All 15 hiking shoes & trail runners we scored fail our PFAS screen
We scored 15 hiking shoes & trail runners for PFAS forever chemicals and other hazards, then ranked them best-graded first. Every score below links to the full breakdown of what earned it.
100% of the 15 hiking shoes & trail runners we scored fail our PFAS and toxin screen.
The best-scoring hiking shoes & trail runners for PFAS risk
Nothing in this category clears our buy threshold yet. That is the finding, not a gap.
The hiking shoes & trail runners we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first.
Timberland
Men's Killington Trekker Sneaker Boots
Leather, nubuck, rubber sole with waterproof treatment
Teflon-type coating and fluorocarbon microparticle shedding
High concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Azo dye residues in nubuck finish
Limited concern
Adhesive and glue volatiles at seams
Limited concern
Waterproofed leather boot with unclear PFAS risk due to no brand transparency.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Timberland
Women's White Ledge Mid Waterproof Hiking Boot
leather upper with waterproof treatment, rubber sole
PFAS
High concern
Azo dyes in leather or synthetic overlays
Limited concern
Rubber sole degradation and particle shedding
Limited concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Waterproof hiking boot lacking PFAS confirmation from the brand.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Timberland
Men's Killington Trekker Mid Sneaker
Leather/textile upper with water-repellent coating-treated finish
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Azo dyes and dye breakdown products
Limited concern
water-repellent coating finish degradation and re-application chemical exposure
Moderate concern
Antimony in polyester components
Limited concern
water-repellent coating-treated upper with no brand PFAS disclosure or testing on record.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
What we check on hiking shoes & trail runners
- Confirmed PFAS, PTFE or fluoropolymer content, which is the heaviest penalty we apply.
- Stain, water or grease resistant treatments, which usually mean fluorinated chemistry.
- Whether the brand discloses what is in the product, or stays silent behind a “clean” claim.
- Independent lab results and certifications where they exist.
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The hiking shoes & trail runners brands that will not say
3 of the brands here publish nothing about PFAS at all. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is why none of them score well on disclosure.
Garmont, Merrell, Timberland.
Common questions about PFAS in hiking shoes & trail runners
Is hiking shoes & trail runners PFAS free?
Mostly not. Of the 15 hiking shoes & trail runners we have scored, 100% fail our PFAS and toxin screen, which leaves 0 that pass. The lowest is Timberland Men's Killington Trekker Sneaker Boots at 20.
Which hiking shoes & trail runners should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Timberland Men's Killington Trekker Sneaker Boots at 20, Timberland Women's White Ledge Mid Waterproof Hiking Boot at 20, Timberland Men's Killington Trekker Mid Sneaker at 20. The problem with the first is that waterproofed leather boot with unclear PFAS risk due to no brand transparency.
Which hiking shoes & trail runners brands will not say whether they use PFAS?
3 of the brands we scored in this category publish nothing about PFAS at all, including Garmont, Merrell, Timberland. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test hiking shoes & trail runners?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
More clothing and outdoor categories we have graded
Same rubric, same scale. These are the categories closest to hiking shoes & trail runners.
- Best non-toxic outdoor furniture cushion protectants363 graded
- Best non-toxic tents316 graded
- Best non-toxic ski jackets209 graded
- Best non-toxic ski & sports wax203 graded
- Best non-toxic performance socks15 graded
- Best non-toxic panty liners15 graded
- Best non-toxic rain pants15 graded
- Best non-toxic sleeping bags15 graded
Get the graded list, free
The products we score each week, and the best-graded alternative in every category.
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