All 15 rain pants we scored fail our PFAS screen
We scored 15 rain pants 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 15 rain pants we scored fail our PFAS and toxin screen.
The safest PFAS-free rain pants we have scored
Nothing in this category clears our buy threshold yet. That is the finding, not a gap.
The rain pants we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first.
The North Face
Men's Antora Rain Pants
Nylon with water-repellent coating water-repellent finish
PFAS
High concern
Nylon degradation and microfiber shedding
Limited concern
Coating degradation and leachables
Limited concern
High risk. water-repellent coating treatments traditionally use PFAS, The North Face does not disclose their formula.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
The North Face
Women's Antora Rain Pants
Nylon outer with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) treatment
PFAS
Limited concern
Coating degradation or off-gassing during manufacturing/storage
Limited concern
High risk. Silent on water-repellent coating chemistry, ask The North Face directly if PFAS-free alternatives matter to you.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Patagonia
Men's Torrentshell 3L Rain Pants
Nylon with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) treatment
PFAS
High concern
Nylon microfiber shedding during washing
Moderate concern
water-repellent coating degradation and reapplication exposure
Limited concern
High risk. High-performance rain gear likely contains legacy or replacement PFAS in water-repellent coating. Patagonia's silence is a red flag.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
What we check on rain pants
- Heavy metals. Lead, cadmium, arsenic and others that accumulate in the body. FDA
- Lead. A heavy metal with no safe exposure level, especially for children. ATSDR
- Cadmium. A toxic heavy metal found in some glazes, pigments, and batteries. ATSDR
- 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 pants brands that will not say
4 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.
Arc'teryx, Columbia, Patagonia, The North Face.
Common questions about PFAS-free rain pants
Is rain pants PFAS free?
Mostly not. Of the 15 rain pants we have scored, 100% fail our PFAS and toxin screen, which leaves 0 that pass. The lowest is The North Face The North Face Men's Antora Rain Pants at 20.
Which rain pants should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are The North Face The North Face Men's Antora Rain Pants at 20, The North Face The North Face Women's Antora Rain Pants at 20, Patagonia Patagonia Men's Torrentshell 3L Rain Pants at 20. The problem with the first is that high risk. DWR treatments traditionally use PFAS—The North Face does not disclose their formula.
How can you tell if rain pants contain PFAS?
In this category we check for heavy metals, lead, cadmium, formaldehyde / vocs, endocrine disruptors. Lead, cadmium, arsenic and others that accumulate in the body. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.
Which rain pants brands will not say whether they use PFAS?
4 of the brands we scored in this category publish nothing about PFAS at all, including Arc'teryx, Columbia, Patagonia, The North Face. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test rain pants?
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.
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