All 38 rain jackets we scored fail our PFAS screen
We scored 38 rain jackets for PFAS forever chemicals and other hazards, then ranked them safest first. Every score below links to the full breakdown of what earned it.
100% of the 38 rain jackets we scored fail our PFAS and toxin screen.
The safest PFAS-free rain jackets we have scored
Nothing in this category clears our buy threshold yet. That is the finding, not a gap.
The rain jackets we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first.
Eddie Bauer
Women's Packable Rainfoil Jacket
Nylon with water-repellent coating water-resistant coating
PFAS
Limited concern
water-repellent coating degradation and shedding
Moderate concern
Nylon microfiber shedding from abrasion
Limited concern
water-repellent coating composition unclear; Eddie Bauer does not disclose PFAS status.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Helly Hansen
Vancouver Rain Jacket
polyester with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Antimony catalyst residues in polyester
Limited concern
water-repellent coating durability and degradation
Moderate concern
Waterproof rain jacket, water-repellent coating PFAS status unknown, brand silent.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Eddie Bauer
Men's RipPac Pro Rain Jacket
Nylon with water-repellent coating water-repellent finish
water-repellent coating degradation and re-treatment chemical exposure
Limited concern
Microfiber shedding from synthetic fabric
Limited concern
water-repellent coating rain jackets typically use PFAS; Eddie Bauer silent on coating chemistry.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
What we check on rain jackets
- Formaldehyde / VOCs. Off-gassing chemicals from some finishes, textiles, and pressed wood. ATSDR
- Endocrine disruptors. Chemicals that interfere with the body’s hormone system. NIEHS
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The rain jackets brands that will not say
9 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.
Carhartt, Columbia, Eddie Bauer, Gore, Helly Hansen, Keen, Marmot, Spiewak, The North Face.
Common questions about PFAS-free rain jackets
Is rain jackets PFAS free?
Mostly not. Of the 38 rain jackets we have scored, 100% fail our PFAS and toxin screen, which leaves 0 that pass. The lowest is Eddie Bauer Eddie Bauer Women's Packable Rainfoil Jacket at 20.
Which rain jackets should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Eddie Bauer Eddie Bauer Women's Packable Rainfoil Jacket at 20, Helly Hansen Helly Hansen Vancouver Rain Jacket at 20, Eddie Bauer Eddie Bauer Men's RipPac Pro Rain Jacket at 20. The problem with the first is that dWR coating composition unclear; Eddie Bauer does not disclose PFAS status.
How can you tell if rain jackets contain PFAS?
In this category we check for formaldehyde / vocs, endocrine disruptors. Off-gassing chemicals from some finishes, textiles, and pressed wood. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.
Which rain jackets brands will not say whether they use PFAS?
9 of the brands we scored in this category publish nothing about PFAS at all, including Carhartt, Columbia, Eddie Bauer, Gore, Helly Hansen, Keen. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test rain jackets?
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.
Get the safe list, free
The products we score each week, and the safest alternative in every category.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Does a particular brand of rain jackets have PFAS?
We also wrote this up at length. PFAS in Rain Jackets: Which Brands Grade Best and Worst
Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 38 rain jackets.