Stren Original Monofilament Fishing Line - Hi-Viz Gold / 270 Yard / 17 lb
Minimal concern; verify with Stren directly on coatings.
Standard nylon monofilament with no disclosed coatings or water treatments. Stren makes no PFAS claims either way.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
Nylon monofilament (extruded plastic line)
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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.
PFAS
Monofilament fishing line may incorporate PFAS-based surfactants or water-repellent coatings to improve handling and casting. Stren has not disclosed formulation; direct contact with PFAS during use is minimal, but discarded line contributes to environmental PFAS accumulation.
Source, ATSDR ↗Microplastic shedding during use
Monofilament fishing line sheds microscopic particles when handled, cut, or abraded against rod guides and knots. This is an environmental concern if line fragments enter waterways; consumer inhalation or ingestion risk is negligible.
UV degradation and brittleness
Nylon monofilament becomes brittle and prone to breakage after 6-12 months of sunlight exposure or storage in warm conditions. Degraded line may fragment more easily, increasing microplastic load if discarded in water.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
Heavy metals
No documented cases of toxic heavy metals (lead, cadmium) in Stren Hi-Viz Gold dye or other monofilament colorants. Standard azo dyes used in fishing line are water-stable and not bioavailable to anglers during normal handling.
Source, FDA ↗Nylon monomer leaching
Extruded nylon 6 and 6,6 monofilaments do not leach caprolactam or adipic acid at rates of concern in ambient freshwater or saltwater environments. Risk is theoretical and not documented in consumer exposure literature.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Stren Original is extruded nylon monofilament, a thermoplastic polymer commonly used in fishing line because it resists water absorption and maintains strength when wet. Nylon 6 or nylon 6,6 does not inherently leach toxic monomers or heavy metals under normal fishing conditions (ambient temperature, saltwater or freshwater exposure). The 'Hi-Viz Gold' dye is a colorant additive; no specific safety data exists for Stren's proprietary dye formulation, but standard azo dyes in fishing line are regulated and stable in aquatic environments. PFAS may be present in surface coatings or additives to improve handling or water repellency, but Stren has not publicly disclosed formulation details.
The brand's record and disclosure
Stren (owned by Pure Fishing, a Berkley brand subsidiary) is a market-leading fishing line manufacturer with no major product recalls or safety controversies on record. The company does not publicly commit to PFAS-free formulations or provide detailed material safety datasheets for consumer purchases. No independent testing of Stren monofilament for PFAS content, phthalates, or heavy metals in commercial pigments has been published in open literature. This silence does not indicate a hazard, but limits third-party verification.
How it compares in its category
Monofilament fishing line is inherently a low-hazard product category because it does not contact food, skin, or inhalation pathways during typical use. Alternative materials (braided polyester, fluorocarbon) carry similar or identical uncertainty about PFAS coatings and dyes. Stren Original is a budget-friendly, mid-tier option; premium lines from the same parent company offer no documented safety advantage. The hazard profile of nylon monofilament is primarily environmental (persistence and bioaccumulation as discarded microplastic waste) rather than consumer exposure.
If you buy it
Nylon monofilament is stable during storage at room temperature and does not degrade or leach under normal fishing use (freshwater, saltwater, sunlight exposure over a season). Do not heat or burn monofilament scrap, as nylon can release volatile organic compounds and potential irritants. Dispose of used or tangled line in solid waste, not water, to reduce microplastic pollution. Replace line annually or when it becomes brittle, cloudy, or shows visible damage, as UV exposure weakens nylon over time; no special handling is required during use.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 72% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Stren has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
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.