Airflo Superflo Universal Taper WF6F Fly Line Review
Updated: Jun 30, 2022
What are some things you look for when shopping for fly lines? I'd guess that the main aspects people notice are taper style, grain weight, price, and even color. But, besides those key points, how often do fly anglers consider the material these lines are crafted from?
Over the years, PVC has been the go-to material for crafting fly lines. However, it is unfortunately not so good for the environment. In fact, on the back of my fly line box, Airflo states how PVC leaches plasticizers into the environment and is "virtually unrecyclable." See for yourself:
As seen above, Airflo uses polyurethane in all their fly lines because it is recyclable and more friendly to the environment. In addition, it offers performance benefits, such as allowing for stronger welded loops and increasing a line's lifespan.
Tested Line Size: WF6F
Color: Moss-Olive / Chartreuse
Overall Length: 90 feet
Head Length: 39 feet
30 Foot Grain Weight: 173 grains
Core: Power Core Braid
Welded Loops: Yes (2)
Price: $100.00
These days, you'll find a lot of specialty fly lines on the market aimed at particular techniques or fish species like bass, tarpon, and redfish. While these lines are optimized for their intended targets, I'd much rather just have a good all-around line that's not so specialized in design. For that reason, when it came time to look for a new 6-weight fly line, the Airflo WF6F Superflo Universal Taper line seemed pretty attractive to me.
The line measures 90 feet in length and has a moss-olive head that transitions into an extended rear taper, with a 12-foot "haul zone" to improve line handling and pickup. From this area to the other end is 39 feet of thin diameter level running line finished in chartreuse.
Did you know Airflo invented the welded loop in 1997? Their loops are engineered to transition seamlessly back into the main line, thus eliminating what Airflo says is a common weak point where lines can fail. As a result, Airflo boldly claims their loops to be the "strongest in the business"!
At the heart of this line is Airflo's Power Core. While Airflo says competing lines often stretch around 20–25%, Power Core boasts just 6% stretch. So, I decided to perform a quick at-home test to see how little stretch this line offers.
I tied off a length of the Airflo line to a solid object and pulled (alongside a tape measure) at about 3 pounds of pressure. The Airflo line only stretched about 4 inches, while the same length of two other fly lines stretched about 9 inches under the same pulling force. That's a definite difference!
I purchased this line to be used in cooler to more moderate temps. With an "ultra-supple" designation and an optimal usage range of 23–78F, it certainly fits the bill for a broad range of conditions outside of tropical heat.
The WF6F Airflo Superflo Universal Taper is a night and day difference compared to the line it replaced; it's very well behaved! The line simply casts and handles beautifully. It's smooth, picks up easily at more extended range, and loads my 6-weight G. Loomis IMX PRO just fine. In addition, this line undergoes a special extrusion process to increase performance, increasing overall precision and smoothness and making for a thinner running line.
I prefer a more visible running line (without being obnoxious) that blends into a subtler head, and this line delivers just that. While the moss-olive head is a more muted tone, it remains visible on the water and is easy to track.
Coming in at 173 grains, which positions itself between a 6 and 7 weight line per AFFTA weight standards, you can call this line a "half-size" heavier. I used to commonly fish with lines that were built a full weight or so heavier, but in the last few years, I've been gravitating more to lines that are within or closer to AFFTA specs. I like keeping things closer to the proper ratings, and with the fast-action rods I typically fish, I feel these slightly lighter lines load just fine.
So far, Airflo's Superflo Universal Taper fly line has proven to be precisely what I wanted: an all-around quality line that casts smooth and handles great. The fact that it's better for the environment is a bonus, too. These lines come in 3–9 weight sizes, with the moss-olive / chartreuse color scheme being the only current option. Also of note, the 3-weight line measures 82 feet versus 90 feet for all other sizes.
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