Berkley FireLine · Fishing Line
Berkley Fireline Fused Original Braided Fishing Line
Skip. Coating composition undisclosed, PFAS risk unclear.
FireLine uses proprietary fusion coating on braided polyethylene but does not disclose whether PFAS compounds are present. No third-party PFAS testing is available.
The better-graded swap
Cortland
Cortland Indicator Mono Leader Material Tri-Color 50 ft 12.4 lb
85/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Excellent.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Fused braided polyethylene with unspecified coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Berkley Fireline Fused Fishing Line is made of, ingredients and materials
Berkley FireLine Fused Original is braided polyethylene (PE) with an undisclosed coating applied during manufacturing. The coating is proprietary and not detailed on packaging or Berkley's public materials; it is intended to improve abrasion resistance and handling. Since the coating composition remains opaque, assessment of chemical additives (including potential PFAS, flame retardants, or plasticizers) relies on indirect inference from product behavior and industry norms rather than disclosed ingredients.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Unknown / proprietary coating
A coating is recorded with no disclosed chemistry.
Coating composition leachate (unknown additives)
The proprietary coating is not disclosed by Berkley. While polyethylene itself is chemically stable in aqueous environments, coatings may include PFAS, UV absorbers, or other additives that could leach into water under prolonged contact or degradation, though risk is minimal in typical catch-and-release fishing.
Polyethylene microparticle shedding
Braided PE lines fray and shed fine fibers during casting, retrieval, and storage, especially as they age. These microparticles may enter waterways and are not biodegradable, though accumulation per fishing session is negligible compared to other microplastic sources.
UV and thermal polymer degradation products
Stored or used in sunlight, PE and its coating degrade over months to years, releasing volatile compounds and weakening mechanical properties. No test data is available on what volatiles are released or their toxicity, though exposure during fishing is brief and largely outdoors.
What’s reassuring
Teflon-type coating or Teflon-family coating fume risk
No evidence that FireLine's coating is Teflon-type coating-based or releases volatile Teflon-family coating under normal use. However, Berkley does not confirm the absence of fluorinated compounds, leaving theoretical risk unquantified.
Heavy metals
FireLine is produced in multiple colors (moss green, red, yellow). No recalls or reports document heavy metal contamination in the dye or pigment, and modern fishing lines typically avoid banned colorants; this remains unverified for FireLine specifically.
Source, FDA ↗How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Berkley (owned by Pure Fishing, a Rapala subsidiary) does not publish material safety data sheets, chemical composition details, or PFAS statements for fishing line products. No major recalls of FireLine for chemical contamination are on record. The company provides performance specs (tensile strength, color retention) but maintains silence on manufacturing chemistry and chemical safety certifications. This opacity is typical in the fishing tackle industry but limits independent hazard verification.
How it compares in its category
Braided PE fishing lines are chemically simpler than monofilament nylon (which uses plasticizers like diisononyl cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate) and avoid the thermal degradation risks of nylon under UV or heat. However, the unknown coating on FireLine introduces uncertainty absent in uncoated or minimally treated alternatives. Most fishing lines (braided, monofilament, fluorocarbon) do not undergo third-party chemical safety testing, making FireLine typical in this regard.
If you buy it
Fishing line is non-ingested and contacts skin only briefly during casting and handling, limiting direct exposure routes. Store spools in cool, dry conditions away from sunlight to prevent UV-induced polymer breakdown and potential coating degradation. Replace line annually or after visible fraying, discoloration, or reduced strength; old line degrades chemically over time. Wash hands after extended handling if skin sensitivity occurs, though reactions are rare.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 35% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Berkley FireLine has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
What are the PFAS-free alternatives to Berkley Fireline Fused Original Braided Fishing Line?
- Monofilament nylon fishing line
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Microplastic shedding during use
- Monofilament nylon fishing line
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Microplastic fragmentation
- Monofilament nylon fishing line
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- UV degradation and polymer brittleness
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
More fishing line grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.