TRILENE BIG GAME vs Ugly Tuff Spincast Reel: which is safer?

Ugly Stik Ugly Tuff Spincast Reel is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

BERKLEY TRILENE BIG GAME

Berkley

TRILENE BIG GAME

PFAS grade

Excellent 85/100

Overall grade

Good 63/100

Verdict

Buy with care

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

monofilament nylon fishing line

Confidence

72%

LikelyUV degradation and embrittlement

PossibleMicroplastic release during use

Our pick

Ugly Stik Ugly Tuff Spincast Reel

Ugly Stik

Ugly Tuff Spincast Reel

PFAS grade

Excellent 85/100

Overall grade

Good 73/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

Aluminum spool, metal frame, plastic handle components

Confidence

72%

PossibleAluminum corrosion and oxidation

PossiblePlastic handle degradation and UV embrittlement

PossibleBacterial or fungal growth in unrinsed spool housing

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag UV degradation and embrittlement and Microplastic release during use on the Berkley and not on the Ugly Stik.
  • We flag Aluminum corrosion and oxidation, Plastic handle degradation and UV embrittlement and Bacterial or fungal growth in unrinsed spool housing on the Ugly Stik and not on the Berkley.
  • The Berkley is monofilament nylon fishing line where the Ugly Stik is Aluminum spool, metal frame, plastic handle components, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.

Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More fishing line: see the full ranking