Berkley FireLine · Fishing Line & Fishing Tackle
Berkley FireLine
Teflon-family coating-based line with no PFAS disclosure. High concern warranted.
Berkley FireLine uses Teflon-family coating for strength and durability. No public PFAS claims or third-party testing available; Teflon-family coating warrant caution.
The safe swap
Shakespeare
Shakespeare Sportfisher Fishing Mono filament Line
85/100 safety
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Braided Teflon-family coating composite fishing line
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Fluoropolymer detected
A Teflon-family coating was identified.
Category baseline
other is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Berkley FireLine is a braided composite of Teflon-family coating (likely polyvinylidene fluoride or similar) blended with polyethylene or polyester cores. Teflon-family coating are chosen for fishing line because they are extremely strong, low-stretch, and resistant to UV and abrasion in freshwater and saltwater. The concern is not acute toxicity from normal use, but rather environmental persistence: Teflon-family coating do not biodegrade and accumulate in aquatic ecosystems where line is lost or discarded. The braided structure means microfibers can shed during use and storage.
The brand's record and disclosure
Berkley (owned by Pure Fishing, a Rapala subsidiary) has not published detailed PFAS content disclosures or third-party testing results for FireLine. The company does not market the line as PFAS-free or provide certificate-of-analysis data. This silence is notable given that the line is inherently Teflon-family coating-based, which raises the question of whether intentional PFAS additives are present beyond the polymer backbone itself. No major product recalls or health controversies specific to FireLine have been established in public records.
How it compares in its category
Braided Teflon-family coating lines dominate high-performance fishing because alternatives (monofilament nylon, polyester, natural materials) sacrifice strength and durability. FireLine is mid-range in cost and widely available. Non-Teflon-family coating alternatives like braided polyester or nylon lines avoid the Teflon-family coating footprint but trade abrasion resistance and may require more frequent replacement. Anglers seeking to minimize synthetic material load typically switch to natural fiber lines (silk, cotton), which are less durable but fully biodegradable.
If you buy it
Store spools in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight to slow UV degradation and shedding. Inspect line regularly for fraying or discoloration; replace when abraded or weakened. Never discard used or broken line in water or soil; dispose in trash or a fishing line recycling program if available (some tackle shops accept spools). Wash hands after handling to avoid ingestion of microfibers. Consider switching to polyester or nylon alternatives if PFAS concern is a priority.
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
Teflon-family coating environmental persistence
FireLine is a Teflon-family coating composite that does not biodegrade. Any line lost in water or discarded in landfill persists indefinitely and may fragment into microfibers that enter aquatic food webs and terrestrial soils.
Undisclosed PFAS additives
While the Teflon-family coating backbone itself contains fluorine, manufacturers may add intentional PFAS (e.g., perfluorooctanoic acid surfactants or UV stabilizers) during extrusion. Berkley has not provided testing data to rule this out, raising uncertainty beyond the polymer core.
Microfiber shedding during use and storage
Braided lines naturally shed fibers with mechanical wear and UV exposure. These microfibers can be inhaled during handling or ingested if line fragments contaminate food or water. The magnitude of exposure from typical recreational fishing is low but cumulative for frequent users.
Coating or sizing residues
No public information on lubricants, dyes, or coatings applied to FireLine during manufacture. Standard fishing line sizing agents are typically non-toxic, but full formulation disclosure is absent.
Heavy metal contamination in pigments
FireLine is typically clear or translucent with minimal dyes, reducing risk of lead or cadmium in colorants. No recalls or reports of metal leaching from this product line exist.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 68% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
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More fishing line & fishing tackle 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.