Berkey Forward : 8lb - Line Laboratory

Berkley Forward : 8lb Braid

Description

Forward facing sonar optimized and purpose built, Berkley FORWARD Braid gives anglers the ability to put the bait where they want it to generate strikes when using finesse techniques. Proprietary longitudinal construction maintains the line’s cross-section integrity over time to deliver longer casts than conventional braid and reduces fiber cross-over for higher sensitivity and an increased signal back to the angler. FORWARD’s smaller diameters provide faster sink rates for finesse applications.

Features

150yd Filler Spool
Smooth for Performance Casting Distance and Accuracy
Unique Braid Construction Offers Higher Sensitivity
Smaller Diameters for Faster Sink Rates

https://www.berkley-fishing.com/products/forward-braid

Summary

- Measured Ave Diameter: 0.221mm (147.33% of claimed diameter)
- Out of Roundness: 0.02mm (9.05% variation in diameter)
- Measured Maximum Break: 21.63 lbs (270.38% of claimed 8 lbs)
- Measured Stretch @ Break: 2.48%
- Abrasion Maximum Break: 7.1 lbs (32.82% of max break)
- FG Knot Maximum Break: 11.12 lbs (51.41% of max break)
- FG Knot Maximum Break: 129.41 lbs (91.55% of max break)

The first item that stands out is the fact that the rating is 270% lower than the lines’ actual maximum break. I also noticed many inconsistencies in the maximum break test where a few tests were much lower than others, so I had to run many extra tests to get a reasonable average value.

It is also worth noting that this is not a braided line. but a “fused” line where the strands are twisted and then fused together similar to the WFT Gliss. This is clearly stated on their website as “Proprietary longitudinal construction” and can have different properties compared to a typical braid.

Testing Process

Key Line Statistics

Attribute	Value
Brand	Berkley
Name	Forward
Web Site	Visit Website
Rated Strength (lbs)	8
Date Tested	20 September 2025
Credit to	Bradley H
Strands	1
Cost $AUD	45.45
Spool Quanity (m)	137
Quoted Diameter (mm)	0.15
Measured Average Diameter (mm)	0.221
Diameter Quoted vs Measured (%)	147.33
Minimum Diameter (mm)	0.212
Maximum Diameter (mm)	0.232
Break Max Average (lbs)	21.63
Claimed vs Actual Maximum Break (%)	270.35
Average Stretch @ Maximum Break	2.48%
Tensile Strength (PSI)	363407
Tensile Rank	51
Abrasion Break Max Average (lbs)	7.1
Abrasion Break vs Max Break (%)	32.84
Abrasion % of Maximum Rank	90
Abrasion Tensile Strength PSI	119287
Abrasion Tensile Rank	55
FG Break Max Average (lbs)	11.12
FG Break vs Max Break (%)	51.43
FG % of Maximum Rank	109
FG Tensile Strength PSI	186828
FG Tensile Rank	92

