the line gets a little longer and longer over time and you have to equalise your lines. This is often called creep. Temporary stretch can be thought of like a bungee cord that will stretch under load and then return to normal when the load subsides. This type of stretch would make any degree of precision difficult since the line is constantly changing length with each input and causing variance in the degree of input required. Just my pre-morning-tea input, so your mileage may vary 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REVflyer Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 One is designed to survive the shock of a striking fish, as well as the load of dragging that fighting creature thru water. The other is designed to wrap smoothly around itself with little friction and not change it's overall length. You could use a garden trowel in a knife fight,... It is made of strong metal, has a cutting edge and a very comfortable handle Buy the right stuff and never regret you decision! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Benz Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 Most people don't want to make lines... I ran into this recently. If done right..you can make LPG linesets at a savings by buying bulk. Yes..it is time consuming,finger knumbing,brain teasing...but it is a learning experience also that you can pass along. Buy a big roll of bulk line and make everyone you know line sets! It wont be much more moolah in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REVflyer Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 some of us, (myself included) are occasionally delusional enough to assume we can do it better ourselves than acquiring those products through commercially available sources. With that said I have purchased perfect sets from both Cath and Teresa. Which products do you want? Cath has Skybond: It is super slippery, thinner diameter, but a softer hand. Teresa sells LaserPro which is more commonly used with most team quad fliers..., not as slippery, thicker too, but also much more like flying on wire. A direct connect? When you do 3D stuff, the LPG string doesn't pick-up debris as easily or tangle as quickly (or as tightly!) I use both brands, depending on the circumstances presented and who's with me. I particularly like the 50# and 140# Skybond though for tough conditions (one's for each end of the wind range), but for seriously chasing spectators the line is 90#LPG, especially when throwing the kite all around with tons of slack in between movements. Some of my linesets have sleeving, but only if I bought 'em that way. When making my own lines that is just another darn thing to tangle-up which is eliminated by design. Use figure of eight knots, but first place a stopper knot into the single strand line before it's formed into the loop. Practice the figure of eight knot as it wants to tighten in both directions (towards the knot's center point) How do you predict where it will wind up? In fact you'll use a set of forceps to pinch the two strands together where you want the knot to be as a final location. When you practice tying this knot, you'll need to identify the two loops (which resemble an "8" on it's side when visually examined). You have to force one loop OVER the other half and pull out all of that accompanying slack back out (away from the locked point) so the knot positions itself against the forcep jaws as a final position when tight. This isn't easy, you'll have to wiggle and work it, so practice. When you make linesets without sleeving you need a BIGger loop than with sleeving, as any adjustments will be made by shortening the longest line (by adding in still more knots). With sleeving you can untie, that won't work w/o it! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portlandflyer Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 I also believe that fishing Spectra has a coating that kite line doesn't have! If you plan to only fly solo, then maybe it's OK! BUT, if you have any ambition to fly team, get either the LPG or Shanti lines, for compatibility!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiteManFL Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Thanks for feedback everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnmitchell Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I am surprised that Kent from https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Wind-Of-Change-Kites/143032119064683 has not commented yet. He is very knowledgeable on kite lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 If LPG was any good for fishing, people would use it for that purpose. Vice versa applies to this situation. The physical weave of the two lines is different enough to make each less desirable for the other purpose, with one exception. I would definitely use LPG as backing for fly fishing line, especially if the fly line is a shooting taper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post awindofchange Posted January 31, 2014 Popular Post Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 This question has come up quite a few times on several different forums. This is a copy of a post I did over on the Power Kite forum regarding this same subject. ------ Quote... As far as fishing line compared to kite line - and saying they are the same and kite line is just more because of a niche market....that can not be further from the truth.Saying fishing line is the same as kite line because they are both made from HDMPE fibers (spectra/dyneema) is like saying a $10 bicycle tire is just as good as a $300 steel belted racing radial tire because heck, they are both made from rubber!Even though fishing line and kite line are both made from spectra fibers, that is the only thing that is the same. Spectra fibers are the size of a hair and are carefully braided and re-braided to form kite lines. The way they are braided, the pattern in which they are braided, how tight they are braided and the shape they are braided in will determine if it is good enough quality for kite flying (where your life and $100's of dollars worth of kite depend on it) and whether it can be used to haul in a fish.Braiding kite line takes as much as 100 times more time and up to 30% more line than making fishing line - which is basically designed to be thrown away in the event it breaks or gets tangled. Breakage and stretch in fishing line is expected and assumed. This obviously can not be tolerated with kites. Daniel Prentice of Shanti kites is a very close friend of mine and I have seen what it takes to make both fishing line and kite line and they are no way comparable. Daniel also is the inventor of Spectra kite line and the reason we have both Shanti kite line and LPG.Fishing line, while it may work for your kite for a while, will not hold up nearly as long, will be more prone to breakage and wear and will never have the performance and durability that kite line has. Kite line is designed to rub against each other with minimal wear, this is because of the special way the braid is made so that the two (or four) lines can slide over each other. Fishing line will create a lot of friction when crossed with other fishing line and will literally melt itself in half, causing breakage. End quote....---------- To add to the above, Getting into the braiding of the lines, Spectra kite line is braided in several different ways depending on the type and manufacturer, the tightness of looseness of the braid will determine just how easily the other line(s) will slide over it and just how much it will cause friction or heat, which will eventually ruin your lines. Each manufacturer uses a different type of braiding, this is the reason that flying team with different types of line can cause lock ups. Basically one braid on one line will not slide over the braid on the other line causing friciton and lockup. Fishing line uses none of this type of design because it doesn't matter. Fishing line is braided as quickly and as cheaply as possible because it is designed to be thrown away. Food for thought anyways......Hope this helps. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mundy Pereira Posted September 13, 2014 Report Share Posted September 13, 2014 I can add that I have tried it just to try it and it does not work that well when the lines start to wrap. I can say that in an emergency situation my son broke the bridle on his Prism Quantum and I through together a bridle for him out of 200 lb fishing braid. I was actually amazed at how well it worked as a bridle. When his new bridle came in he didnt want me to change it as he kite seemed to be more precise. It may have been a fluke but it was worth mentioning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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