Ok, I now know the answer. I found this reply from Dave Chilton on another forum so i thought i'd post it up on here too:
Thank you for your enquiry. First of all the products are totally different from each other and bare little resemblance in their use. Yes they all contain high strength fibres and yes they are all coated but that is as where all similarities end.
First of all Snake-Skin is coated Multi-Strand the other two are coated braids. Multi-strand has long been regarded as the least detectable of all hooklengths simply because it flattens on touch. Drape a piece of KMS over the underside of your finger and press your thumb against it. You will find like thousands who have tried the same test that you will not feel it. As the pressure presses down on the fibres they instantly flatten just the same way as a fish inhales the bite and closes its mouth before tilting up.
When KMS was launched in 1988 it took the carp world by storm. It was the worlds first high strength hooklength, dramatically thinner and stronger than anything else on the market. It shattered winter and summer records on rock hard waters such as Ashleigh Pool and Duncan Kays Mid Northants fisheries. Anglers such as Mike Willmott Dave Thorpe Alex Welland had record catches using the product.
The drawback was being multi-stranded it was not the easiest hooklength to use for the average angler. If not used correctly it tangled. Alex Welland was an angler who could see its tremendous potential so he devised a new rig to prevent tangles 'the helicopter rig'. The helicopter was nothing new, sea fisherman had been using it for years but because carp anglers had never had problems with stiff nylon or Dacron they never had need to use an anti tangle rig until KMS came out. The helicopter worked a dream with KMS and consequently it became more popular.
It was obvious that to harness the full potential of KMS a reliable anti-tangle system was required to prevent the fibres from wrapping around the mainline. Now there is with Snake-Bite. The coating prevents tangles when used combi-link style allowing KMS to weave its deadly deception.
The 12lb version contains 60 individual filaments whilst the 20lb version contains 100. Before being coated the multistrand is overwrapped with a strand of blue fibreglass to help it sink. When you first remove a short section of the coating you will notice a few blue broken fibres, do not worry these are the fibreglass fibres and do not contribute anything to the lines strength. Simply twist them off with your fingers. Being brittle they snap off easily. I would advice you to use the 20lb version as there is little difference in diameter between the 12lb and if needed you may sometimes have to stop the fish from reaching snags.
Snake-Skin gives you the opportunity to fish with the best presentation of all however if you want something more robust for snaggy waters or fishing over sharp gravel bars then use Snake-Bite or Super Mantis.
Snake-Bite contains Spectra filaments tightly braided then coated with 24 passes of tough polymer. Its is thicker in diameter than Mantis and used by many when fishing in snaggy swims. For Swims with tough lilies, gravel tree roots and any underwater obstacles that could damage the hooklength it is superb for the job. Many anglers fishing in France use nothing else. Use it on waters where snags lose you fish. It is used exclusively by many who fish Rainbow Lake.
Mantis is the most popular coated hooklength throughout Europe. Its lower in diameter than Snake bite and will give you superb presentation and due to its tough 28 layered coating can even be used on all but the snaggiest of waters. Having said that Tim Paisly uses nothing else when on Raduta or the St Lawrence. It is a good choice for the majority of waters.
In short there is no best hooklength, it all depends on where you are fishing. If you are fishing gin clear waters for spooky fish try the Snake-Skin. If you are fishing in average conditions slightly coloured water with occasional weedbeds or snags try the Mantis. If your swim means you have to hit and hold with razor mussels and tree roots use the Snake-bite, it will not let you down. Just as there is not one best rod or reel for every occasion the same applies to hooklengths.
