Trilene · Fishing Line
Berkley Trilene Big Game Braid
Lower PFAS concern; conventional braid with no known treatment triggers, but brand makes no disclosure.
Berkley Trilene Big Game Braid is a standard polyester braided fishing line with no documented Teflon-family coating coatings, Teflon-type coating, or water/stain-resistance treatments that typically introduce PFAS. The brand does not claim PFAS-free status or disclose coating chemistry.
Shop Trilene on Amazon →Material
braided polyester fishing line
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Category baseline
other is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
Safe base material
Made from a material with no inherent PFAS use (ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber).
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Berkley Trilene Big Game Braid is a braided polyester fishing line, which means multiple strands of polyester polymer are woven tightly together for strength and abrasion resistance. Unlike monofilament lines, braided construction distributes stress across many fibers rather than one, reducing breakage under load. Polyester itself is a stable, durable synthetic polymer with no known leaching of monomers or plasticizers into water under normal fishing conditions.
The brand's record and disclosure
Berkley (owned by Pure Fishing, a major tackle manufacturer) does not publicly disclose material sourcing, chemical treatments, or independent safety testing for this line. The company has no known recalls, safety warnings, or certifications related to Trilene Big Game Braid. Transparency on water contamination or worker safety is absent from public records, which is typical for the fishing tackle industry but limits independent verification.
How it compares in its category
Braided polyester lines dominate the heavy-duty saltwater and freshwater market alongside braided nylon and gel-spun polyethylene alternatives. Trilene Big Game Braid sits in the mid-to-premium segment for conventional braids; competitors include SpiderWire and Power Pro, which similarly lack public chemical disclosures. Braided polyester is generally considered safer than monofilament for environmental persistence because it breaks down faster in water, though this remains relative.
If you buy it
Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent UV degradation, which can weaken fibers over time. Inspect the line regularly for fraying, discoloration, or visible damage; replace every 1-2 years if used frequently in saltwater, which causes faster wear. Dispose of old line responsibly by placing in trash or recycling programs that accept synthetics; never discard into water. Handle normally during use; no special precautions needed beyond standard fishing practice.
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.”
Microplastic shedding during use
Braided polyester lines shed microscopic fibers during normal casting, retrieval, and water contact. The extent depends on line age and water conditions; no quantified data for Trilene Big Game Braid specifically, but shedding is inherent to the material class.
UV degradation and fiber fragmentation
Polyester braids degrade under prolonged sunlight exposure, leading to brittleness and breakage. This generates small plastic fragments that may persist in freshwater and marine environments; Trilene does not advertise UV-stabilizer additives.
Dye or treatment chemical leachates
Braided polyester lines are sometimes dyed (Trilene Big Game Braid is typically green or white). No evidence of heavy metal dyes, azo dyes, or reactive treatment chemicals in this product line; industry standard uses low-migration colorants.
Entanglement and wildlife ingestion risk
As a discarded or loose fishing line, Trilene braid poses mechanical hazard to aquatic life and seabirds through entanglement. This is a use and disposal issue, not a toxicity issue, but remains a material-class concern.
Heavy metals in pigments or additives
No published evidence of lead, cadmium, or antimony in Trilene Big Game Braid. Fishing line is not typically treated with flame retardants or antimicrobial coatings that would carry such metals.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 72% 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.
Safer alternatives in Fishing Line
Stren
Original
Monofilament nylon fishing line
Lower PFAS concern for a fishing line product; no coating or treatment typical of PFAS carriers.
⚠Risky category by default
Maxima
Ultragreen One Shot
Lubricant/chain oil (mineral or synthetic base)
Lower PFAS concern for a chain lubricant; minimal Teflon-family coating/waterproofing risk profile.
⚠Risky category by default
Seaguar
Blue Label
Fluorocarbon fishing line (monofilament)
Fluorocarbon fishing line may contain PFAS; insufficient public data to grade definitively.
⚠Risky category by default
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.