Maxima · Fishing Tackle & Gear
Maxima Chameleon Fishing Line Maxi Spool
Lower concern; monofilament nylon lacks typical PFAS uses.
Standard monofilament nylon fishing line without known PFAS coatings. Maxima does not disclose PFAS information or testing data.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
Monofilament nylon fishing line
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Maxima Chameleon Fishing Line Maxi Spool is made of, ingredients and materials
Maxima Chameleon is extruded monofilament nylon (typically nylon 6 or nylon 6,6), a thermoplastic polymer with no plasticizers, coatings, or reactive additives that typically trigger leaching concerns. The 'Chameleon' designation refers to color-shift optics achieved through pigmentation and refractive layering, not chemical treatment. Once cured during extrusion, monofilament nylon is chemically inert under normal freshwater and saltwater use, with no known migration of monomers or additives into aqueous environments at fishing temperatures.
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.
UV/thermal degradation products
Prolonged sun exposure or heat storage degrades nylon backbone, releasing oligomers and free radicals. Risk is negligible during fishing but accelerates if line is stored in hot vehicles; degradation affects function before any toxicological threshold.
Microplastic shedding
All monofilament nylon degrades into microplastics over time through abrasion, UV, and hydrolysis. Fishing line is a known source of microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems; this is an environmental hazard, not a consumer health hazard, but warrants responsible disposal.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
Nylon monomer (caprolactam) residual
Extruded monofilament contains trace unreacted caprolactam monomer typical of nylon synthesis. No migration into water or skin contact is documented at fishing-use temperatures; residuals are immobilized in the polymer matrix post-cure.
Proprietary colorant or additive toxicity
Maxima does not disclose additive chemistry for color-shift or UV-resistance agents. No recalls or adverse reports link Chameleon line to dermatitis or systemic toxicity; industry-standard colorants (organic azo dyes, inorganic oxides) carry minimal contact risk.
Heavy metals
Fishing-line colorants are not subject to FDA or CPG restrictions on lead or cadmium as are food-contact coatings. No third-party analysis of Maxima line for heavy metals is publicly available; risk is presumed low given lack of reported incidents and typical pigment standards in polymer additives.
Source, FDA ↗How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Maxima is a legacy fishing-line manufacturer (est. 1975) with no public safety recalls, product liability litigation, or chemical disclosure statements on file. The brand does not publish material safety data sheets or third-party certifications for consumer fishing lines. Brand silence on PFAS and other additives is typical for the fishing-tackle industry; no evidence suggests Maxima uses intentional PFAS Teflon-family coating coatings in monofilament products, though additives are proprietary.
How it compares in its category
Monofilament nylon fishing line has lower concern regarding material complexity and additive packages compared to fluorocarbon and braided lines. Maxima's monofilament sits in the mid-to-premium tier; competitors (Berkley, Trilene, Shimano) use identical base chemistry with no meaningful safety differentiation. The main variation among brands is durability and UV resistance, not chemical hazard profile.
If you buy it
Fishing line poses no skin toxicity risk during normal handling or use; store spools in cool, dry conditions away from direct UV to slow polymer degradation and preserve tensile strength. Nylon monofilament degrades over 2-3 years of storage due to UV and hydrolysis; replace spools periodically regardless of visible wear. Dispose of spent line in trash or dedicated fishing-line recycling programs; do not flush or leave in water, as it is non-biodegradable and poses wildlife entanglement hazard.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 72% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Maxima has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More fishing tackle & gear 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.