Spiderwire Stealth Smooth
Skip until clarity; fishing line coatings are often proprietary and undisclosed.
This braided line uses a smooth proprietary coating designed to reduce friction, but SpiderWire provides no PFAS or composition details. Fishing tackle coatings remain largely undisclosed.
The safe swap
Cortland
Cortland Silent Flip Braided Fishing Line
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
Braided polyethylene fishing line with proprietary coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Unknown / proprietary coating
Has a special coating but the exact formula is secret.
Category baseline
PFAS exposure happens more often with clothing products.
No PFAS disclosure
The company has not publicly discussed PFAS in this product.
Coating leachates (undisclosed composition)
The proprietary coating is not publicly disclosed; unknown additives could leach into water or skin during use, though no documented incidents are on record for this product.
Microplastic fragmentation
Braided PE breaks down over time, especially under UV and mechanical stress. Fragments entering waterways are a known concern for all synthetic fishing lines, not specific to this brand but relevant to use context.
What’s reassuring
Colorant stability and migration
No evidence of dye instability or heavy metal pigments in Spiderwire products; however, the specific colorants in Stealth Smooth are not disclosed and cannot be independently verified.
Heavy metals
No recalls or test results indicate lead, cadmium, or other heavy metals in this product; braided PE coatings typically use lighter additives, but lack of disclosure prevents absolute exclusion.
Source: FDA ↗Skin irritation or sensitization from coating contact
No reported cases of dermatitis or allergic reaction attributed to Stealth Smooth handling; risk is low but depends on individual sensitivity and coating formulation clarity.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Spiderwire Stealth Smooth is braided polyethylene (PE) with a proprietary outer coating claimed to reduce visibility and improve casting. Braided PE itself is a stable, inert plastic under normal fishing conditions. The coating's exact chemistry is not publicly disclosed by the manufacturer, which means potential additives like UV stabilizers, colorants, or slip agents cannot be independently verified. This opacity is the primary concern, as fishing line coatings sometimes contain or leach compounds during use.
The brand's record and disclosure
Spiderwire (owned by Pure Fishing/Newell Brands) does not publish detailed material safety data sheets or coating composition for this product line. The brand has no published certifications regarding contaminant limits or independent testing for leachates. No product recalls or safety alerts are on record for Stealth Smooth. The lack of transparency about the coating formulation is consistent with industry practice but limits third-party verification of safety claims.
How it compares in its category
Most braided fishing lines use similar undisclosed coatings; monofilament alternatives (nylon) have simpler chemistry but different performance traits. Spiderwire is a market leader with decades of use history, which provides some indirect safety reassurance via absence of documented harm. However, newer or niche brands sometimes offer greater transparency about coating materials. Among braided lines, Stealth Smooth occupies a mid-to-premium tier where coating durability and performance claims exceed safety documentation.
If you buy it
Rinse hands after handling, especially if the coating flakes or degrades visibly over time. Do not allow children to chew on or ingest line fragments. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to minimize coating breakdown. Replace if the outer coating shows significant peeling, discoloration, or loss of smoothness, as this may indicate material degradation and potential leachate risk during use.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 35% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Spiderwire has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Safer alternatives in Fishing Line
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
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.