Yes it is a brand name.Mostly used for sailboat halyards because it does not stretch, I used it as parasail towline back when i owned a parasail boat, it is incredibily strong for the size and weight of the line.I used to just tie a bowline onto the bow eye because i have a real fear of hooks breaking also but you can tie a bowline to your hook or if you want to get fancy it is real easy to splice a loop into.Kinda like doing the old chinese finger torture thing.Just poke a hole throught the braid about 8 inches back and insert the bitter end of the line throught that hole and feed it inside the line for a few inches and than exit the line.When you apply tension to the line it will clamp down on itself.I have had old spectra snap on me and it just falls like a wet noodle.

Tommymonza,
Thanks for the info./advice. I'll use the Spectra.
ed