StrainSummary	Test 1	Test 2	Test 3	Average	Rated
0.02	0.45	0.38	0.31	21.63	8
0.04	0.62	0.52	0.46	21.63	8
0.05	0.78	0.66	0.60	21.63	8
0.06	0.87	0.82	0.76	21.63	8
0.12	1.25	0.94	0.76	21.63	8
0.13	1.48	1.11	1.00	21.63	8
0.15	1.64	1.19	1.33	21.63	8
0.16	1.81	1.52	1.66	21.63	8
0.18	1.96	1.69	1.75	21.63	8
0.19	2.03	1.86	1.92	21.63	8
0.21	2.21	1.95	2.02	21.63	8
0.23	2.40	2.04	2.28	21.63	8
0.25	2.48	2.30	2.38	21.63	8
0.26	2.57	2.48	2.55	21.63	8
0.28	2.92	2.67	2.73	21.63	8
0.29	3.01	2.85	2.92	21.63	8
0.31	3.20	2.94	3.08	21.63	8
0.32	3.54	3.13	3.25	21.63	8
0.34	3.71	3.30	3.33	21.63	8
0.35	3.79	3.47	3.50	21.63	8
0.37	4.05	3.64	3.83	21.63	8
0.39	4.13	3.81	4.16	21.63	8
0.41	4.29	3.89	4.49	21.63	8
0.42	4.46	4.04	4.74	21.63	8
0.44	4.54	4.22	5.08	21.63	8
0.45	4.70	4.39	5.15	21.63	8
0.47	4.87	4.56	5.41	21.63	8
0.48	5.03	4.73	5.49	21.63	8
0.50	5.21	4.90	5.64	21.63	8
0.52	5.38	4.98	5.82	21.63	8
0.53	5.47	5.23	6.00	21.63	8
0.55	5.73	5.49	6.16	21.63	8
0.57	5.81	5.76	6.24	21.63	8
0.58	5.99	6.09	6.42	21.63	8
0.60	6.17	6.25	6.59	21.63	8
0.61	6.34	6.42	6.75	21.63	8
0.65	6.50	6.49	6.83	21.63	8
0.68	6.90	6.58	7.09	21.63	8
0.70	7.22	6.82	7.17	21.63	8
0.71	7.29	6.99	7.31	21.63	8
0.73	7.45	7.16	7.62	21.63	8
0.74	7.61	7.31	7.68	21.63	8
0.76	7.75	7.47	7.91	21.63	8
0.77	7.92	7.55	7.98	21.63	8
0.79	8.06	7.71	8.05	21.63	8
0.81	8.14	7.86	8.27	21.63	8
0.83	8.36	8.00	8.43	21.63	8
0.84	8.44	8.15	8.58	21.63	8
0.86	8.59	8.32	8.65	21.63	8
0.87	8.66	8.39	8.88	21.63	8
0.89	8.81	8.55	8.94	21.63	8
0.90	8.96	8.86	9.11	21.63	8
0.92	9.18	9.16	9.25	21.63	8
0.93	9.25	9.39	9.40	21.63	8
0.95	9.39	9.70	9.66	21.63	8
0.97	9.55	9.96	9.97	21.63	8
0.99	9.71	10.13	10.28	21.63	8
1.00	9.79	10.30	10.51	21.63	8
1.02	9.95	10.45	10.66	21.63	8
1.03	10.11	10.61	10.80	21.63	8
1.05	10.27	10.76	10.96	21.63	8
1.06	10.41	10.85	11.08	21.63	8
1.08	10.48	10.93	11.16	21.63	8
1.09	10.54	11.16	11.29	21.63	8
1.11	10.91	11.30	11.42	21.63	8
1.13	11.05	11.44	11.56	21.63	8
1.15	11.18	11.59	11.69	21.63	8
1.16	11.30	11.73	11.77	21.63	8
1.18	11.37	11.81	11.91	21.63	8
1.19	11.51	12.11	12.20	21.63	8
1.21	11.65	12.41	12.49	21.63	8
1.22	11.79	12.73	12.56	21.63	8
1.24	11.93	12.88	12.70	21.63	8
1.26	12.09	12.96	12.85	21.63	8
1.28	12.23	13.11	13.01	21.63	8
1.29	12.31	13.28	13.16	21.63	8
1.31	12.46	13.43	13.23	21.63	8
1.32	12.60	13.51	13.46	21.63	8
1.34	12.75	13.66	13.60	21.63	8
1.35	12.90	13.80	13.76	21.63	8
1.37	12.97	13.87	13.82	21.63	8
1.38	13.13	14.08	13.95	21.63	8
1.42	13.42	14.23	14.07	21.63	8
1.45	13.69	14.37	14.18	21.63	8
1.48	13.89	14.44	14.31	21.63	8
1.50	14.15	14.57	14.42	21.63	8
1.51	14.27	14.70	14.62	21.63	8
1.53	14.33	14.75	14.86	21.63	8
1.54	14.46	14.82	15.06	21.63	8
1.56	14.57	15.16	15.20	21.63	8
1.58	14.72	15.23	15.34	21.63	8
1.60	14.84	15.44	15.49	21.63	8
1.61	14.98	15.58	15.56	21.63	8
1.63	15.13	15.72	15.69	21.63	8
1.64	15.19	15.92	15.84	21.63	8
1.66	15.32	16.05	15.97	21.63	8
1.67	15.46	16.19	16.12	21.63	8
1.69	15.60	16.32	16.20	21.63	8
1.71	15.76	16.39	16.34	21.63	8
1.73	15.89	16.55	16.46	21.63	8
1.74	16.05	16.69	16.59	21.63	8
1.76	16.12	16.83	16.72	21.63	8
1.77	16.19	16.97	16.84	21.63	8
1.79	16.39	17.08	16.91	21.63	8
1.80	16.52	17.15	17.03	21.63	8
1.82	16.65	17.35	17.14	21.63	8
1.84	16.72	17.41	17.26	21.63	8
1.87	16.97	17.47	17.38	21.63	8
1.88	17.15	17.66	17.50	21.63	8
1.90	17.33	17.78	17.56	21.63	8
1.92	17.40	17.90	17.74	21.63	8
1.93	17.52	18.03	17.81	21.63	8
1.95	17.65	18.23	18.09	21.63	8
1.96	17.78	18.51	18.22	21.63	8
1.98	17.92	18.71	18.36	21.63	8
2.00	18.05	18.84	18.42	21.63	8
2.01	18.11	18.97	18.56	21.63	8
2.03	18.32	19.11	18.68	21.63	8
2.05	18.39	19.25	18.74	21.63	8
2.06	18.53	19.31	18.94	21.63	8
2.08	18.61	19.45	19.08	21.63	8
2.09	18.81	19.57	19.21	21.63	8
2.11	18.88	19.70	19.28	21.63	8
2.13	19.02	19.83	19.40	21.63	8
2.16	19.27	19.89	19.53	21.63	8
2.19	19.47	20.02	19.65	21.63	8
2.22	19.71	20.14	19.87	21.63	8
2.25	19.88	20.25	20.04	21.63	8
2.27	20.10	20.36	20.28	21.63	8
2.28	20.22	20.48	20.40	21.63	8
2.30	20.34	20.61	20.53	21.63	8
2.32	20.46	20.73	20.59	21.63	8
2.34	20.58	20.91	20.70	21.63	8
2.35	20.71	21.16	20.82	21.63	8
2.37	20.83	21.27	20.94	21.63	8
2.38	20.90		21.00	21.63	8
2.40	21.02		21.10	21.63	8
2.41	21.14		21.23	21.63	8
2.43	21.21		21.35	21.63	8
2.44	21.38		21.48	21.63	8
2.47	21.50			21.63	8
2.48	21.56		21.54	21.63	8
2.50	21.68			21.63	8
2.51	21.80			21.63	8
2.53	21.91			21.63	8
2.54	22.02			21.63	8
2.56	22.07			21.63	8

Number	Measured	Average	Quoted
Number	Measured	Average	Quoted
1	0.217	0.221	0.150
2	0.214	0.221	0.150
3	0.228	0.221	0.150
4	0.225	0.221	0.150
5	0.212	0.221	0.150
6	0.213	0.221	0.150
7	0.227	0.221	0.150
8	0.232	0.221	0.150