With 30 years of fishing, and eging and jigging in the mix, I ranked these on three things: strength (lb), price, and how detailed the strength labeling is. No. 1 in PE line 0.8 is the Shimano Pitbull 8, up to 18.3lb for JPY 2,270 (excl. tax). Among the three with list prices, it is the cheapest way to buy the same strength. I put the Kureha Seaguar PEX8, which lists both maximum and average, at No. 2.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
Read the heading above a lb figure before you compare it. PE size is a line-weight standard, and strength is a figure each maker measures and prints itself, so "maximum" and "average" sit side by side in the same table. So I divide lb by price and compare only lines labeled the same way. By that yardstick, I take the Pitbull 8.
Key points
- Even at the same 0.8, official strength runs from 15lb to 18.5lb
- Size 0.8 is 160 denier. The standard sets weight and has no strength item
- Only the Seaguar PEX8 lists both maximum and average, and the gap is 2lb
Same PE line 0.8, yet 15lb and 18.5lb sit side by side
I lined up six 8-strand PE lines in 0.8, 150m spools, using the official spec tables. The strength column runs from 15lb to 18.5lb.
The size is the same, yet there is a 1.23x spread (18.5 ÷ 15). And makers that write "maximum" are mixed in the same table with makers that write nothing.
How I chose
What I looked at first was not the size of the lb figure but whether it says "maximum" or "average." Kureha, which lists both, gives up to 18lb and an average of 16lb for the same line. The wording alone moves it 12.5%, so I did not rank by lb size alone.
Next was price, divided by strength. Prices are shown for the two Shimano lines and the Daiwa, and here the Pitbull 8 pulls ahead. What I struggled with was where to put the Pitbull 8+, which has the highest strength.
I set this order myself from the official numbers, among current models sold on Rakuten.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Shimano Pitbull 8 150m 0.8
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 1,426 (as of Oct 14). Some stores go up to JPY 2,512. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanQuick comparison of six 8-strand models
| Rank / model | Strength at 0.8 | Color coding | List price |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 Shimano Pitbull 8 | 18.3lb (8.3kg) | Lime green only | JPY 2,270 |
| No. 2 Kureha Seaguar PEX8 | 18lb (8.2kg) | 5 colors every 10m | Open price |
| No. 3 Shimano Pitbull 8+ | 18.5lb (8.4kg) | Traceable pink only | JPY 2,950 |
| No. 4 Varivas Avani Seabass Max Power PE X8 | 16.7lb | Stealth gray only | Open price |
| No. 5 XBRAID Upgrade X8 | 16lb | Green with white marks every 1m | Open price |
| No. 6 Daiwa UVF PE Dura Sensor X8EX+Si3 | 15lb (6.8kg) | 5 colors every 10m (5C) | JPY 2,840 |
PE size is a weight standard and does not set strength
The Japan Fishing Tackle Industry Association standard sets PE thickness by weight: 0.8 is 160 denier (160g per 9,000m of line). There is no strength item, so the lb figure is one each maker measures and prints itself.
Converting 160 denier to 150m gives about 2.7g (160 × 150 ÷ 9,000). That is lighter than 3 JPY 1 coins.
Dividing price by length and strength
| Model | Price per meter | Price per 1lb | Gap to the strongest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitbull 8 | JPY 15.1 | JPY 124 | −1.1% |
| Seaguar PEX8 | Open price | Open price | −2.7% |
| Pitbull 8+ | JPY 19.7 | JPY 159 | Baseline |
| Avani Seabass Max Power PE X8 | Open price | Open price | −9.7% |
| Upgrade X8 | Open price | Open price | −13.5% |
| Dura Sensor X8EX+Si3 | JPY 18.9 | JPY 189 | −18.9% |
The Pitbull 8+ costs JPY 680 more than the 8, and the extra strength is 0.2lb. Price goes up 30% and strength 1.1%. It doesn't pay off.
If you want to settle first whether 0.8 is the right size at all, I lined up each maker's strength by size and how to match leaders in how to choose PE line size. For the leader side, see the fluorocarbon shock leader ranking.
Why this order
| Rank | Model | Reason for this rank |
|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | Pitbull 8 | JPY 124 per 1lb is the cheapest way to buy strength among the 3 with list prices, and it reaches up to 18.3lb. |
| No. 2 | Seaguar PEX8 | The only line that lists both maximum and average, but the price is open, so no division is possible. |
| No. 3 | Pitbull 8+ | 18.5lb is No. 1 of the 6, but the gap to 8 is 0.2lb and it costs JPY 680 more. It is close to No. 2. |
| No. 4 | Avani Seabass Max Power PE X8 | Max. 16.7lb, at least 1.3lb below the top three, and no kg figure. |
| No. 5 | Upgrade X8 | It doesn't say whether 16lb is maximum or average, so you have one less thing to compare against No. 4. A close call. |
| No. 6 | Dura Sensor X8EX+Si3 | Its color coding is the finest of the 6, but the strength column says 15lb, and it is JPY 189 per 1lb. |
No. 1: Shimano Pitbull 8
Cheap. Up to 18.3lb at this price, and per 1lb it is JPY 35 below the No. 2 Pitbull 8+. This division decided it.
