Pelican · Waterproof Smartphone & Tech Cases
Pelican Voyager Case for Galaxy S25
Skip until Pelican discloses waterproofing treatment details.
Pelican Voyager cases use durable polycarbonate with waterproof coatings but provide no PFAS disclosure. Treatment chemicals remain unidentified; contact Pelican directly for specifics.
The safe swap
Tech21
Tech21 EvoClear for Apple iPhone 17 Pro
85/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned its B.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Polycarbonate shell with foam liner, likely water-repellent coating-treated exterior
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
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
The Voyager case uses polycarbonate (PC) as its primary shell, a rigid thermoplastic that is generally stable and does not leach BPA or phthalates under normal phone-use temperatures (ambient to ~50°C). The foam liner is typically closed-cell polyurethane or EVA, neither of which presents documented leaching hazards in passive contact with skin or pocket lint. The critical unknown is the water-resistant (water-repellent coating) coating on the exterior, which Pelican does not publicly disclose; many water-repellent coating treatments historically rely on Teflon-type coating or fluorocarbon chemistry, though water-based alternatives exist.
The brand's record and disclosure
Pelican is a well-established protective case manufacturer with no documented recalls for chemical hazards in phone cases and a reputation for durability testing. The company does not publicly commit to PFAS-free manufacturing or provide Material Safety Data Sheets for consumer products, nor does it disclose the specific chemistry of its water-repellent coating finish. This silence is not unusual in the case industry but reflects a lack of transparency rather than a red flag on file.
How it compares in its category
Rugged phone case market leaders (Otterbox, Spigen, UAG) similarly do not routinely disclose water-repellent coating treatments, making this case typical rather than exceptional. Cases without external water-resistance claims (uncoated polycarbonate or thermoplastic polyurethane TPU) avoid the water-repellent coating disclosure gap but sacrifice weatherproofing. If PFAS transparency is a priority, Pelican's silence puts it on par with most competitors; no major case maker has voluntarily certified PFAS-free status as of 2024.
If you buy it
Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent polycarbonate discoloration and degradation over years of use. The case is not intended for heating (dishwasher, car dashboard >60°C) and should not be microwaved. Inspect the foam liner periodically for compression or mold growth if the case has been exposed to moisture; replace if visible breakdown occurs. Clean with plain water or mild soap; avoid solvents (acetone, alcohols) that can degrade polycarbonate over time.
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-type coating/fluorocarbon in water-repellent coating (PFAS category)
Pelican does not disclose whether the exterior water-repellent coating treatment uses Teflon-type coating, other fluorocarbons, or water-based alternatives. This is graded separately per your brief but warrants flagging here: if fluorocarbon water-repellent coating is used, microscopic wear particles and off-gassing are theoretically possible over case lifetime, though direct skin contact exposure is minimal.
Polycarbonate breakdown and microplastic generation
Polycarbonate can degrade and shed microparticles if scratched, dropped repeatedly, or exposed to UV light or scratching cleaners over 2-3 years. This is not a chemical leaching hazard but a physical fragmentation risk; users handling the case repeatedly (removing for charging, dropping) may shed trace particles over time.
Foam liner off-gassing or compression degradation
Closed-cell polyurethane and EVA liners used in Pelican cases are not documented to off-gas VOCs or release chemical irritants under normal storage and use. However, if moisture is trapped against the foam, mold growth is possible; decomposing foam can release unpleasant odors and weak structural integrity but not toxic chemical exposure.
Heavy metal dyes or pigments in shell/foam coloring
No recalls or reports of lead, cadmium, or antimony in Pelican phone case colorants exist. Polycarbonate and polyurethane formulations for consumer electronics typically use azo-dye and pigment systems that meet FDA indirect food-contact standards, by extension making toxicological risk low for skin contact.
Allergen or irritant residue from manufacturing
Pelican cases do not document formaldehyde resins, latex, or other known skin sensitizers in their construction. Users with severe plastic sensitivities should test a small area first, but the case poses no category-typical chemical allergy risk compared to competitors.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 35% 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 Waterproof Smartphone & Tech Cases
Tech21
EvoClear for Apple iPhone 17 Pro
polycarbonate and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)
Polycarbonate phone case.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
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Woven fabric composite with elastomer MagSafe attachment
Limited PFAS risk from material choice, but no brand disclosure
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
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⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
More waterproof smartphone & tech cases 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.