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Every number on this page was produced by a machine we do not own, in a building we do not own, by someone who does not work for us.
The International Game Fish Association is the body that certifies world-record catches. Verifying line class is part of how they do that, and their lab in Fort Lauderdale, Florida runs an Instron tensile testing system for the purpose. We took Beyond Braid 8-strand there and had their staff pull it until it broke.
Here is what the machine recorded.
| Rated line class | First break | Second break | Result vs label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 lb | 20.64 lb | 26.0 lb | Exceeded |
| 20 lb | 37.0 lb | 40.0 lb | Exceeded |
| 30 lb | 29.0 lb | — | Within class tolerance |
| 40 lb | 37.0 lb | — | Within class tolerance |
| 60 lb | 65.0 lb | 62.0 lb | Exceeded |
| 80 lb | 90.0 lb | — | Exceeded |
| 100 lb | 111.0 lb | — | Exceeded |
Straight-pull tensile testing on an Instron tensile testing system at International Game Fish Association headquarters, Dania Beach / Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Testing conducted by IGFA staff, October 2021. Line classes 10, 50, 65 and 150 were not included in this session.
Five of the seven classes broke above their rated label. The 20 lb held to 37 lb on the first pull. The 100 lb held to 111 lb.
Two classes came in just under. The 30 lb broke at 29 lb and the 40 lb at 37 lb. We are publishing those numbers rather than leaving them out, because a results table you can only half trust is worth nothing. Both sit inside the tolerance the IGFA permits on line-class certification, which is why they are recorded as within class.
That tolerance exists because braided line is built to a class, not to a guarantee. A spool labelled 30 lb is manufactured to the 30 lb class, and certification allows a margin either side of the label. What matters to an angler is whether the number on the spool bears an honest relationship to what the line actually does under load. On this equipment, ours did.
This is a straight-pull tensile test. The line is held in two grips and pulled in a straight line until it fails. It measures the raw breaking strength of the line itself.
It is not a knot test. Any knot introduces bending and compression that reduce the load a line will carry, and knot performance varies by knot, by line and by how well it is tied. If you want to know what your rig will hold on the water, the knot matters as much as the line. We would rather tell you that plainly than let a strong number stand in for a claim it was never measuring.
The IGFA published their own line testing session on Beyond Braid 80 lb, run by IGFA's Nick Haddad:
And our own full session at IGFA headquarters, covering every class in the table above:
The International Game Fish Association, at their headquarters in Florida, on an Instron tensile testing system. The IGFA certifies world-record catches and verifies line class for record applications. Beyond Braid did not operate the machine and does not own it.
In this session, five of the seven classes tested broke above their rated label — 15, 20, 60, 80 and 100 lb. The 30 lb and 40 lb classes broke slightly below label, within the tolerance permitted for line-class certification.
IGFA line-class rules allow a margin on rated strength, which is why a line's measured break strength and the number printed on its spool are not expected to match exactly. Every measurement above is published as recorded.
No. This is a straight-pull test on the line itself. Knot strength is a separate property and is always lower than straight-pull strength, because a knot concentrates stress. Use a knot suited to braid and seat it properly.
October 2021. Beyond Braid has continued to refine its manufacturing process with the same mill since then.
Eight fibres woven into a rounder, smoother line than a comparable 4-strand. The rounder profile runs quieter through the guides and casts further, which is why 8-strand is the common choice for saltwater work.
