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The Best Strimmer Lines
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Oregon Flexiblade Strimmer Line (110m)
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Oregon Flexiblade Strimmer Line (21m)
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Oregon Duoline Trimmer Line (120m)
Strimmer Line Reviews
- A great option for heavy duty strimming
- Sharpened square edges help the line cut like a saw blade
- 110 m spool can last a year or more depending on frequency of use
- Need to be careful not to hit stones or fencing as the line may snap
- Only intended to be compatible with Oregon's Jet-Fit strimmer head
The Oregon Flexiblade Trimmer Line (110 m) has a serrated edge, like a saw, which makes it a viable opponent for thick weeds and brambles.
One spool holds 110 m of line, which should last a year or more depending on how frequently it is used. The line itself is 4 mm wide, with sharpened square edges that are intended to slice through vegetation.
It’s designed to be used with the Oregon Jet-Fit strimmer head, and can fit into either the two-line or four-line model. The line’s unusual shape and profile makes it unsuitable for the majority of standard heads.
Customers have reported being able to use this line all over rough farmland; however, care must be taken not to make contact with any rocks, fences or metalwork. Due to the thickness of the plastic, it can be a little brittle which can cause breakages if the line hits hard materials. Doubling the line can help prevent this from happening
Although relatively expensive, it seems to offer reasonable value for money considering the effects it can achieve, and it’s one of the best strimmer lines for brambles thanks to its serrated, sharp edge.
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- 4 mm line can cut through brambles of up to 1.2 cm in diameter
- Range of lengths and thicknesses available for tackling different vegetation
- Serrated square edges allow this line to cut through vegetation like a saw
- Smaller amounts available for testing line without buying too much
- Thicker lines aren't compatible with all strimmer heads and buying a new head may be necessary
- 4 mm line is relatively stiff so may be difficult to feed into the strimmer
- Thick line can be brittle and break on contact with solid objects
This Oregon Flexiblade Trimmer Line (21 m) is the same product as the 110 m option featured on this page; however, it’s a smaller spool and holds 21 m of line. The thickness of the line remains the same, at 4 mm.
There are other lengths of this Flexiblade Trimmer Line available, with wider and narrower options to choose from as well. The thicknesses available are 2.5 mm, 2.65 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm and 4 mm.
Customers report than the 4 mm line can be used to cut brambles up to 1.2 cm in diameter. The narrower 2.65 mm, 3 mm and 3.5 mm lines will also clear brambles if a slow and measured approach is used.
Nevertheless, it is not strong enough to completely put your main brushcutter tool into retirement. Smaller brambles are the limit for the Flexiblade line, and trying to clear larger material will result in the line snapping. Due to its thickness, the wider line can be a little more brittle than the smaller lines.
Flexiblade Trimmer Line has a sharp square edge which is serrated to help with cutting through vegetation like a saw. The lines are designed to be used with Oregon’s Jet-Fit, and not all standard heads will fit such wide line.
Overall, it’s one of the best strimmer lines for brambles if you want to try a thicker option, or a range of diameters, but don’t want too much spare.
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- Suitable for tackling thick weeds, grass and undergrowth
- Good value for money because doesn't break as much as thinner lines
- Range of lengths and thicknesses available depending on the job
- Line may break if it comes into contact with hard surfaces
Made from a combination of two different materials, the Oregon Duoline (120 m) is designed to be both flexible and durable.
The ‘duo’ aspect refers to the anti-weld surface which has been combined with a carbon-loaded core. There are a few different widths and lengths available: 120 metres of line 3 mm thick, 140 metres of line 2.7 mm thick or 180 metres of line 2.4 mm thick.
Unlike Oregon’s Flexiblade line, the Duoline is round with no sharp edges. It’s suitable for tackling thick weeds, grass and undergrowth.
Although the line may snap if it comes into contact with hard surfaces, for the most part it is durable and long lasting.
If you have been going through thin line quickly in the garden, you may benefit from using a thicker option like this as it can help use less product. Because of this, the Duoline is one of the best strimmer lines for brambles and thick weeds if you’re after value for money.
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Clive's Smart Buying Tips
How to Choose the Best Strimmer Line for Brambles
Choosing decent strimmer line can make a big difference to the efficacy of your garden strimmer. After forking out for the machine itself, you don’t want to be let down by a strimmer line that keeps snapping.
