Greys Platinum X Float Fly Line

Build & Coating

The Platinum X Float has a slick, supple coating that's made to keep memory low, and on a budget floater that's the part I'd care about most.

A line that holds its coils off the reel is a pain to cast and fish, so a low-memory finish should make it far nicer to live with from the first trip.

There are welded loops for a secure leader connection, and the tri-colour format splits the line into three clearly different colours, which should make it easier to follow. It's been developed in the UK for modern fast-action rods, and the eco-friendly packaging is a nice touch.

To be fair, it's a simpler line than the Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Trout GP, which has AST Plus in its coating and a braided multifilament core, and that's why the build sits at 8.0.

For a budget floater, though, I think it's sensibly put together, and it covers the features that matter most.

Casting & Turnover

So, the full-size heavy design is the key to how it casts, as each line is built heavier than the standard for its number. Fast rods often need more weight in the air to load properly at short and medium range, and a heavier line should bend them with fewer false casts.

The medium-length head is a sensible middle ground. It's long enough to carry a decent length of line and help with mending, but not so long that it's hard to manage for a newer caster.

The low-diameter running line should then shoot smoothly through the rod rings when you're reaching for distance, and at 105ft, there's plenty of line to play with.

Will it suit a soft, slower rod? Probably not as well, as a heavier line can overload a softer blank. On a fast rod, though, I think 8.1 is a fair mark, and it should turn over a leader of nymphs or buzzers without much fuss.

Presentation & Handling

Even with the extra weight, the Platinum X Float is built to keep a delicate presentation, and that matters on a floating line.

It sits on the surface, so it covers dries and small nymphs on rivers, and buzzers or nymphs fished beneath it on small stillwaters and reservoirs, from the bank or a boat.

The low-memory coating should help in the hand, with fewer coils to fight when you're stripping line or holding loops ready to shoot.

A heavier line probably won't land quite as softly as a dedicated river line like the Guideline Fario CDC, though, and for very shy fish on clear rivers, that's the one I'd look at instead.

If you like fishing buzzers just under the surface, there's also a midge tip version in the Platinum X range, with a short intermediate tip section. Overall, I think 8.0 is a fair mark, as it should present a team of flies tidily for most everyday trout fishing.

Is it good value for money?

Value is the Platinum X Float's strongest suit, and 8.4 is its top mark. It's one of the cheaper floating lines you can buy, yet it still has a low-memory coating, welded loops, a tri-colour format and a full 105ft of line, so you're not giving up much on the spec sheet.

How much more do you really get from a premium floater? The Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Trout GP has the slicker AST Plus coating and a braided core, and it should shoot and last better, but it costs a good deal more.

The Snowbee XS-Plus Twin Colour sits in between, with its ivory and blue coaching layout.

Overall, I'd recommend the Platinum X Float to anglers on a budget, to anyone kitting out a second rod, and to newer fly anglers with a fast-action rod who want a tidy, low-memory floater in WF5 to WF8 for rivers, small stillwaters and reservoirs.