Does Penn fishing gear & equipment have PFAS?
PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Grades are model-based, built from published ingredients, materials, certifications, brand disclosures and third-party lab results where they exist. See the rubric.
We graded 8 Penn fishing gear & equipment products, averaging Excellent (86/100). 8 of them grade Good or better.
Penn fishing gear & equipment worth buying Good or better, safest first
Penn
Senator Combo
Fiberglass rod, conventional reel components
Plastic reel handle or seat degradation
Plastic components may become brittle or discolor after years of UV and salt exposure…
Fishing rod combo with no typical PFAS concern, but no disclosure.
✓Bare metal or glass, no coating at all
Penn
Spinfisher VII Spinning Reel
aluminum spool, stainless steel, graphite composite body
Bearing lubricant composition
Penn does not disclose lubricant formulations for Spinfisher VII bearings. Typical…
Fishing reel with no disclosed PFAS risk and typical for its category.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Penn
Pursuit V Spinning Travel Combo
Fiberglass rod, graphite composite, aluminum reel spool
Aluminum corrosion and leaching
Aluminum spool and hardware may corrode when exposed to saltwater or mineral-rich…
Fiberglass fiber shedding
Cracked or heavily worn fiberglass rod blanks can theoretically shed micro-fibers during…
Fishing rod with no known PFAS risk, representing a lower concern purchase.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Penn
Fierce IV Spinning Combo
Graphite composite reel, aluminum bail, fiberglass rod blank
Fiberglass particulate (rod blank)
If the rod blank cracks or splinters during use or transport, fiberglass fibers may be…
Mechanical injury (pinch points, line breakage)
This is a standard safety consideration for all spinning reels and is not specific to…
Fishing reel with no known PFAS exposure pathways and lower concern.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Penn
Fierce IV Live Liner Spinning Combo
Graphite composite rod, aluminum reel spool, stainless steel components
Aluminum corrosion and oxidation
Bare or anodized aluminum reels can corrode in saltwater or brackish conditions…
Fishing rod combo with lower concern and no known PFAS-prone materials.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Penn
Battle IV LE Spinning Combo
Aluminum spool, graphite composite rod, stainless steel guides
Aluminum corrosion and leaching
Aluminum spools are anodized or naturally oxidized for corrosion resistance, but…
Fishing combo with lower PFAS concern and no known high-risk coatings.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Penn
Fathom Lever Drag 2-Speed Reel
Aluminum spool, stainless steel frame, plastic handle
Coating degradation and microparticle release
Paint, anodize, or applied coatings on spool and frame may crack or peel after extended…
Bacterial biofilm in drag and bearing seals
Saltwater fishing reels can harbor bacterial or algal growth in sealed drag chambers and…
Fishing reel with lower concern for PFAS exposure.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Penn
Spinfisher VII Live Liner Spinning Combo
Graphite composite rod, anodized aluminum spool, fiberglass reinforced nylon housing
Anodized aluminum coating degradation
Saltwater and UV exposure can erode the anodized layer on the aluminum spool over…
Nylon housing stress cracking
Fiberglass-reinforced nylon can develop small cracks if dropped hard or exposed to…
Fishing equipment with inherent materials and no known PFAS risk.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
See every Penn product we grade on the Penn brand page, or the full fishing gear & equipment ranking.