Quote:
Originally Posted by eertkao
Ok, yeah I got the part where the spectra lasts a long time, but what I was referring to was the mono that goes underneath the spectra. Does that mono need to be replaced often?
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Yeah I got it.
Spectra lasts virtually forever except for friction wear. It's made of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, super high density shit that is basically immune to oxidation, UV, and it does not absorb water.
Technically spectra is tough because it's long chain polymers have a high molecular weight. It's a got so many bonds it just doesn't want to break down or come apart.
I still have the first twenty pound spectra I ever bought (over a decade ago) on a reel and it is still good. I'd have the first spectra I ever bought but the rod shook out of a rod holder and fell over board out at the pistol bank in rough weather. I've never had to throw away spectra because of age, though it will wear.
Mono is essentually plastic. It's a polymer pretty much extruded nylon, and it's susceptible to UV degradation, and it also absorbs water. As backing it's alright. It's in a limited UV situation but it can absorb water and still oxidize over time. I'd say if you change your mono backing every few years you'd be fine. Unlike spectra mono ages even sitting on the shelf. I still have some bulk spools of thirty and sixty pound Ande that I use as backing, but it's looking kind of old, and though never spooled, I'm starting to not trust it.
In the future I think I'll skip the mono and buy cheap 100 pound Dyneema from China. It has a the diameter of maybe 30 pound mono but is three times as strong and since it's also made of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene it lasts like spectra.
Jim