Most strimmers come with the line or blades included, but you’ll need to purchase more once the line or blades wear down, so it’s worth knowing what to look out for – especially if you’re trying to tackle tougher undergrowth like brambles.
The following information should help give you a better idea about how to choose the best strimmer line for brambles, thick grass and heavy brush.
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Diameters and Lengths of Line Available
Strimmer line is available in a variety of diameters and lengths.
The length of the line simply refers to how much you buy – strimming line can be sold in packets of as little as 10 m, to over 120 m. If you know you’re going to be using your strimmer a lot, it may be better value to buy more line. However, if you haven’t used the particular line before, it may be beneficial to buy a smaller amount just to test it first. You don’t want to get lumbered with a large amount of line that isn’t compatible with your strimmer or garden.
The diameter of the cutting line can make a big difference to what you can cut.
Most strimmers accept line with a thickness between 1.5 mm – 4 mm. You’ll need to check the maximum thickness that can be accepted by your strimmer’s head, especially if you’re hoping to buy a particularly thick cutting line. You may need to buy a strimmer head that can accommodate bigger line.
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For light strimming of grass and soft weeds, in a standard garden environment, a 1.5 mm diameter line will be suitable.
For thicker, fibrous weeds, you’ll need a strimming line of around 2.4 mm. Line of this thickness is unlikely to cope with thick brambles, but will be able to cope with thicker grass and weeds.
For heavier undergrowth and heavy-duty tasks like tackling small brambles, a 4 mm diameter line should work best. You may find this is too thick for weaker, battery operated strimmers. If you use a line that’s too thick for the strimmer you’ve got, your motor can slow and struggle. A lot of gardeners use thicker lines with petrol-powered strimmers.
Although 4 mm line can work through heavier undergrowth, it still won’t be able to turn your strimmer into a fully-fledged brushcutter. If you need to work through really thick vegetation, like large and woodier brambles, you’ll need a brushcutter tool.
READ NEXT: The UK’s Best Brush Cutters
Square vs Round Strimming Wire
Most strimmers come with traditional round wire, but lots of people prefer to use square strimming line for tougher vegetation.
Square strimming wire can work better for tougher jobs because it has four sharp edges. These edges slice into grass and thick vegetation, using the sharpness of the shape to cut it back.
The downside of square lines is that they can wear down quickly as the edges get blunt. They’re also more prone to breaking off and snapping compared to round lines, especially if they come into contact with a hard surface. It can also be trickier to correctly load into the strimmer head compared to round line.
Round lines don’t necessarily have the same clean cutting ability as square lines. For example, they can sometimes rip grass instead of creating a neat cut. Nevertheless, they are generally less prone to breaking if they come into contact with hard surfaces like concrete and brickwork.
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Line Compatibility with Strimmer Head
Not all strimmer heads are compatible with all types of cutting line, especially thicker lines.
Many standard strimmers are suitable for lines with a diameter of around 2.4 mm. Therefore, if you want to use a thicker line, you may need to buy a new head so that it’s compatible. Equally, not all strimmer heads are compatible with square line so you will need to do some research on your strimmer if you want to change from round to square.
Square, serrated line won’t be compatible with bump-feed heads because it will get stuck rather than feeding out.
Strimmer Line FAQs
Thicker strimmer line isn’t necessarily ‘better’; its effectiveness depends on a few other factors. If your grass is very thick and dense, you’ll want a thicker strimming line. For lighter tasks, you are better off with a thinner line.
Similarly, you probably won’t be able to use thick strimming line with a weaker strimmer. Strimmers without a lot of power should be used with thinner strimming lines. If your strimmer doesn’t have enough power to pull a thick line, there will be no additional benefit from using one.
If you are regularly bringing your strimmer into contact with hard objects such as stones, debris and sticks, it is likely to snap.
It’s also important your strimming wire is thick enough for the task at hand. Using a wire that’s too thin for very dense vegetation will cause it to snap.
Sometimes, thicker strimming lines can snap because they are too brittle. Some makes of strimmer line will advise soaking the line in water before use. Soaking strimming line in water overnight can help make it less brittle.
It all depends on what you are strimming. For very dense vegetation, square line may be better suited. It has sharper edges which allows it to slice through thick vegetation and it can make cleaner cuts. However, it can be more prone to breaking than round strimmer line. For lighter tasks, such as cutting grass and weeds, round strimmer line should be sufficient.
Depending on the durability of the line, some round strimmer line can also be used to trim denser vegetation like nettles and small brambles.
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