Hopefully I’ll be able to exchange it. The line fishes great and the rest of the line is crack free so I’m hoping I cut it on a barnacle or something and it’s not pulling a Rio on me 
I just had the same thing happen to mine in the head, but it is 4.5 years old now and not a single crack anywhere else on it. Mine had some discoloration around where it split and separated like I may have accidentally pinched it in something at some point but it seems odd to have a perfectly clean separation like that.Found a separation in the running line of my Cortland Compact type 3 while fishing this morning.
View attachment 122564
I’ve been meaning to post an update on my Cortland experience. I emailed them about the separation and sent them a photo. They are discontinuing the Compact series (or atleast the type 3) and they only had the 7/8 in stock so they shipped one of those to me. Overall a wonderful and easy warranty experience. I took my old 6/7 out for one last session and it totally self destructed. The area around the separation came apart really badly. The nail in the coffin for that line was when my leader got tangled around line right above the welded loop and it cut right through the core of the line. I gently pulled it and the loop snapped off! So far i’ve fished the 7/8 type 3 about 3 times and It’s holding up fine for now but I can’t say I have much confidence.
TBH I never used a standard production basket, only a smaller DIY tupperware thing, before I went to the Ahrex. I much prefer the Ahrex/pallet style to my DIY and the idea of other, larger, production stripping baskets. I found myself hitting my stripping hand on the lip, and the overall bulk was kind of annoying. Plus, the smaller size of my DIY basket made for a lot of line spillover which dragged the remaining line off the pegs and made a tangled mess in the water. The Ahrex is much lower profile and easier to travel. It's still a smaller target and there is definitely spillover potential but since it's all hanging down from the pegs and not going up and over a lip, there's less tangling unless you really blow it and strip in an entire cast off the shelf.
No takers here? Ok, off to the "pay it forward" section.
I've been emailing back and forth with Cortland. Sounds like they are discontinuing the Compact Float and Type 3, leaving the Intermediate, Type 6, and Type 9 as the only Compact options
Mine may very well have been worn out. I don't fish as much as some on here but got 4.5 years out of mine, that's not too bad. My Compact Type 9 is only a year old and still looks new but not a ton of use.
. I really like the Compact. I think there is way more evidence of OBS durability issues than there are with the Cortland Compact.
I still think the Arctic Silver Compact 2.0 is my favorite beach line that I've used. The 1.0 had durability issues but they warrantied with the 2.0 that has the beefed up handling section. The only durability fail that I've noticed on the 2.0 is the front loop, but since Flip Pallot cuts those off anyways it seems like that's not actually a fail.
farbank.com
Curious to know what your experience with it has been like.Another potential line to add to the mix.
Blitz Line - Ambassador Series | RIO Products
BLITZ SPECIFIC FLY FISHING LINE | Deliver big flies quickly to powerful, fast-moving fish with wind-cutting efficiency and minimal false casts Unique 26-foot short head taper keeps false casts to a minimum Extended handling section for greater accuracy on long casts and easier pickups on second...
Oh, I haven't bought one. Just got an email about it.
Not real familiar with that line or rod. If it is a stiff faster action rod I would do the 6/7 but if moderate to mod-fast maybe the 5/6. Your right in that 40 grains can be significant in the head length of the line too, which I assume they are measuring the first 30’ of line?
