All 15 snow pants we scored fail our PFAS screen
We scored 15 snow 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 snow pants we scored fail our PFAS and toxin screen.
The safest PFAS-free snow pants we have scored
Nothing in this category clears our buy threshold yet. That is the finding, not a gap.
The snow pants we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first.
Patagonia
Men's Powder Town Pants
nylon blend with water-repellent coating water-repellent treatment
PFAS
Limited concern
Nylon degradation and microfiber shedding
Moderate concern
Moderate concern; Patagonia's water-repellent coating lacks transparency on whether it contains PFAS.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
The North Face
Men's Dawnstrike GTX Pants
Nylon with GORE-TEX membrane (ePTFE laminate)
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
GORE-TEX Teflon-family coating membrane durability and coating degradation
Moderate concern
Nylon fiber microplastic shedding
Limited concern
Avoid if you're concerned about PFAS; GORE-TEX Teflon-family coating may contain legacy PFAS without brand disclosure.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
The North Face
Men's Chakal Pant
nylon with water-repellent coating water-repellent finish
Microfiber shedding during wear and wash
Limited concern
water-repellent coating durability and reapplication exposure
Limited concern
Avoid until The North Face reveals what water-repellent coating is used or switches to PFAS-free options.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
What we check on snow 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 snow pants brands that will not say
5 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.
Burton, Columbia, Patagonia, Salomon, The North Face.
Common questions about PFAS-free snow pants
Is snow pants PFAS free?
Mostly not. Of the 15 snow pants we have scored, 100% fail our PFAS and toxin screen, which leaves 0 that pass. The lowest is Patagonia Patagonia Men's Powder Town Pants at 20.
Which snow pants should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Patagonia Patagonia Men's Powder Town Pants at 20, The North Face The North Face Men's Dawnstrike GTX Pants at 20, The North Face The North Face Men's Chakal Pant at 20. The problem with the first is that moderate concern; Patagonia's DWR coating lacks transparency on whether it contains PFAS.
How can you tell if snow 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 snow pants brands will not say whether they use PFAS?
5 of the brands we scored in this category publish nothing about PFAS at all, including Burton, Columbia, Patagonia, Salomon, 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 snow 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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