Pflueger · Fishing Gear & Equipment
Pflueger President LE Spinning Reel
Fishing reel with lower PFAS concern and brand makes no PFAS claims.
Pflueger President LE reels use aluminum and stainless steel with standard industrial graphite lubrication. No brand disclosure on PFAS exists, and no public lab testing is available for this product.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
Aluminum alloy body, stainless steel internals, graphite lubrication
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Category baseline
PFAS exposure happens more often with clothing products.
No PFAS disclosure
The company has not publicly discussed PFAS in this product.
Stainless steel nickel release
Stainless steel internal components may contain nickel (typical 8-12% in 300-series alloys). Direct prolonged skin contact is minimal in a fishing reel; risk is negligible for users without nickel sensitivity, but sensitive individuals should wash hands after handling.
What’s reassuring
Safe base material
Made from ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber with no PFAS risk.
Aluminum alloy corrosion and leaching
Aluminum alloy bodies in fishing reels are sealed by design and do not contact food, drinking water, or skin for extended periods. No documented cases of aluminum leaching from Pflueger reels into water or causing health effects in normal use.
Graphite lubricant inhalation or ingestion
Graphite lubricants are non-toxic and inert; no ingestion pathway exists for fishing reel users. Inhalation risk is absent in normal use since graphite is applied internally and not dispersed as powder.
Heavy metals
Pflueger does not disclose paint or anodize chemistry for this reel. No recalls or regulatory findings document lead, cadmium, or chromium in the finish. Anodized aluminum finishes typically use chromium, but migration into skin or water from a sealed reel body is not established.
Source: FDA ↗Microplastic or polymer breakdown
The President LE is primarily aluminum and stainless steel; minimal plastic components mean negligible microplastic generation during normal use. The reel is not heated or microwaved, eliminating that degradation pathway.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
The President LE uses an aluminum alloy body paired with stainless steel internal components and graphite-based lubrication. Aluminum alloys in fishing reels are chosen for corrosion resistance and weight, while stainless internals prevent rust from saltwater exposure. Graphite lubricants are inert and pose no ingestion or leaching risk in this application since the reel does not contact food or drinking water and users do not consume lubricant residue.
The brand's record and disclosure
Pflueger (owned by Rapala) does not publish material safety disclosures, certifications (such as REACH or RoHS), or PFAS mitigation statements for consumer reels. No major product recalls tied to material toxicity have been documented for this model. The brand's silence on PFAS and chemical composition reflects typical industry practice for sports equipment rather than a red flag, as fishing reels fall outside heavy-use food contact or high-heat apparel categories where such disclosures are more common.
How it compares in its category
Aluminum alloy reels are the industry standard; the President LE sits in the mid-range segment and uses materials consistent with competitors (Shimano, Abu Garcia). No established body of complaints or regulatory findings suggests this reel's material formulation poses greater hazard than comparable spinning reels. Stainless steel internals are a durability feature that also reduces corrosion-related metal leaching into the environment.
If you buy it
Rinse the reel with fresh water after saltwater use to prevent corrosion and avoid prolonged graphite lubricant exposure to skin; wash hands after handling. Do not disassemble or heat-treat the reel, as this is not intended by design and could compromise seal integrity. Store in a dry environment; the aluminum body and stainless internals do not degrade significantly from normal fishing use. Replace drag components or bearings only with manufacturer parts if wear occurs after extended 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
- Pflueger has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
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Limited concern
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More fishing gear & equipment 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.