About two weeks ago I was fishing up in the Sierras near the Sonora Pass. I went to add some tippet only to find it was brittle and broke when trying to tie onto the leader. Fortunately I always carry extra spools. My question is does tippet and leader for that matter have a definite shelf life? I think the brittle tippet was purchased 6 years ago. I store my tippet and leaders in a reel case in my closet when not in use.
Most tippets have a life expectancy. I believe that it depends on how it was stored and what type of material it is. I usually toss out my tippets that I have not used after a years use. Tippet doesn’t cost that much to begin with for small spools. Why risk it?
Rich
Yes it has a shelf life. It can also be affected by the Suns UV rays and heat also.
I use Frog Hair tippet and noticed it had a “use before” date. I always " hand pull my tippets hard" to guage their strength. I would think it depends upon where and how you store them. I laid spool of Mono in my back window one summer and forgot it. It went bad! In the whole realm of things, I don’t think tippets are that expensive that I would store them for several years. Tossed a lot of old stuff this summer. Stonger stuff went into my “Pond bluegill” bag. I wrote purchase dates with a sharpie on the inside of my spools and try to use the older spools first.
It does and you should notice it after 6 months to a year on it’s strength and shelf life
I’m with NoLuck, After a year, I toss it all and buy new. I’d hate to have a great fish get off because of bad tippet.
REE
Does shelf life in the store count? If it does how do you know your getting fresh tippet?
absolutely! and you dont!----if you are on a trip it gets interesting if you cant get new stuff—test it before you go!
Looks like I have a legitimate excuse to go shopping. 
Oh yes. I bought a “new” spool, … went fishing the next day, … 3 casts, three hits, … 3 lost fish (and flies) 
I took the spool back and they exchanged it for me.
Kevin Legitt, owner of Rio Grande Angler in Creede, Co., has an end of season sale with everything at 50% off. That way he starts the new season (april) with all new tackle, especially tippet, although I’ve read that flurocarbon doesn’t deteriorate as does monofilament. True?
HCR,
Fluorocarbon does not deteriorate like monofilament does. I used to buy all new mono every year, and use the old stuff for tying classes or just toss it. Then I decided I would just use fluorocarbon tippet for all my fishing, so now I don?t buy mono.
I feel comfortable using fluorocarbon for a couple of years before I replace it.
Larry 
—sagefisher—
I lost 4 of the best shrimp patterns on the first day of bonefishing in ambergris caye—no fly shop-no fly tying kit and THAT was a brand new spool of flourocarbon tippet—we found a guy spooling spinning reels and bought some 6# xt and used that the rest of the week.
Sagefisher- I use 35 lb. Flouro. as shock tippet for Snook and Reds around oysters and mangroves. I’ve seen it down to 6x. I thought it would be too stiff and drag easily? What is your experience with flouro and trout?
Kytroutbum
Randall Sale
It all depends on how you store it. That’s the simple truth of the matter…
Same goes with fly lines…
I have lines twenty five years old with no a problem… not even a crack (yet)
With Tippet after a couple of years and/or your not sure then test
it before use, easy enough to do…
My twelve cents any way…
Steve
Funny thing is; before the freshness dates appeared on tippet spools hardly anybody asked or worried about it.
I buy it, store it out of the heat and sun and use it up when I get around to it. It might be a year, two or three. In all my years of fly fishing I’ve only had one bad spool of tippet material I can recall.
Yep, it marketing for sure…
I always smell the milk first and test your tippet…
I don’t need no stinking dates…
Sunlight and ozone (usually from electrical equipment) are the worst destroyers of mono.
Stockers in stores are taught to replace the line on the shelves moving the older up front and the newer in behind. Doesn’t always happen. I have also had tying thread go bad (some was 40 years old).
I tied up some leaders (knotted sections) and the stuff seemed to be kind of brittle. Gave a couple to a buddy, he thought so too. It was a top brand and had been kept in a dry and dark place for about 25 years. I think age did effect it. Tossed all of the spools. Bought some knotless tapered ones instead.
25 years…:p:p:rolleyes:…some folks here weren’t born then…