Fishing Line, ranked by PFAS safety
15 products graded from Bad to Excellent, safest first. 6 grade Good or better and are worth buying.
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The best non-toxic fishing line, ranked safest first
Bad · Better · Best fishing line
The quickest read, what to skip and the top-graded picks worth buying instead.
Spiderwire
SpiderWire Stealth Braid Fishing Line
Skip or find transparent alternative; Teflon-family coating braid likely contains PFAS.
Berkley
BERKLEY TRILENE BIG GAME
Low concern for standard monofilament with no coating triggers.
Worth buying Good or Excellent, safest first
Berkley
TRILENE BIG GAME
monofilament nylon fishing line
UV degradation and embrittlement
High concern
Microplastic release during use
Limited concern
Low concern for standard monofilament with no coating triggers.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Berkley
Trilene Big Game Braid
Braided polyethylene fishing line
Polyethylene microfiber shedding
Limited concern
Low concern; braided polyethylene is not a typical PFAS application.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Berkley
Trilene XT Monofilament Fishing Line
Nylon monofilament (extruded polymer)
Nylon polymer degradation and microplastic release
Limited concern
UV stabilizer additives in polymer matrix
Limited concern
Skin irritation or eye contact from monofilament filament
Moderate concern
Low concern for basic nylon line without water-repellent coating or special coatings.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shimano
Exage Monofilament Fishing Line
Monofilament nylon fishing line
UV degradation and material embrittlement
High concern
Microplastic shedding from wear
Limited concern
Low concern; standard monofilament rarely contains PFAS without transparency.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shimano
PowerPro Power Pro Braided Line
Braided polyethylene/nylon fishing line
Microplastic shedding during use
Limited concern
Thermal fume release (misuse)
Limited concern
Nylon degradation products (if nylon-blended)
Limited concern
Ingestion/choking hazard (non-chemical)
Moderate concern
Low concern for braided line without typical coating treatment.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Cortland
Silent Flip Braided Fishing Line
Braided nylon/polyester fishing line
Microfiber/microplastic shedding
Limited concern
Low concern; standard braided line has no inherent PFAS trigger.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Graded and flagged Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
Spiderwire
Ultracast Braid
Braided polyethylene fishing line with undisclosed coating
Microplastic shedding from braided structure
High concern
Undisclosed coating additives with potential leaching
Limited concern
UV degradation and polymer fragmentation
Moderate concern
Dermal or ingestion risk from handled coating residue
Limited concern
Skip or contact brand; fishing line coatings often hide PFAS without disclosure.
⚠Undisclosed proprietary coating
Spiderwire
Stealth Smooth
Braided polyethylene fishing line with proprietary coating
Coating leachates (undisclosed composition)
Limited concern
Microplastic fragmentation
Limited concern
Skip until clarity; fishing line coatings are often proprietary and undisclosed.
⚠Undisclosed proprietary coating
Spiderwire
Stealth Translucent
Braided fishing line; coating composition undisclosed
Undisclosed coating leachables (potential organics)
Limited concern
Coating degradation and microparticle release
Limited concern
Environmental persistence in aquatic systems
Limited concern
Skip; fishing line coating unspecified, PFAS risk unclear without transparency.
⚠Undisclosed proprietary coating
Spiderwire
Stealth
Braided fishing line (polymer blend, coating unspecified)
Coating leachates (unspecified polymer additives)
Limited concern
Microplastic shedding
Limited concern
Skip; fishing line coating unknown, PFAS risk unclear without disclosure.
⚠Undisclosed proprietary coating
Spiderwire
Stealth Braid Line
Braided polyethylene fiber with unknown coating/treatment
PFAS
Limited concern
Microplastic shedding from coating degradation
Limited concern
Undisclosed additives in proprietary coating
Limited concern
Skip or contact SpiderWire; braided lines often use PFAS-based water-repellent coatings.
⚠Undisclosed proprietary coating
Cortland
Fairplay Floating Fly Fishing Line
Floating fly line with unspecified waterproof/buoyancy coating
PFAS
Limited concern
Microplastic shedding from degraded coating
Limited concern
Skin and eye contact with coating during handling
Limited concern
Skip until Cortland reveals coating chemistry; floaters typically need PFAS-based water-repellent.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Cortland
444 Peach Fly Line
PVC-based fly line with proprietary coating
Coating degradation and microplastic release
Limited concern
Undisclosed plasticizer or surfactant leaching
Limited concern
Thermal instability of PVC core
Limited concern
Aquatic bioaccumulation of coating compounds
Limited concern
Skip until Cortland discloses coating chemistry or provides third-party testing.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Shimano
Mastiff FC Fluorocarbon Line
Fluorocarbon fishing line (PVDF or similar polyvinylidene fluoride)
PFAS
High concern
Microplastic shedding from line degradation
Limited concern
Environmental persistence and bioaccumulation
Moderate concern
Coating embrittlement and loss of integrity
Limited concern
Skip unless fluorocarbon is essential; PFAS is built into this material.
⚠Fluoropolymer coating
Spiderwire
Stealth Braid Fishing Line
Braided synthetic fiber with Teflon-family coating
PFAS
High concern
Microfiber shedding and aquatic persistence
Moderate concern
Coating degradation toxicants
Limited concern
PFAS
Limited concern
Skip or find transparent alternative; Teflon-family coating braid likely contains PFAS.
⚠Fluoropolymer coating
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