Color is lime green only. This part is so-so. It suits anglers who cast and retrieve and want to settle on a first 8-strand line.
No. 2: Kureha Seaguar PEX8
It is the only one of the six that puts maximum and average strength in the same table. Listing even the lower-looking average is a way of writing I trust. The color changes every 10m and it has pitch marking too.
The so-so part is the open price, which rules out comparing by division. The official category is boat use. It suits anglers who want to count line paid out by color.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Kureha Seaguar PEX8 150m 0.8
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 1,344 (as of Oct 14). Some stores go up to JPY 2,336. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanNo. 3: Shimano Pitbull 8+
Strength is No. 1 of the six. No complaints. Shimano says the coating improves slickness.
But if you are buying strength alone, the price gap to No. 1 doesn't pay off. This part is plainly so-so. One for anglers who value the coating and those who find a pink line easy to see.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Shimano Pitbull 8+ 150m 0.8
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 1,843 (as of Oct 14). Some stores go up to JPY 11,902. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanNo. 4: Varivas Avani Seabass Max Power PE X8
What decides it is color. The stealth gray that blends into the water is marketed with its reasons. The target is clear.
Strength is given only in lb. The price is open too, and having little to compare is so-so. It suits anglers who don't want a conspicuous line.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Varivas Avani Seabass Max Power PE X8 150m 0.8
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 3,025 (as of Oct 14). Some stores go up to JPY 3,880. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanNo. 5: XBRAID Upgrade X8
A green line with a 15cm white mark every 1m. It is the only one of the six that states the mark spacing on a single-color line. Detailed.
One thing to watch: the official table has only four columns: size, LB, JAN and price. There is little to compare, and this part is so-so. It suits anglers who want to read line paid out in 1m steps.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
XBRAID Upgrade X8 150m 0.8
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 2,802 (as of Oct 14). Some stores go up to JPY 4,149. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanNo. 6: Daiwa UVF PE Dura Sensor X8EX+Si3
The 5C changes color every 10m, with marking every 1m and long black marks every 5m. Easy to read. For fineness of color coding, it is a clear No. 1.
The lowest strength figure of the six. It gives no maximum or average, and by the numbers this is where it lands. A line for anglers who want to read length by color.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Daiwa UVF PE Dura Sensor X8 EX+Si3 150m #0.8
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 2,187 (as of Oct 14). Some stores go up to JPY 3,610. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanIf you spool 150m of 0.8, a size 2500 or C3000 reel is a good guide. Reels in the same range are compared in the size 2500 spinning reel ranking.
The 12-strand upgrade is covered in the Dura Sensor X12EX+Si3 review.
Who is it for?
- Anglers whose 0.8 is fuzzing or losing color and who are thinking of respooling
- Anglers who want to try switching from 4-strand to 8-strand
If your current line gives you no trouble, there is no rush. An 8-strand line costs JPY 15 per meter even at No. 1, the Pitbull 8, so if 4-strand is enough for you, staying put is fine.
FAQ
How many lb is PE line 0.8?
15-18.5lb. The size number is a weight standard and doesn't set strength, so even the official tables vary this much by maker.
What is the difference between maximum and average strength on PE line?
They are different numbers. Seaguar PEX8 in 0.8 is up to 8.2kg and average 7.3kg, a 0.9kg gap on the same line. When you compare, compare like with like.
Should I buy 0.8 in 150m or 200m?
Price per meter is nearly the same. The Pitbull 8 200m spool is JPY 3,050 (excl. tax), which works out to JPY 15.3. Pick the one that fits your reel's line capacity.
Gear in this article
Ads and images: Rakuten IchibaSources
- Japan Fishing Tackle Industry Association: PE line thickness standard (JAFS-D10111002)
- Japan Fishing Tackle Industry Association: JAFS line standards
- Shimano official page: Pitbull 8
- Shimano official page: Pitbull 8+
- Kureha official page: Seaguar PEX8
- Varivas official page: Avani Seabass Max Power PE X8 Stealth Gray
- XBRAID official page: Upgrade X8
- Daiwa official: UVF PE Dura Sensor X8 EX+Si3
