Some main lines stand the test of time simply because they are right to start with. Take the legendary Insight GR60 for instance, even after all these years this superb line is hugely popular simply because it is a fabulous line to start with! Why? Well it exhibits exceptional knot strength, enviable stretch characteristics, sinks really well (helped by the fact it’s so hydroscopic) and the ‘rating’ is generous meaning that there is loads of leeway in terms of true breaking strain.
All anglers, it seems, appreciate reliable robust main lines that they can rely on. This is the ethos we have always maintained for developing all our specialist lines (and other products) – setting the bar higher and higher as we strive to improve upon the solid products we already do. It’s not always easy or straight forward.
A few years ago I started thinking how nice it would be to have a low stretch line. Unfortunately, the concept got shelved for a bit as the copolymer blends that we wanted to use were still ‘young’ and we didn’t want to take any chances in terms of inconsistency in the final product.
There was obviously a gap in the market for a good line that genuinely had better (reduced) stretch characteristic, and essentially the new line would have to be even better than GR or HydroTuff! These two offered the best in our test results and practically as anglers feeling the lead down. The ultimate aim for us was to better the stretch characteristic without compromising any other key aspects of the lines performance.
Getting this product totally right was incredibly important to us as we wanted to take a genuine step forward – anything else simply wouldn’t do. It had to be possible!
Despite at least one line being released in the mean time that claimed to offer reduced stretch and better feel (it essentially equalled but didn’t exceed the performance better the ones we already did) there was still an opportunity calling.
Initial tests of the latest copolymer samples looked really promising; the diameters were super consistent and we could get the knots to exceed expected results by using either Palomars or adding an extra twist into a fig. 8 loop knot. Using the right knots makes a huge difference with GT-HD!
Importantly, the actual stretch characteristics offered significantly lower stretch across the range that would improve feel during casting. All other test showed this new copolymer was the best we had tested in virtually all aspects!
We specified colour requirements and after a bit of too’ing and fro’ing we reached a transparent green/grey colour that really blended in seamlessly in the water and importantly had a low pigment level so it didn’t affect the performance of the basic blend.
I was fortunate enough to do most the initial testing myself and immediately noticed the new blend actually sank faster than our other lines as it’s actually slightly denser. This was turning into the dream product as it sank quicker, cast beautifully, knotted amazingly with the right knots – basically it was the nuts!
After 6 months on trial we were more than confident to take the final leap – ordering it, naming it and rating it and doing all the design work for ads and packaging… Rating wise we decided to go 0.33mm/12lb, 0.35mm/15lb and the monumentally strong 18lb/0.39mm. Remember these are slightly underrated in terms of rated breaking strain – and these stated strengths can be exceeded with well tied recommended knots.
It’s been over a year since we launched the product now – and any early reservations of how it would be received have long evaporated as it is now abundantly clear that the development and testing – being utterly fastidious have resulted such a superb final product.
Customer feedback has been fantastic with the only issues arising from a couple of customer’s not following our specific instruction on spooling practices. Label up, weighed down in water, line coming up anti clockwise and the job’s a good’un.
The line, like all our lines, is a workhorse and lasts well on the spool as it’s robust giving it a long life. As anglers we have found that it does everything you want, genuinely giving improved feedback when feeling the lead down. Knowing what your lead has landed on means you simply fish better, more accurately at range with better feel no matter what the lake bed is.
Sales have been tremendous, with the first three consignments selling through immediately, such has been the positive response to the launch and it’s been pivotal in the capture of an inordinate number of carp, big and small and from a huge variety of venues.
It’s destined, like GR60, to be a line that will be used and abused long into the future as its been developed to be as good as it can be… which is simply better than the rest!
Got this line start of season, used a lot of so called best lines over the years. But this one is. Used it on a lake with a lot of snags on the bottom ie lilly pads snapped a few times but alway a clean break so was easy to thread on safety tubing without having to cut off any spired line 10/10