Korda Kontour Fluorocarbon

Strength & Abrasion

The Kontour is highly abrasion resistant, so it should stand up well to weed and the odd snag. The diameters are sensible too, with the 12lb at 0.33mm, the 15lb at 0.35mm and the 18lb at 0.37mm, so you're not fishing a thick line just to get the strength.

It also has genuine knot strength, and I think that counts for more than the headline breaking strain, because the knot is where a line usually lets go. To be fair, fluoro needs a bit more care when you tie it, so I'd always wet the knot and bed it down slowly.

It isn't built purely for brute strength like the Korda Subline, which is made for heavy weed and abrasive gravel, so I'd stop short of calling it a snag line. Overall, it's strong enough for most carp waters, and the 18lb gives you a bit extra if there are snags about.

Casting & Handling

How will it behave on the reel? Stiffness is the usual worry with fluorocarbon mainline, because a wiry line tends to spring off the spool in loops.

Korda have made the Kontour soft for a fluoro, and it peels smoothly from the spool, which should help with both distance and accuracy.

It's made to cast up to and beyond 100 yards, and with diameters of 0.33mm to 0.37mm I think that's realistic for this type of line. Most carp swims don't ask for more than that, and the finer 12lb would be my pick if range matters.

It still won't be quite as supple as a soft mono like the Fox Exocet Pro, which Fox make super soft and supple for distance work.

Overall, though, I think the Kontour is a fluoro most carp anglers would get on with straight away, without the usual fight to keep it tidy on the spool.

Presentation

This is the reason to buy Kontour. It's practically invisible underwater, and because it's 100% fluorocarbon it's heavy enough to sink fast and lie flat on the bottom rather than hanging up through the water column.

That counts for most on pressured waters, where a tight, visible mainline running up from the lead can spook wary fish. A line that hugs the lake bed stays out of the way of carp moving into your swim, and to be fair, that's pretty much the whole point of fishing fluoro at all.

From the photos, it's a clear line on the spool, so it relies on transparency rather than a camouflage colour, which I think is the right call for a fluorocarbon.

Overall, it's about as discreet as a mainline gets, and I'd struggle to ask for more from it on clear or heavily fished venues.

Is it good value for money?

So, what's the downside? You only get 200m on a spool. A spool of Kontour costs roughly what you'd pay for 1000m of a premium mono like the Fox Exocet Pro, so per metre it's a lot dearer, and on a big-pit reel I'd want some cheaper backing underneath.

In fairness, it costs less than the Thinking Anglers FTX, and you're getting a genuinely low-vis, fast-sinking line for the money. If you fish three rods, though, the spools add up quickly.

Overall, I'd recommend the Kontour to carp anglers who fish pressured or clear waters, want their mainline pinned down and out of sight, and don't mind paying more per metre for it.

If you change your line every few trips, a fast-sinking mono like the Gardner GT-HD makes more sense.